Soda Increases Risk of Gout; Diet Soda Does Not

Wednesday January 2, 2008

Soda, or soft drinks, that contain large amounts of sugar can significantly increase serum uric acid levels and the risk of gout. To evaluate the relationship between sugar-sweetened soda, diet soda, and serum uric acid levels, researchers analyzed data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. According to the January 2008 issue of Arthritis Care & Research, the survey was taken between 1988 and 1994 by 14,761 study participants who were 20 years old or older.

Uric acid is a waste product normally present in the blood as a result of the breakdown of purines (purines are part of all human tissue and found in many foods). Excessive amounts of uric acid can cause crystals to form in the joints and cause gout. The condition of hyperuricemia is indicative of a high level of uric acid in the blood (greater than 7.0 mg/dl for men, greater than 5.7 mg/dl for women) usually due to underexcretion or overproduction of uric acid.

Researchers concluded that serum uric acid levels increased with increasing intake of sugar-sweetened soda. While consumption of soda that contains sugar was associated with serum uric acid levels and the frequency of hyperuricemia, it was found that there was no association between diet soda and serum uric acid levels.

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