Natural Ways to Reduce

Uric Acid in the Body

 Limit purine-rich foods

 Avoid sugar

 Avoid alcohol

 Lose weight

 Balance insulin

 Add fiber

 Reduce stress

 Check medications and supplements

 Takeaway

Overview
Uric acid is a natural waste product from the digestion of foods that contain purines.
Purines are found in high levels in some foods such as:

 certain meats
 sardines
 dried beans
 beer

Purines are also formed and broken down in your body.

Normally, your body filters out uric acid through your kidneys and in urine. If you
consume too much purine in your diet, or if your body can’t get rid of this by-product
fast enough, uric acid can build up in your blood.

A high uric acid level is known as hyperuricemia. This can lead to a disease
called gout that causes painful joints that accumulate urate crystals. It can also make
your blood and urine too acidic.

Uric acid can collect in your body for many reasons. Some of these are:

 diet
 genetics
 obesity or being overweight
 stress

Certain health disorders can also lead to high uric acid levels:

 kidney disease
 diabetes mellitus
 hypothyroidism
 some types of cancers or chemotherapy
 psoriasis

Read on to learn how you can lower uric acid levels in your body naturally.

Limit purine-rich foods

You can limit the source of uric acid in your diet. Purine-rich foods include some
types of meat, seafood, and vegetables. All of these foods give off uric acid when
they’re digested.

Avoid or reduce your intake of foods such as:

 organ meats
 pork
 turkey
 fish and shellfish
 scallops
 mutton
 veal
 cauliflower
 green peas
 dried beans
 mushrooms

Find tips for following a low-purine diet here.

Avoid sugar
Sugary foods

While uric acid is usually linked to protein-rich foods, recent studies show that sugar
may also be a potential cause. Added sugars to food include table sugar, corn syrup,
and high fructose corn syrup, among others.
The sugar fructose is a main type of simple sugar in processed and refined
foods. Researchershave found that this type of sugar in particular could lead to high
levels of uric acid.

Check food labels for added sugars. Eating more whole foods and fewer refined
packaged foods can also help you cut out sugars while allowing you to intake a more
wholesome diet.

Sugary beverages

Sugary drinks, soda, and even fresh fruit juices are concentrated with fructose and
glucose-containing sugar.

You’ll also want to keep in mind that high-fructose corn syrup contains a mix of
fructose and glucose, usually with 55 percent fructose and 42 percent glucose. This is
similar to the ratio of 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose in table sugar.

Fructose from refined sugar in juice or other foods is absorbed faster than sugar from
foods that have a natural makeup that need to be broken down in your body. The
faster absorption of refined sugars spikes your blood sugar levels and also leads to
higher amounts of uric acid.

Replace sugary drinks with filtered water and fiber-rich smoothies.

Drink more water

Drinking plenty of fluids helps your kidneys flush out uric acid faster. Keep a water
bottle with you at all times. Set an alarm every hour to remind you to take a few sips.

Avoid alcohol
Drinking alcohol can make you more dehydrated. It can also trigger high uric acid
levels. This happens because your kidneys must first filter out products that occur in
the blood due to alcohol instead of uric acid and other wastes.

Some types of alcoholic drinks such as beer are also high in purines.

Lose weight
Along with your diet, extra pounds can raise uric acid levels. Fat cells make more uric
acid than muscle cells. Additionally, carrying extra pounds makes it harder for your
kidneys to filter out uric acid. Losing weight too quickly can also affect levels.

If you’re overweight, it’s best to avoid fad diets and crash dieting. Talk to a
nutritionist about a healthy diet and weight loss plan that you can follow. Your doctor
can recommend a healthy weight goal for your body type.

Balance insulin levels

Have your blood sugar level checked when you visit your doctor. This is important
even if you don’t have diabetes mellitus.

Adults with type 2 diabetes may have too much insulin in their bloodstream. This
hormone is necessary to move sugar from your blood into your cells where it can
power every bodily function. However, too much insulin leads to excess uric acid in
the body, as well as weight gain.

Individuals with a condition called prediabetes may also have high insulin levels and a
higher risk for type 2 diabetes.
Your doctor may want to check your serum insulin level in addition to your blood
glucose level if insulin resistance is suspected.

Add more fiber to your diet

Eating more fiber will help your body get rid of uric acid. Fiber can also help balance
your blood sugar and insulin levels. It also tends to increase satiety, helping to lower
the risk of overeating.

Add at least 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day with whole foods such as:

 fresh, frozen, or dried fruit

 fresh or frozen vegetables
 oats
 nuts
 barley
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Reduce stress
Stress, poor sleeping habits, and too little exercise can increase inflammation.
Inflammation may set off a high uric acid level.
Practice mindful techniques such as breathing exercises and yoga to help you cope
with your stress levels. Join a class or use an app that reminds you to breathe and
stretch several times a day.

Practice good sleep hygiene such as:

 avoiding digital screens for two to three hours before bedtime

 sleeping and waking at consistent times every day
 avoiding caffeine after lunchtime

Talk to your doctor if you have insomnia or difficulty staying asleep.

Check your medications and

supplements
Some medications and supplements can also cause uric acid to build up in the blood.
These include:

 aspirin
 vitamin B-3 (niacin)
 diuretics
 immune-suppressing drugs
 chemotherapy drugs

If you need to take any of these medications and you have hyperuricemia, your doctor
can work with you to figure out a good alternative.

The takeaway
Diet, exercise, and other healthy lifestyle changes can improve gout and other
illnesses caused by high uric acid levels. However, they can’t always replace
necessary medical treatment.

Take all prescribed medications as directed by your doctor. The right combination of
diet, exercise, and medications can help keep symptoms at bay.

It may seem as if there a lot of foods you need to avoid to help lower uric acid levels.
The best way to limit these foods is by making a weekly meal plan. Talk to your
nutritionist for help in making the best diet plan for you.

Keep a list of foods on your shopping list that you should eat, rather than what you
can’t eat. Stick to the list as you grocery shop. You can also join an online support
group for people with uric acid-related illnesses for more ideas on how to prepare the
best meals for you.

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