Gout and diet advice

[LittleGreyCat]

I have just been diagnosed with gout.

I am waiting for a prescription to turn up for short term treatment, and a blood test in 6 weeks because you cant, apparently, test during a flare up.

Anyway, the next step seems to be identifying causes.

Diet is the obvious cause, but here I hit my first stumbling block.
[Warning - long post!]

Mayo Clinic

"

Diet details​

The general principles of a gout diet follow typical healthy-diet recommendations:

• Weight loss. Being overweight increases the risk of developing gout, and losing weight lowers the risk of gout. Research suggests that reducing the number of calories and losing weight — even without a purine-restricted diet — lower uric acid levels and reduce the number of gout attacks. Losing weight also lessens the overall stress on joints.
• Complex carbs. Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which provide complex carbohydrates. Avoid foods and beverages with high-fructose corn syrup, and limit consumption of naturally sweet fruit juices.
• Water. Stay well-hydrated by drinking water.
• Fats. Cut back on saturated fats from red meat, fatty poultry and high-fat dairy products.
• Proteins. Focus on lean meat and poultry, low-fat dairy and lentils as sources of protein.

Recommendations for specific foods or supplements include:

• Organ and glandular meats. Avoid meats such as liver, kidney and sweetbreads, which have high purine levels and contribute to high blood levels of uric acid.
• Red meat. Limit serving sizes of beef, lamb and pork.
• Seafood. Some types of seafood — such as anchovies, shellfish, sardines and tuna — are higher in purines than are other types. But the overall health benefits of eating fish may outweigh the risks for people with gout. Moderate portions of fish can be part of a gout diet.
• High-purine vegetables. Studies have shown that vegetables high in purines, such as asparagus and spinach, don't increase the risk of gout or recurring gout attacks.
• Alcohol. Beer and distilled liquors are associated with an increased risk of gout and recurring attacks. Moderate consumption of wine doesn't appear to increase the risk of gout attacks. Avoid alcohol during gout attacks, and limit alcohol, especially beer, between attacks.
• Sugary foods and beverages. Limit or avoid sugar-sweetened foods such as sweetened cereals, bakery goods and candies. Limit consumption of naturally sweet fruit juices.
• Vitamin C. Vitamin C may help lower uric acid levels. Talk to your doctor about whether a 500-milligram vitamin C supplement fits into your diet and medication plan.
• Coffee. Some research suggests that drinking coffee in moderation, especially regular caffeinated coffee, may be associated with a reduced risk of gout. Drinking coffee may not be appropriate if you have other medical conditions. Talk to your doctor about how much coffee is right for you.
• Cherries. There is some evidence that eating cherries is associated with a reduced risk of gout attacks.

"

A lot of the recommendations seem to be qualified.
Noting purine rich vegetables aren't thought to be an issue and coffee can be beneficial.
Also an excuse to eat cherries.

Patient Info

"However, it is important to avoid strict diets such as low-carbohydrate and high-protein diets. These may increase consumption of purines, a compound that breaks down into uric acid. "

General harsh words about red meat.

"To make sure you are getting enough protein, include meat-free sources of protein such as eggs, low-fat dairy products, tofu, cheese, nuts or beans with lower purine content such as haricot beans. Evidence suggests that plant foods aren't associated with increased risk of gout, even if they have a higher purine content."

Why low fat dairy, we ask?
Mayo seems to be against high fat dairy as well, though I haven't seen a purine link.

"

Plenty of starchy carbohydrates​

These may include rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, couscous, quinoa, barley or oats, and should be included at each meal time. These foods contain only small amounts of purines, so these along with fruit and vegetables should make up the basis of your meals. Wholegrain varieties are better choices as they contain more fibre and nutrients.
"
Oh, dear.
Not looking good.

Gout Society

An interesting PDF which doesn't seem to have a downer on full fat dairy. However:
"Some people find that certain foods such as strawberries, oranges, tomatoes and nuts will trigger their gout even though they are not high in purines. Although there is no clear evidence to suggest why this happens, it is probably best to avoid them if you have had this experience".


Conclusions

Depressing reading, because there seems to be a majority downer on LCHF and full fat dairy (although no reason given for the latter).
Much of the advice seems to be generic "healthy diet".
I am, however, rendered sceptical when I consider all the advice given for T2 diabetics about a balanced diet with plenty of whole grains and healthy carbohydrates.

One red flag is beer, though.
Recently increase exercise seems to have reduced my insulin resistance such that I can tolerate a glass of beer.
That will have to stop, sadly.

If you are still with me, well done.
Is there anyone with a good news story about reducing gout attacks through diet?

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I have just been diagnosed with gout.

I am waiting for a prescription to turn up for short term treatment, and a blood test in 6 weeks because you cant, apparently, test during a flare up.

Anyway, the next step seems to be identifying causes.

Diet is the obvious cause, but here I hit my first stumbling block.
[Warning - long post!]

Mayo Clinic

"

Diet details​

The general principles of a gout diet follow typical healthy-diet recommendations:

• Weight loss. Being overweight increases the risk of developing gout, and losing weight lowers the risk of gout. Research suggests that reducing the number of calories and losing weight — even without a purine-restricted diet — lower uric acid levels and reduce the number of gout attacks. Losing weight also lessens the overall stress on joints.
• Complex carbs. Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which provide complex carbohydrates. Avoid foods and beverages with high-fructose corn syrup, and limit consumption of naturally sweet fruit juices.
• Water. Stay well-hydrated by drinking water.
• Fats. Cut back on saturated fats from red meat, fatty poultry and high-fat dairy products.
• Proteins. Focus on lean meat and poultry, low-fat dairy and lentils as sources of protein.

Recommendations for specific foods or supplements include:

• Organ and glandular meats. Avoid meats such as liver, kidney and sweetbreads, which have high purine levels and contribute to high blood levels of uric acid.
• Red meat. Limit serving sizes of beef, lamb and pork.
• Seafood. Some types of seafood — such as anchovies, shellfish, sardines and tuna — are higher in purines than are other types. But the overall health benefits of eating fish may outweigh the risks for people with gout. Moderate portions of fish can be part of a gout diet.
• High-purine vegetables. Studies have shown that vegetables high in purines, such as asparagus and spinach, don't increase the risk of gout or recurring gout attacks.
• Alcohol. Beer and distilled liquors are associated with an increased risk of gout and recurring attacks. Moderate consumption of wine doesn't appear to increase the risk of gout attacks. Avoid alcohol during gout attacks, and limit alcohol, especially beer, between attacks.
• Sugary foods and beverages. Limit or avoid sugar-sweetened foods such as sweetened cereals, bakery goods and candies. Limit consumption of naturally sweet fruit juices.
• Vitamin C. Vitamin C may help lower uric acid levels. Talk to your doctor about whether a 500-milligram vitamin C supplement fits into your diet and medication plan.
• Coffee. Some research suggests that drinking coffee in moderation, especially regular caffeinated coffee, may be associated with a reduced risk of gout. Drinking coffee may not be appropriate if you have other medical conditions. Talk to your doctor about how much coffee is right for you.
• Cherries. There is some evidence that eating cherries is associated with a reduced risk of gout attacks.

"

A lot of the recommendations seem to be qualified.
Noting purine rich vegetables aren't thought to be an issue and coffee can be beneficial.
Also an excuse to eat cherries.

Patient Info

"However, it is important to avoid strict diets such as low-carbohydrate and high-protein diets. These may increase consumption of purines, a compound that breaks down into uric acid. "

General harsh words about red meat.

"To make sure you are getting enough protein, include meat-free sources of protein such as eggs, low-fat dairy products, tofu, cheese, nuts or beans with lower purine content such as haricot beans. Evidence suggests that plant foods aren't associated with increased risk of gout, even if they have a higher purine content."

Why low fat dairy, we ask?
Mayo seems to be against high fat dairy as well, though I haven't seen a purine link.

"

Plenty of starchy carbohydrates​

These may include rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, couscous, quinoa, barley or oats, and should be included at each meal time. These foods contain only small amounts of purines, so these along with fruit and vegetables should make up the basis of your meals. Wholegrain varieties are better choices as they contain more fibre and nutrients.
"
Oh, dear.
Not looking good.

Gout Society

An interesting PDF which doesn't seem to have a downer on full fat dairy. However:
"Some people find that certain foods such as strawberries, oranges, tomatoes and nuts will trigger their gout even though they are not high in purines. Although there is no clear evidence to suggest why this happens, it is probably best to avoid them if you have had this experience".


Conclusions

Depressing reading, because there seems to be a majority downer on LCHF and full fat dairy (although no reason given for the latter).
Much of the advice seems to be generic "healthy diet".
I am, however, rendered sceptical when I consider all the advice given for T2 diabetics about a balanced diet with plenty of whole grains and healthy carbohydrates.

One red flag is beer, though.
Recently increase exercise seems to have reduced my insulin resistance such that I can tolerate a glass of beer.
That will have to stop, sadly.

If you are still with me, well done.
Is there anyone with a good news story about reducing gout attacks through diet?

I just (half an hour ago) passed another kidneystone. Same thing, from what I gather: high uric acid. This kidney stone made me slightly happy. When I first started out with those, they were balls of razors, but now they're nicely rounded, smooth, and don't hurt half as much when passing. This one didn't even require oxycodone, and it wasn't exactly small, but it didn't cut up my urether like others have in the past.

Your doc may prescribe allopurinol, which wasn't an option for me as it gave me migraines. But there's that: it could help. For me... I've taken to drinking lots and lots of water during the day, often with lemon, so uric acid crystals don't form as quickly. I was carnivore when the first kidneystone hit, so I went back to keto to add some decent veg in again. (Mainly aubergine, courgette and red pepper). I try not to drink tea anymore, just tisanes. I make my own using lemonbalm and lavender, or I shop at amazon for alvito tea.... Not available in the UK though, but this sounds similar: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yogi-Tea-A...1682514149&sprefix=alkaline+tea,aps,91&sr=8-5 .

Basically, you're acidic rather than basal/alkaline... If you get test strips you can check your urine, which might give a bit of a clue whether you're acidic or alkaline, and whether you're improving yea or nay... The main thing for me, aside from drinking a whole lot more water: sodium bicarb. The locum-nephrologist said I'd have to pay for it myself anyway, so I stuck with the brand I liked, (Mattisson) and with his blessing I can take up to six a day. Usually take two at a time, once or twice a day, if and when I remember. So far it's taken the sharp edges of the many, many stones I'm carrying around, so who knows... Might dissolve the crystals in your joints as well.

This might help as well.

I do hope you'll feel better soon!

 

[KennyA]

I have just been diagnosed with gout.

I am waiting for a prescription to turn up for short term treatment, and a blood test in 6 weeks because you cant, apparently, test during a flare up.

Anyway, the next step seems to be identifying causes.

Diet is the obvious cause, but here I hit my first stumbling block.
[Warning - long post!]

Mayo Clinic

"

Diet details​

The general principles of a gout diet follow typical healthy-diet recommendations:

• Weight loss. Being overweight increases the risk of developing gout, and losing weight lowers the risk of gout. Research suggests that reducing the number of calories and losing weight — even without a purine-restricted diet — lower uric acid levels and reduce the number of gout attacks. Losing weight also lessens the overall stress on joints.
• Complex carbs. Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which provide complex carbohydrates. Avoid foods and beverages with high-fructose corn syrup, and limit consumption of naturally sweet fruit juices.
• Water. Stay well-hydrated by drinking water.
• Fats. Cut back on saturated fats from red meat, fatty poultry and high-fat dairy products.
• Proteins. Focus on lean meat and poultry, low-fat dairy and lentils as sources of protein.

Recommendations for specific foods or supplements include:

• Organ and glandular meats. Avoid meats such as liver, kidney and sweetbreads, which have high purine levels and contribute to high blood levels of uric acid.
• Red meat. Limit serving sizes of beef, lamb and pork.
• Seafood. Some types of seafood — such as anchovies, shellfish, sardines and tuna — are higher in purines than are other types. But the overall health benefits of eating fish may outweigh the risks for people with gout. Moderate portions of fish can be part of a gout diet.
• High-purine vegetables. Studies have shown that vegetables high in purines, such as asparagus and spinach, don't increase the risk of gout or recurring gout attacks.
• Alcohol. Beer and distilled liquors are associated with an increased risk of gout and recurring attacks. Moderate consumption of wine doesn't appear to increase the risk of gout attacks. Avoid alcohol during gout attacks, and limit alcohol, especially beer, between attacks.
• Sugary foods and beverages. Limit or avoid sugar-sweetened foods such as sweetened cereals, bakery goods and candies. Limit consumption of naturally sweet fruit juices.
• Vitamin C. Vitamin C may help lower uric acid levels. Talk to your doctor about whether a 500-milligram vitamin C supplement fits into your diet and medication plan.
• Coffee. Some research suggests that drinking coffee in moderation, especially regular caffeinated coffee, may be associated with a reduced risk of gout. Drinking coffee may not be appropriate if you have other medical conditions. Talk to your doctor about how much coffee is right for you.
• Cherries. There is some evidence that eating cherries is associated with a reduced risk of gout attacks.

"

A lot of the recommendations seem to be qualified.
Noting purine rich vegetables aren't thought to be an issue and coffee can be beneficial.
Also an excuse to eat cherries.

Patient Info

"However, it is important to avoid strict diets such as low-carbohydrate and high-protein diets. These may increase consumption of purines, a compound that breaks down into uric acid. "

General harsh words about red meat.

"To make sure you are getting enough protein, include meat-free sources of protein such as eggs, low-fat dairy products, tofu, cheese, nuts or beans with lower purine content such as haricot beans. Evidence suggests that plant foods aren't associated with increased risk of gout, even if they have a higher purine content."

Why low fat dairy, we ask?
Mayo seems to be against high fat dairy as well, though I haven't seen a purine link.

"

Plenty of starchy carbohydrates​

These may include rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, couscous, quinoa, barley or oats, and should be included at each meal time. These foods contain only small amounts of purines, so these along with fruit and vegetables should make up the basis of your meals. Wholegrain varieties are better choices as they contain more fibre and nutrients.
"
Oh, dear.
Not looking good.

Gout Society

An interesting PDF which doesn't seem to have a downer on full fat dairy. However:
"Some people find that certain foods such as strawberries, oranges, tomatoes and nuts will trigger their gout even though they are not high in purines. Although there is no clear evidence to suggest why this happens, it is probably best to avoid them if you have had this experience".


Conclusions

Depressing reading, because there seems to be a majority downer on LCHF and full fat dairy (although no reason given for the latter).
Much of the advice seems to be generic "healthy diet".
I am, however, rendered sceptical when I consider all the advice given for T2 diabetics about a balanced diet with plenty of whole grains and healthy carbohydrates.

One red flag is beer, though.
Recently increase exercise seems to have reduced my insulin resistance such that I can tolerate a glass of beer.
That will have to stop, sadly.

If you are still with me, well done.
Is there anyone with a good news story about reducing gout attacks through diet?

You have my sympathies. My opinion is that regular gout attacks would be worse than my T2 diabetes.

I have gout. I had the first flare-ups in 2018. The pain as you will know can be intense. I have naproxen (for the nsaid effects) and some serious painkillers if needed.

The thing is since 2019 I haven't needed them. I had my T2 diagnosed in late 2019 and have since eaten a diet that (if you believe the advice) should have resulted in my gout getting worse. It hasn't. I've had one very minor "reddening and swelling" last year (after starting to play football again) but it went away without pain. I should say that my gout has always been triggered by over-flexing my toes - leading to the dreaded "crunch" in the joint during exercise.

I'm now exercising much more than I have for years, and still no gout.

I looked behind the advice to see what it was based on (online, I can't recall where now). If I recall correctly - the current wisdom is that apparently around 40% of gout sufferers have high uric acid, therefore uric acid causes gout. And purines lead to high uric acid. So purines are to be avoided, and therefore the foods high in purines etc etc

Thing is, on those figures, 60% of gout sufferers do not have high uric acid, so how can it be claimed that uric acid causes gout? There was a similar figure for people with high uric acid who did not have gout. There may be an association but no causality.

I'm quite prepared to accept that high uric acid is associated with gout in a minority of cases, and if you're one of those then maybe reducing it, if possible and if you can, would help.

What changed for me after diagnosis was that as a result of a 20g/day carb intake my BGs became normal and I lost >60lbs. My experince therfore tallies with the first point of advice about losing weight. There's certainly less stress on the big toe joints.

This is purely my opinion, but I suspect that as the medical establishment cannot cure gout, it must still be seen to "do something" about it. Advising people to lower uric acid is something that can be done, and they're doing it. It might work for a minority of gout sufferers, which is fine as far as it goes. But it's not exactly evidence-based medicine, and the rest of the dietary advice seems to be a mirror image of the 'eatwell' high carb recommendations.

So I've ignored it, without any consequences. My diet is high in red meat and full fat dairy, and low in carbs and sugars. I don't see any reason to alter it.

 

[PenguinMum]

Gout is miserable and runs in families. After lumpy ankles, knees and heels (the worst) the GP put me straight on a high dose of Allopurinol but it did take up to a year to melt the crystals but I have been free of gout for at least 6 years while still on the meds. I do eat meat about 4 times a week but never beer. I stick to LC but don’t overdo the fat other than butter or cheese, not a fan of fatty meat. Don’t know if this helps but happy to share.

 

[Outlier]

I've helped a few friends with gout over the years, using natural remedies, and they all came off allapurinol though medical instructions were that they had to stay on it for life. Please be clear that I am NOT recommending anyone do this, just getting information out there for interest's sake. None of these people was diabetic, which obviously adds a significant dimension to the treatment, so it's really useful to have KennyA's experiences.

For non-diabetics (bear with me: I'm getting to the point!) raspberries and cranberries are rumoured to be very useful treating gout. But we diabetics are limited here. This would be juiced berries with nothing else added except a small amount of unpasteurised honey. Not at all suitable for us. But we can get capsules containing essences of these berries from health shops, and they would IMO be worth trying. Be careful of whatever is added to them.

Individual choice, and first "do no harm". As KennyA has knocked gout out of his life without using anything extra, IMO it would be sensible to try what he has done first. But just sayin'.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

I've helped a few friends with gout over the years, using natural remedies, and they all came off allapurinol though medical instructions were that they had to stay on it for life. Please be clear that I am NOT recommending anyone do this, just getting information out there for interest's sake. None of these people was diabetic, which obviously adds a significant dimension to the treatment, so it's really useful to have KennyA's experiences.

For non-diabetics (bear with me: I'm getting to the point!) raspberries and cranberries are rumoured to be very useful treating gout. But we diabetics are limited here. This would be juiced berries with nothing else added except a small amount of unpasteurised honey. Not at all suitable for us. But we can get capsules containing essences of these berries from health shops, and they would IMO be worth trying. Be careful of whatever is added to them.

Individual choice, and first "do no harm". As KennyA has knocked gout out of his life without using anything extra, IMO it would be sensible to try what he has done first. But just sayin'.

*scribbling notes* (Thank you!)

 

[Oldvatr]

This article gives a different viewpoint. It does not blame meat or dairy. It blames fructose and sugar. which may be why the keto diet has been demonstrated to help relieve this ailment.

What Is The Fastest Way to Get Rid of Gout? - Dr. Naveen Bhadauria | Private Rheumatologist Consultant In London

Gout is one of those health conditions that can strike […]

privatelondonrheumatologist.com

It seems that the symptoms may get worse initially when starting keto diet, and this may be due to dehydration. Drink for england!

 

[Larissima]

I had 3-4 gout attacks that started after I began low carbing. I never accepted allopurinol, but was prescribed limited numbers of colchicine tablets, which stop the pain within a couple of days. I didn't change my diet, and don't plan to - it works so well for me. Also, I have a hunch that the pain could be from the oxalate crystals as much as uric acid, and that eating LC, sometimes carnivore, actually helps clear those crystals from my body... and that's why I sometime have flare ups. But I can't be certain.

 

[Oldvatr]

I had 3-4 gout attacks that started after I began low carbing. I never accepted allopurinol, but was prescribed limited numbers of colchicine tablets, which stop the pain within a couple of days. I didn't change my diet, and don't plan to - it works so well for me. Also, I have a hunch that the pain could be from the oxalate crystals as much as uric acid, and that eating LC, sometimes carnivore, actually helps clear those crystals from my body... and that's why I sometime have flare ups. But I can't be certain.

Apparently Vitamin C helps reduce flare ups. Low Carbers need to make sure that have sufficient C especially those on a ketovore diet. This means organ meats not lean beef.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Thanks to all for the helpful information.
I have been prescribed Colchicine and it does seem to be working so far.
[Pro tip - don't read the warnings if you are feeling at all fragile. Most seem to end with "and then dial 999"]

It is hard to pin down what might be the trigger, apart from the beer.
I have had milder attacks in the past but never such a major attack on my hand.

I am not overweight.
I do exercise regularly.
I am normally LCHF, in fact more so these last few months as I climb back on the wagon.
I have not been drinking enough water but am trying to remember to drink more. This does seem to be helping generally.

My BG control has gone haywire, though.
This started before I took the Colchicine so I can't blame that.

Noting Vitamin C I shall have to get a supplement.

I updated another thread from 2019 which said that I had been tested for gout and had it ruled out.
Possibly I am one of the 60% mentioned by @KennyA who get gout without high uric acid in the blood.
We shall see in June.

 

[ianpspurs]

Useful thread so thanks.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Updating to say that a recent blood test has confirmed high levels of uric acid so I am now on the dreaded Allopurinol, initially 100 mg minimum dose and monthly blood tests as they titrate dosage against acid levels.

One thing in the warnings is that initially the change in uric acid levels can mobilise uric acid crystals and cause flare ups of gout.

I seem to be having one at the moment in my right knee, which is not somewhere I tend to have attacks.

I wonder how long it will take to clear?

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Vitamin C. Vitamin C may help lower uric acid levels. Talk to your doctor about whether a 500-milligram vitamin C supplement fits into your diet and medication plan.

Vaguely recalled this and bought some high strength Vitamin C tablets yesterday.
Unfortunately they were 1,000 milligram.
Vitamin C Side Effects
"

What happens if I take too much vitamin C?​

Taking large amounts (more than 1,000mg per day) of vitamin C can cause:

• stomach pain
• diarrhoea
• flatulence

These symptoms should disappear once you stop taking vitamin C supplements.
"
Ah - well that explains something.
Back to Lidl for the 500 milligram tablets, I think.

 

[Grant_Vicat]

I seem to be having one at the moment in my right knee, which is not somewhere I tend to have attacks.

When my kidney function reached an all-time low, I had many gout attacks, and often in random places. The most unusual was right foot arch, sternum and left elbow, all at the same time! Tou certainly have my sympathy. I hope this sorts itself out quickly.

 

[MrsA2]

Vaguely recalled this and bought some high strength Vitamin C tablets yesterday.
Unfortunately they were 1,000 milligram.

You could cut or break them in half perhaps?
I've been taking the 1000 for 18 moths with no side effects, but I don't have gout. Only started because of covid so felt OK to stop them few months ago

 

[Outlier]

Vitamin C in powder form taken in a glass of water is easy to adjust for dose. Start with taking the tip of a teaspoon first as a little goes a long way!

 

[CaminoTurtle]

Thanks for starting the conversation @LittleGreyCat and I really hope that your discomfort eases soon. My Uric Acid results were 0.52 mmol/L as of two weeks ago.

Gout is part of my story too, I had a gout flare up in the ball of my right foot about three weeks after having a sweet bitter lemon drink mixed with sparkling water at a social evening. I think that it was the extra sugar in the drink which pushed me over the top. I'd had a gout flare up about two years previously and my bllod sugars were high at the time so I changed what I was eating, cutting out out al sugar related items and high carbs... for a while. I also ordered a bitter cherry supplement from our friend amazon and the gout went away after about a week.

Unfortunately I didn't stay with this plan and so here I am again with high blood sugar levels. This time I went to the dr and there I learned that I had actually pre-diabetic BG in March (I get regular blood tests because of haemochromatosis) and the practice nurse didn't tell me at the time. Now I'm on allopurinol 300mg however I don't plan to stay on this for life if I can help it. My brother takes it too, his gout appears to be much worse than mine although he doesn't know what his uric acid levels were or are. That's his journey, he is happy to take the pills and enjoy his occasional beers (and occasional flare ups), I'd rather make changes and enjoy being pill complication free as much as I can.

When I first had the flare up I did some googling and learned about the Montmorency Bitter Cherries being highly effective helping to move the crystals so I got some in supplement form and my gout flare up did ease more quickly than my brother had suggested it would. I still had some and started to take them again with this flare up and found that I only needed NSAIDs for 2 days so that wasn't too bad. I couldn't find the same supplement this time around and after further research I opted for a British made supplement from Natures Aid called Celery Seed Complex and I take two a day. I can't tell if they are helping however if they do contain what they claim then they certainly can do no harm imo so I'm happy with them.

I found a forum for gout although it's not as easy as this one to navigate and lately I've been distracted by prediabetes. If you search for 'gout pal' I'm sure you'll find it. It's currently being housed by GitHub but it's archives are still open so I'm sure you'll find it. Later today I may get a chance to have a look and post the link to it.

I was not hydrated as well as I could have been at the time of the attack so I'm really trying hard to drink more water or herbal tea than was my habit, I'm aiming for 2 lts a day currently. I believe that having good levels of Vit C, Vit D, magnesium and potasium also help to flush the system and support a healthier uric acid environment. I take 1000gr of Vit C with no problems, it only stays in your system for 4 hours and is then excreted in urine. If I am coming down with a cold I'll take 1000gr every four hours or so with no side affects.

I've started reading 'Drop Acid' by David Perlmutter about Uric Acid, I read the free kindle download at first to get an idea what the book was like, I learned some things already and now I'm waiting for the paperback to arrive.

Recommendations for Books on (Diabetes Related) Health and Health Improvment.

Hi everyone, as someone recently told that they have prediabetes I'm hungry for books that relate to diabetes, gout, metabolic syndrome etc. There is a wealth of informatin here in the forum and although I am enjoying slowly working my way through as many threads as possible I would love to see...

www.diabetes.co.uk

From what I've read it would seem that high uric acid and gout are possible part of the wider meatbolic syndrome mainly connected to too much sugar and fructose intake and high BG. Of course I'm only a newbie in this world and have a lot to learn so this is all just my own musings so far.

 

[Clan]

Naproxene for me is a wonder drug before going to bed kills all gout symptoms in the morning.

Was offered allopurinol but I take enough medicine daily.

I'm a T1 diabetic

 

[WaveyDavey123]

Everything you want is already here. Thanks for this thread folks.

Getting all giddy with the success of my LCHF diet since getting the diabetes problem last month has been tempered by a gout attack last couple of days.

Might just have been overdoing the fish I suppose- certainly I will cut out the anchovies now. But useful thoughts all down the line.