If you suffer from gout or another form of arthritis, you may want to consider a low carb diet. There is increasing evidence that a low carbohydrate diet may be a good thing for people with gout or other forms of arthritis.
Gout is an inflammation of the joints caused by your body losing its ability to regulate uric acid, which is a naturally occurring substance in the body and in foods. If uric acid levels in the body get too high, you can experience symptoms such as joint inflammation, swelling, and pain.
Gout isn’t just an old days disease. It still affects millions of people, though for the most part these days, the disease is limited to a handful of people who suffer from a condition known as gouty arthritis. Gout is an acute inflammatory disease that affects the joints of the body, which is caused by the deposition of uric acid crystals, a byproduct of your body’s metabolism, in the joints. This can cause severe inflammation of the joint, and is a common cause of excruciating pain and swelling. The buildup of these crystals can also lead to joint damage and inflammation.
Is gout caused by low-carb or high-meat keto diets? There is no proof for this to our knowledge, and this guide examines why this may or may not be true.
To begin with, a low-carb diet does not have to include a lot of meat, and even diets that do include a lot of meat vary significantly from the typical American diet.
In fact, since all low-carb diets are low in sugar and processed carbs, they will lower rather than raise the incidence of gout.
Continue reading to learn more about gout, how to avoid it, and how a low-carb diet may help.
What exactly is gout?
Gout is a painful inflammation of a joint that occurs suddenly, typically near the base of the big toe (see picture). Other joints, such as the B. heels, knees, wrists, and finger joints, may also be impacted.
Gout is caused by an increase in blood uric acid levels, which causes crystals to form in the afflicted joint.
Overweight and metabolic syndrome patients are more likely to get gout. It has grown more prevalent in recent decades, affecting about 6% of adult males and 2% of adult women (it is even more common in the elderly). It was formerly thought to be a sickness only monarchs and the wealthy could afford, but today everyone can afford it. Sugar.
Meat and grains
Excessive meat intake is often blamed for gout. Gout is caused by uric acid, which is a breakdown product of purines, a protein building component present in high quantities in meat.
However, as with other dietary epidemiological research, meat intake cannot be separated from the monitoring of healthy users or the related use of refined carbohydrates or alcohol. As a result, epidemiological research cannot show that eating meat raises the risk of gout. Vegans had greater uric acid levels than meat and fish eaters, according to one research, which may put them at risk for gout episodes.
More protein in the diet (such as meat) seems to enhance uric acid excretion by the kidneys, although this has no impact on blood uric acid levels or the risk of developing gout.
A link between meat intake and high uric acid levels has been discovered in a few small observational studies, mostly conducted in the United States. There is no such connection in other nations, such as B Taiwan. Why is there such a disparity? We don’t know for sure, but the incidence of metabolic syndrome or sugar intake may be one reason. As a result, other dietary components may be more essential than meat intake.
Gout and sugar
Because hyperuricemia, gout, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome all have a strong link, it’s conceivable that they’re all caused by the same thing: sugar and other refined carbs.
Indeed, high blood insulin levels, which are a result of a high-refined-carbohydrate diet, have been proven to raise uric acid levels, owing to the kidneys’ reduced uric acid clearance.
It’s worth noting that gout became widely prevalent in the population at the same time as sugar intake started to skyrocket (e.g. in 18th century Britain, in parallel with the rise of the sugar industry in the country).
Experiments have also shown that eating fructose (the primary component of sugar) raises uric acid levels in the body.
Because alcohol and fructose are both processed by the liver in the same manner, it’s conceivable that they both raise uric acid levels.
Gout, uric acid, and a low-carbohydrate diet
During the first few weeks of a rigorous (i.e., keto) low-carbohydrate diet, short-term studies indicate a transient rise in uric acid levels. This impact fades after approximately six weeks, when uric acid levels return to normal or even lower.
People who follow a low-carbohydrate diet for many months or years have no substantial change in uric acid levels, according to studies. One research found a substantial decrease in uric acid after 6 months on a low-carbohydrate diet, indicating that this may lower the incidence of gout.
Despite the fact that no one appears to have discovered a clear difference in the risk of gout after dozens of high-quality research comparing low-carbohydrate diets to other diets, none of the studies addressed this issue in depth.
Doctors who routinely prescribe a low-carbohydrate diet to their patients report no significant rise in gout episodes, even in the early stages. So, if there is a risk increase in the first few weeks, it will most likely be little.
Gout is one of the most painful conditions you can get, affecting the joints of the body and being one of the leading causes of disease in the world. While it is mostly seen in older people, gout can strike at any time and it can be very painful. The best way to avoid it is to get rid of the source of the problem – excess blood sugar.. Read more about joint pain while on keto diet and let us know what you think.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can low carb cause gout?
Gout is a type of arthritis that causes painful, inflamed joints. It can be caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood.
Does carbohydrates increase uric acid?
Yes, carbohydrates increase uric acid.
Is a low carb diet good for arthritis?
Low carb diets are not recommended for people with arthritis.
Related Tags
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