Each person, regardless of gender and age, needs to take a general blood test at least once a year. After all, there are many diseases that do not manifest themselves for a long time. They are diagnosed by chance during a routine examination. One of these pathologies is an increase in uric acid levels. Let's figure out what pathological conditions and diseases can be hidden behind this, and also learn how to reduce the amount of uric acid in the body.
Uric acid: what is it?
Before you go directly to the question of how to reduce the level of uric acid in the body, it is worth understanding what it is all about.
Uric acid is a substance that is synthesized in the liver through the metabolism of purine bases. After entering the blood, this substance binds to carbon dioxide, is filtered in the glomeruli of the kidneys and leaves with urine.
Normal uric acid concentration:
- 150-350 micromol / l for women;
- in men, this indicator is slightly higher - 210-420 mmol / l;
- 120-320 micromol / l for children and adolescents under the age of 14 years.
An increase in the concentration of uric acid can have a toxic effect on the internal organs and tissues of the whole organism.
Causes of Uric Acid Increase
To get a full understanding of how to reduce the uric acid content in the body, you need to know the reasons that most often lead to the presence of this problem. After all, often treatment directly depends on the origin of the disease.
Basically, an increase in the amount of uric acid is caused by the following conditions:
- A diet disorder associated with excessive consumption of purine-rich foods. And this feature has primarily protein foods, especially meat. In addition, there are many purines in brown bread, dark beer, legumes, and sorrel.
- Excessive physical activity.
- Prolonged malnutrition.
- Alcohol abuse.
If the increase in uric acid reaches high levels and lasts a long time, it is worth suspecting organic pathology, that is, a specific disease of the body.
Increased uric acid: varieties
In general, two types of hyperuricemia (an increase in the amount of uric acid) are distinguished:
- primary - as an independent disease with an unexplained cause;
- secondary - develops against the background of other diseases.
Primary hyperuricemia can occur with the following pathologies:
- congenital fermentopathy;
- genetic syndromes: Kelly-Sigmiller, Lesha-Nigan.
Secondary hyperuricemia: causes
Secondary hyperuricemia can develop against the background of almost any long-term illness. The main ones are:
- Chronic inflammatory diseases of the internal organs and upper respiratory tract.
- Liver diseases: hepatitis, cirrhosis, cholecystitis. With these diseases, the so-called hepatic hyperuricemia is observed, associated with a violation of the synthesis of uric acid.
- Kidney disease: glomerulonephritis, chronic pyelonephritis. With damage to the kidneys, renal hyperuricemia occurs, which is characterized by a violation of the filtration capacity of the renal tubules, and, consequently, a decrease in the excretion of uric acid in the urine.
- Hypo - and vitamin deficiencies - especially characteristic of a deficiency of B vitamins, which are necessary for the normal metabolism of purines.
- Toxicosis of pregnant women with severe course;
- endocrine diseases (diabetes mellitus, obesity);
- dermatoses (skin diseases) - eczema or psoriasis;
- severe injuries and diseases that lead to shock and oxygen starvation of the body. In this case, metabolic acidosis (acidification of the blood) occurs, which causes a sharp increase in the level of uric acid;
- long-term use of certain groups of medicines also affects purine metabolism: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-tuberculosis, diuretics.
The most specific disease, the main sign of which is an increase in the amount of uric acid, is gout. This is an independent pathology, which is characterized by increased synthesis of this substance in the liver (hepatic hyperuricemia) or a violation of its excretion in the urine (renal hyperuricemia).
Symptoms
As noted above, an increase in the level of uric acid in the body can be asymptomatic for a long time and not cause any complaints. However, a rapid increase in uric acid or a steady increase over a long period can lead to disruption of the internal organs, which will cause certain complaints and symptoms.
Before you go directly to the tips on how to reduce the level of uric acid in the body, you should know what symptoms can help suspect this increase. They vary by age.
So, for children will be characterized by constant recurring allergic reactions: film dermatitis, diathesis. It is characteristic that they do not pass after the use of anti-allergic ointments and medicines. Sometimes children are treated for a long time by a dermatologist, without having found out the main cause of the allergy.
In older children, high uric acid is manifested by abdominal pain, urinary incontinence, stuttering, and speech impairment.
For men over 40, the most common cause of increased uric acid is gout. The main symptoms of the disease:
- sharp attacks of severe pain in the joints, with the joints of the big toe most often being affected;
- pain is accompanied by swelling, redness of the joint;
- the pains also pass sharply, while the function of the joint is fully restored;
- in addition to joints, there is a pathology of the organs of urination and the gastrointestinal tract.
Possible complications
A prolonged increase in uric acid in older people leads to the deposition of crystals of the substance in the vessels and internal organs. This can lead to such serious consequences as myocardial infarction, stroke, chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency. The latter is manifested by constant headaches, visual impairment, mental and intellectual disorders.
How to reduce uric acid levels in the body: tips
How can you reduce the content of this substance in the blood to prevent these terrible consequences described above?
Key tips for reducing uric acid levels in the body:
- Achieve persistent remission of the underlying disease. If it turns out that the level of a given substance has increased as a result of any disease, you need to first deal with its treatment. And as a result of recovery, the level of acid will decrease.
- Get rid of excess weight. Often a person does not notice or is afraid to admit to himself that he has problems with being overweight. However, weight loss is necessary to reduce acid levels.
- Strictly adhere to the doctor's recommendations. Since treatment is often very long, or even life-long, patients often skip medication. However, this is not permissible; treatment should be systematic.
Folk methods
Given the high cost of some drugs and the lowered public confidence in medicines, many may be interested in how to reduce uric acid in the body with folk remedies. Several effective ways:
- Apple cider vinegar - 1 tablespoon stir in a glass of water, drink this solution 3 times a day. Apple cider vinegar cleanses the body and normalizes its acidity.
- Lemon juice - stir the juice of 1 lemon in a glass of water, take in the morning on an empty stomach every day. Lemon normalizes the alkaline balance in the body, thereby neutralizing uric acid.
- Every day, consume half a glass of cherries and a minimum of 150 ml of cherry juice, as well as a glass of strawberries. These berries help to quickly reduce the concentration of uric acid.
How to reduce uric acid with soda?
One of the common questions is how to reduce uric acid in the body with soda. This is really a very effective and common method, since soda is an alkali, that is, the exact opposite of acid. Therefore, it is able to neutralize uric acid in the body.
To take soda effectively, you need to make a solution consisting of half a tablespoon of soda and 1 cup of water, and take it 4 times a day. Do not take soda for more than 2 weeks. Also, with caution, you need to drink this solution for older people, it is better to reduce the dose to 3 glasses per day. And high blood pressure is a contraindication to the use of this method.
Thus, there are many ways that can reduce uric acid in the body in the blood without tablets. However, for certain diseases, to achieve the best result, their use is simply necessary. One such disease is gout.
Gout: treatments
As noted above, a high concentration of uric acid with gout can be associated with a violation of its synthesis in the liver, and also occur with kidney problems. Therefore, the solution to the question of how to reduce uric acid in the body with gout will directly depend on the type of hyperuricemia.
Thus, with renal hyperuricemia, drugs that stop the synthesis of acid in the liver are used - Allopurinol, Colchicine.
With renal hyperuricemia, drugs that increase the excretion of acid with the kidneys are needed - Sulfinpyranzone, Probenecid.
Dietary recommendations
For the most effective treatment, it is worthwhile to figure out how to reduce uric acid in the body by eating. The following recommendations should be followed:
- frequent meals, but in small portions (4-5 times a day);
- refusal of coffee, chocolate, carbonated drinks, tea;
- maximum reduction in the consumption of foods rich in purines: meat and meat broths, any meat products (sausages, sausages), legumes, sorrel, sweets, butter dough;
- drink a large amount of liquid (2-3 liters per day);
- reduce the amount of salt consumed (up to 6 grams per day);
- increased consumption of fruits, berries, dairy products, vegetables.
Listed above are all the basic tips for reducing uric acid levels in the body. Therefore, if you have a high level of uric acid in your blood test, do not hesitate, but immediately adjust your diet and try to achieve the effect by alternative methods. However, if you have any complaints, worsening of well-being, listen to the basic advice on how to reduce the level of uric acid in the body - consult your doctor for timely diagnosis and treatment.