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What Are the Causes of Gout?

Sometimes the pain can come like a thief in the night -- you get up for a trip to the bathroom and feel a sharp, stabbing pain in your big toe. Although gout often manifests itself in the joint connecting the big toe to the foot, it can also appear in the ankles, feet, elbows, knees, and hands. The causes of gout are varied, and it's quite a common disease, affecting approximately one million Americans -- a vastly greater proportion of them men.

Gout is a rheumatic disease and it's one of the most common forms of arthritis. The exact causes of gout are still to be determined, but there are many factors that can predispose a person to the disease. A purine-rich diet can be a major contributor. Purines are compounds that can cause an increase in uric acid levels in the body (hyperuricemia), which in turn can lead to the formation of urates or uric acid crystals. The buildup of these crystals, which lodge in the space between the joints or the tissues surrounding them, causes inflammation and pain.

Foods that are high in purine content include organ foods (such as liver and kidneys). Sources of protein are also rich in purine, so it would be wise to limit your intake of red meat, as well as poultry. Certain seafoods should likewise be avoided, including sardines, scallops, mussels, and mackerel. Even a number of vegetables and dairy products are known to increase gout symptoms. Alcoholic beverages are also gout culprits, so if you are at risk for gout, do avoid them.

Medical experts believe that gout can occur even if the body produces just the right amount of uric acid. The problem arises when the kidneys fail to excrete uric acid that the body doesn't need. Another contributing factor to gout is genetics. Some people are born with a metabolic disorder in which their body produces too much uric acid and retains it. Certain medications such as diuretics have also been shown to be a cause of gout.

Keeping fit and maintaining the right body weight is important, because obesity is one of the other causes of gout. In addition, being overweight can also cause many other health problems. Keeping all this in mind would help to reduce one's risk of acquiring this painful disease.