Gout is a painful
arthritis that develops when uric acid crystals deposit in the joints. A new analysis indicates that following the
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet plan can significantly
improve gout by lowering elevated blood levels of uric acid.
The findings
stem from a new analysis of the data collected in the original DASH diet randomized
clinical trials conducted in the '90's.
The DASH diet emphasizes intake of vegetables, fruits, and
fat-free/low-fat dairy products and includes healthy amounts of whole grains,
fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils while limiting salt, sweets,
sugary beverages, and red meats.
Nutritionally, this means DASH is low in sodium and unhealthy saturated
fats while being rich in fiber and the blood pressure-friendly minerals
potassium, calcium, and magnesium. The
landmark DASH trial reported in '97 revealed following the DASH diet markedly
improves blood pressure in hypertensive persons. Now, an analysis of the
original DASH study participants' blood uric acid levels reveals the diet also
substantially reduces uric acid in the blood.
Impressively, among study participants with elevated uric acid levels,
DASH lowered levels by nearly as much as typical gout medication treatment.
The underlying
causes of gout remain poorly understood.
Alcohol intake (especially beer), meat intake, diabetes, high blood
pressure, obesity, sickle-cell anemia, kidney disease, and diuretic medications
are some of the known risk factors for gout.
Gout sufferers are advised to reduce their intake of proteins rich in
purine which raises uric acid levels.
One reason DASH is likely good for gout is that it emphasizes lean dairy
and plant-based proteins from beans that are naturally lower in purine than
meat, fish, and chicken. It is also
believed that gout sufferers' benefit from the variety of anti-inflammatory
phytonutrients found in the plentiful fruits and vegetables of the DASH diet.
What to do: If you suffer
from gout eliminate alcohol and actively hydrate, drinking 8-16 cups of water
daily. Moderate your intake of meat, shellfish
and other animal proteins, and instead get more of your protein from lean
dairy, eggs, and beans. And, given the
promising results of this analysis, take steps to adopt the DASH diet. Detailed information on the diet and meal
plans are available online at: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/heart/new_dash.pdf
Source:
Juraschek SP, Gelber
AC, Choi HK, et al. Effects of the
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and sodium intake on serum
uric acid. Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Published online August 15, 2016.
DOI: 10.1002/art.39813
Adapted
from articles available at:
https://medlineplus.gov/news/fullstory_160435.html
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/blood_pressure_diet_improves_gout_blood_marker
