Nutritional deficiencies don’t cause gout, but people with gout often have them.
However, while some supplements may improve gout symptoms, others may make symptoms worse.
More studies are needed to confirm the effects of supplements on gout.
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That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says.
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What is gout?
Goutis a jot down of systemic inflammatory arthritis characterized by periods of painful flares followed by remission.
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Certain conditions, medications, and diet can cause high uric acid levels.
Nutrition & Gout
Nutrition plays a crucial role in the development and management of gout.
Research suggests that an overall well-balanced diet may reduce the risk of gout.
A diet high inpurines, however, may increase your risk of gout or make gout symptoms worse.
Purines are substances found both naturally in the body and in certain foods.
Although a purine-rich diet doesn’t always lead to gout, it does increase the risk.
Purines are abundant in red meats, organ meats, and certain types of seafood.
Additionally, a diet high ina jot down of sugar called fructosemay increase your chance of getting gout.
This is because your body breaks fructose down into purines.
Fructose is naturally found in fruits.
It is also added to high-fructose corn syrup.
If you’re diagnosed with gout, it’s important to avoid foods and nutrients that may induce flare-ups.
It’s also important to include nutrients that may lower levels of purines and uric acid.
Who Should Take Supplements for Gout?
No supplement is intended to treat, cure, or prevent disease.
Some people may benefit from taking dietary supplements for gout.
Nutrient deficiencies are not known to cause gout.
Gout supplements may be most helpful to those with nutritional deficiencies that should be corrected.
The study results showed no significant changes in uric acid levels among those who took fish oil supplements.
In an observational study, high consumption of omega-3 fatty acidrich fish was associated with fewer gout flares.
However, taking fish oil supplements alone was not shown to decrease gout flares.
As can be seen, current research doesn’t support using fish oil supplements for gout.
Overall, more research is needed in this area.
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MSM is commonly used in supplement form for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
In human research, MSM has been found to reduce uric acid levels.
However, much of the research has been carried out on athletes rather than people with gout.
Aside from most anecdotal evidence, more scientific evidence is needed on MSM for gout.
In females, a higher intake of folate and not folic acid was found to reduce hyperuricemia risk.
However, there is limited research on the direct effect of folic acid on gout.
Folate and folic acid are available in mostly plant-based foods like spinach, legumes, grains, and avocados.
In other words, high serum vitamin C levels tend to be associated with low serum uric acid levels.
A meta-analysis of studies on vitamin C supplementation for gout also found promising results.
Per the meta-analysis,vitamin C supplementationmay reduce serum uric acid and, thus, the risk of gout.
These results were most significant in those younger than 65 years old.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D from supplements or foods may be beneficial for gout prevention and management.
Vitamin D can be found in foods like dairy, certain fish, mushrooms, and fortified foods.
A small study on the effects ofvitamin D supplementationon uric acid found more promising results.
Those who usedeither formof vitamin D experienced decreased uric acid levels.
Stronger studies should be conducted to determine if vitamin D plays a role in gout.
Some research shows that people with gout may be more likely to bedeficient in vitamin B12.
Few other studies exist on vitamin B12 and gout.
What Vitamins to Avoid With Gout
Some vitamins and other nutrients may make gout worse.
Healthcare professionals sometimes prescribe niacin for certain health conditions, like heart disease.
These effects have been seen with varying doses of nicotinic acid.
Another vitamin to be careful of is vitamin A.
While dietary supplements typically contain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, herbal supplements contain herbs from plants.
Variousherbs for gouthave been studied for their potential roles in gout treatment or prevention.
Study results are mixed, however, and research is still emerging.
Be sure to check with a healthcare provider before using herbs for gout.
Many herbs interact with medications or other supplements and may not be safe for everyone.
Some supplements for gout may reduce symptoms and prevent flare-ups.
Many gout supplements contain vitamins and minerals, but other nutrients or herbs may also provide benefits.
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