Salt a factor?

[Tavery]

I had my first gout attack about 6 weeks ago. I did a bunch of research and modified my diet to remove the foods most commonly identified with causing high uric acid levels. The attack subsided and life settled back into something normal. While I love beef, beer, chocolate and shellfish – I was willing to give them up to live pain free.

4am this morning I had another attack. Not quite as bad as the first one, but it still hurts! The only thing I can think of that has changed is that the last couple days I had a large amount of salt in my diet (salted sunflower seeds, popcorn, chips, saltines, Top Ramen, etc). I know that stuff isnt the healthiest to eat but would that have caused an attack?

To give you an image of me…I am a 40 year old white male. 6 foot, 234 pounds (on the edge between overweight and obese). I have no health/physical problems that I am aware of. I sit at a desk all day and havent been exercising much in the last few months but my weight has been holding steady for a couple years now. I dont drink excessively and since the first attack 6 weeks ago, the only alcohol was sangria last Friday night (and only a couple glasses).

Can salt play a factor? My goal is to control my gout through diet and exercise if possible without resorting to drugs.

Thanks!

p.s. When I saw the doctor on the first attack they said my uric acid level was “on the high side of normal” (before all my diet modifications) and I wasnt a candidate for frequent recurrances.

[zip2play]

Tavery,

There is some decent evidence to show that excess salt casues the kidney to retain certain waste products, among them uric acid so I feel that yes, excess salt can preciptate a gout attack.

Excess salt also produces considerable edema which will increase the swelling and pain of any attack.

Our high salt diets are SO bad for SO many reasons…the worst probably being the increase of hypertension and stroke risk.

[Keith Taylor (GoutPal Admin)]

As well as agreeing with zip2play about the salt.

Tavery said:

To give you an image of me…I am a 40 year old white male. 6 foot, 234 pounds (on the edge between overweight and obese). I have no health/physical problems that I am aware of. I sit at a desk all day and havent been exercising much in the last few months but my weight has been holding steady for a couple years now.

p.s. When I saw the doctor on the first attack they said my uric acid level was “on the high side of normal” (before all my diet modifications) and I wasnt a candidate for frequent recurrances.

---

I think your doctor is wrong about your risks. “The high side of normal” is a dangerous place to be once you have had an attack. It is vital to keep checking blood to make sure uric acid stays below 6mg/dL. Many people have higher levels, yet never develop gout. You have shown that you are susceptible, therefore this is important to you.

Why risk the chances of increasingly painful gout attacks? The whole point of managing gout is to control uric acid so that it stays below the danger level.

If yours is not too high, you may be able to control it with sensible diet, gentle exercise and gradual weight loss. But you must get uric acid levels checked regularly to make sure you remain risk free.

[Tavery]

I ordered the UASure kit last week. I am still waiting for it to arrive. I will be doing some self-monitoring. I also set up a doctor visit to get the usually battery of tests every 40 year old should have and discuss.

I admit though – I hate the thought of having to take a drug for the rest of my life. Ugh. But if its what I need, then its what I need. However, I dont want the drug to be a crutch to let me continue living as yet another unhealthy overweight American. Gout should be a swift kick in the ass to start living better.

[zip2play]

Don't look at it that way.

Evolution has played an ugly trick on mankindi in the slow accommodation to a meat-eating diet. It's not your fault that we are eating on top of the food chain.

It's the way it IS.

Other species have acclimated and can readily change uric acid to allantoin which is easily disposed of. We need allopuriol to dispose of it….maybe in 10,000 years we'll catch up.

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