Gout is a painful form of arthritis. Symptoms of gout occur suddenly and include intense joint pain, usually in the large joint of the big toe. The pain may also be in the ankles, knees, wrists, or fingers. The affected joints become swollen, red, and tender, which may limit your range of motion. An attack of gout is most severe in the first 12 hours and the pain may linger for several days or weeks. Clearly, gout is something you would rather avoid. Gout is caused by the accumulation of urate crystals in the joints. These crystals form when there is too much uric acid in your blood. Uric acid comes from the breakdown of purines, a compound that’s produced in your body and found in some foods and beverages. Typically, uric acid is dissolved by the blood, passes through the kidneys, and is expelled in the urine, but when your body has too much uric acid, or doesn’t expel it fast enough, the uric acid can build up and form urate crystals. As you might have guessed, alcohol is a common factor in gout. Beer is especially high in purines and regular excess consumption of beer may lead to a buildup of uric acid. If you have gout and only drink one 12-ounce beer a day, you are 50 percent more likely to have a gout attack. Although beer is the worst for gout, any alcohol can trigger an attack. When you drink alcohol, your kidneys prioritize excreting the alcohol. The uric acid has to wait, and consequently it can build up, leading to an attack of gout. Drinking can lead to gout in indirect ways too. For example, obesity is a major risk factor for gout because your body produces more uric acid and your kidneys have a harder time getting rid of it. Regular heavy drinking means consuming a lot of empty calories, which often leads to weight gain. A 750ml bottle of vodka, for example, has more than 1600 calories. That’s a considerable surplus, even if you stretch it over a week. That assumes you also eat food, which you should. If you orange juice, energy drinks, or other sweet ingredients to your alcohol, your risk of both obesity and of a gout attack is even higher. Alcohol isn’t the only factor in gout. Diet, medical conditions, family history, age, and medications also contribute to your chances of getting gout. However, if you’ve already got it, drinking alcohol, especially beer significantly increase your chances of a gout attack.
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