How to Prevent Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by deposits of uric acid in and around

the joints. Altering your diet is probably one of the most effective ways to
prevent gout from developing, or to prevent your gout from becoming more
painful or frequent. Reducing your weight or taking medication are
additional options, often recommended along with a dietary change

Method 1 Eating Foods that Help Prevent Gout

Drink at least 8  c (1,900 ml) of water each day. Painful episodes

of gout occur when a substance called uric acid causes crystals to
form in your joints. Fluids can help pass uric acid through your body,
making them an effective way to reduce the chance of gout attacks.
[1] Water is the most effective fluid for this purpose, but you may
use 100% fruit juice for part of your daily quota.
 Sweetened drinks, such as soda or sweetened fruit juice, can make
your gout worse.
Eat potassium-rich foods. Potassium may help uric acid, the cause
of gout attacks, pass through your system. Many foods contain high
levels of potassium, including lima beans, dried peaches,
cantaloupe, cooked spinach, or baked potatoes with skin.[2]
 If you are not willing to eat at least 2 servings of these foods each
day (or as many as 7 for severe gout), try taking potassium
supplements instead, or consult a nutritionist or doctor.
Eat complex carbohydrates. Whole grain pasta, brown bread, vegetables,
and fruit are recommended for people at risk for gout. Eat these instead of
refined white bread, cakes, and candy, at least in your daily diet. [3]
Take vitamin C supplements or eat foods high in vitamin C. At least one
study suggests that taking plenty of vitamin C each day, especially
between 1,500 and 2,000mg a day, significantly reduces your risk of gout.
[4] Many people suffering from gout add lemon juice to their water to help
with this, although it is difficult to reach these high levels of vitamin C
intake without taking supplements.
Eat cherries. Long a folk remedy for treating gout, cherries may actually
reduce your risk of gout. Preliminary studies show that cherries appear to
reduce the levels of uric acid in your blood, the immediate cause of gout.
Consider drinking decaffeinated coffee. One study shows that coffee may
help reduce uric acid, and therefore reduce the risk of gout attacks.
[7] The reason for this is unknown, but caffeine does not appear to be the
cause, and may in fact make gout worse, suggesting that decaffeinated
coffee may be a better option.[8]

Method 2 Avoiding Harmful Foods

Avoid sugary foods and "junk food". Fructose, which can be found
in corn syrup and other sweeteners, raises uric acid levels
significantly.[9][10] When uric acid builds up, it forms needle-like
crystals (monosodium urate), which cause the joint pain and
inflammation known as gout.[11] Diets high in sugar, sweeteners,
and processed food are currently a major cause of gout.
 Try replacing soda and sweetened fruit juice with water and/or
juices labeled "100% fruit juice".
 Look at the ingredients of grocery items you purchase. Avoid foods
containing high fructose corn syrup, and keep foods that list sugar
or other types of corn syrup to a minimum.
Reduce the amount of meat and fish you eat. Meat of all kinds
contains purine, which breaks down into the uric acid that causes
gout. You do not have to eliminate meat entirely, but eating no more
than 4–6 ounces (110–170 g) daily is recommended.[12]
 An amount of meat that could sit flat on your palm is roughly 3
ounces (85 g), or 1 serving. Eating 2 of these servings each day is
recommended.[13]
 Lean meat is safer than fatty meat.
 Red meat is a direct cause of gout. Consider cutting it out if it
triggers you.
Eliminate certain high-risk meats. Certain other foods contain high
levels of purine, which can bring on a gout attack. Try to remove
these from your diet, or eat them only occasionally and in small
amounts:[14]
 Kidneys, liver, brains, and other organ meat
 Anchovies, sardines, and mackerel
 Gravy formed from meat
Reduce the amount of fat in your diet. Fats in your diet, especially
saturated fat, can slow your body's processing of uric acid, and bring on
more severe gout pain.[15] Fortunately, many of the changes above also
happen to reduce the amount of fat in your diet, but look for other ways to
reduce your fat intake to healthy levels if necessary. If you normally drink
whole-fat milk, try switching to 1% fat or skim milk instead. If you are
used to eating fried food, instead try roasting vegetables or baking
chicken.
Switch from beer to wine. Alcohol is linked to gout, but can be
drunk in moderation with a low chance of negative effects.
However, beer contains yeast that is high in purine, making it
especially likely to worsen your gout. Having 1 or 2 5  fl oz
(150 ml) servings of wine each day is a safer way to consume
alcohol.[16]
 Adding wine to your diet does not make gout less likely. It is only
recommended as a safer substitute for beer.

Method 3 Reaching a Healthy Weight Safely

Follow this method if you are overweight. If you are
overweight or obese, this is very likely making your gout
worse. However, if you are maintaining a healthy weight
according to your doctor, do not try to reduce your weight,
and read the instructions below before you consider any
diet.
Do not go on an extreme diet. The diet changes recommended in
the other sections of this article are often enough to lower your
weight slowly but steadily. If you are at risk of gout, reducing your
weight too quickly can actually trigger a gout attack, as the stress
on your body can overload your kidney's ability to process harmful
substances.[17]
 High-protein diets, starvation diets, and diets that include diuretic
supplements are especially harmful to people at risk of gout.[18]
1. Exercise. Any physical activity can be helpful in reducing weight
and the associated risk of gout, including walking a dog or gardening.
However, moderate activity such as cycling, brisk walking, tennis, or
swimming for at least 2.5 hours each week is recommended for adults.
[19]
 Work out for 30 minutes total a day. You can do it all at once
or split it up into smaller chunks of time.
 Exercising during a gout attack can be very painful. Wait until
the attack is over to continue working out.
2.
Ask a doctor or dietitian for advice if you are having trouble reaching a
healthy weight. If you are following at least some of the diet changes
describe in other sections, and have not noticed any progress toward a
healthier weight, consult a medically trained expert for advice. Because
gout is affected by so many different substances, dietary advice from
other sources is not recommended.

Method 4 Miscellaneous Causes and Treatments

Ask your doctor to prescribe medication. If lifestyle changes are
not enough to prevent your gout, a doctor may prescribe allopurinol
or another medication. Always follow the instructions carefully, as
taking too much medication or medication at the wrong time can
have the opposite effect, making a gout episode worse.
 Some medications that block uric acid production are xanthine
oxidase inhibitors (XOIs) like allopurinol and febuxostat.
 Ask your doctor if antibiotics are a good choice for you. Some
antibiotics may worsen your gout attack.
Ask your doctor about lead poisoning. Recent evidence suggests
that lead poisoning, even in levels too low to cause other problems,
may cause or worsen gout.[20] Although more studies are needed to
confirm this, it may be a good idea to ask a doctor to test your hair
or blood for toxins. This is especially true if you have lived or
worked in an old building, use lead-based paint regularly, or work in
an industrial setting where lead is used.
Avoid diuretic medications if possible. These medications
are sometimes used to treat other health issues or as a
dieting supplement. While their effect on gout is
controversial, it is possible they worsen the condition.[21]
[22] Ask your doctor if any other medications you take are
diuretics, and if so, whether a potassium supplement is
recommended to counteract this.