5 Risk Factors of Gout that You Should Know

Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. It will cause urate crystals to emerge and accumulate in your joint, causing inflammation and intense pain in a gout attack. Gout occurs when the level of uric acid in your body is too high. If your body makes too much or removes too little uric acid, urate levels will build up in your body, and you will face a potential risk of developing gout. There are 5 major risk factors of gout that you should know.

Diet

The human body produces uric acid in the process of breaking down purines. High-purine foods can exert extra pressure on your kidneys and increase the risk of developing gout. They are exemplified by certain meats, seafood and beverages.

• - Meat: red meat, organ meat, game meat.
• - Seafood: Anchovies, sardines, mackerel, scallops.
• - Beverage: Beer, distilled liquors, drinks rich in fructose (like fruit juices).

It's worth mentioning that diet doesn't cause gouts on its own. Metabolism is also an important factor, which is affected by several internal and external situations.

Age and Sex

Generally, gout strikes men more often than women. Women have lower uric acid levels because of the female hormone estrogen, which can increase the removal of uric acid by the kidneys. After menopause, women lose estrogen, and their uric acid levels will rise. That means their chances of getting gout are increased. Gouts tend to be more common after middle age. However, men are more likely to develop gouts earlier (usually between the ages of 30 and 50). Whereas women generally develop signs and symptoms of gouts after menopause.

Medications

Certain medications can increase the levels of uric acid in the body. If you notice any gout symptoms, ask your doctors and confirm whether you can have the medicine you are taking currently. This category includes:

• - Diuretics (or water pills): This kind of medicine helps your body eliminate excess fluid. Diuretics are used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure and edema. However, they can also cause a side effect of too much uric acid in your body.
• - Aspirin: It can raise uric acid in your blood. Even low doses of aspirin can trigger gouts. Research shows that this effect of aspirin is more common in women than in men.
• - Niacin: It is a kind of vitamin. When taken in large amounts, it can cause an excess of uric acid in the blood.
• - Cyclosporine: It is an immunosuppressant for organ transplant accepters and is approved to treat some autoimmune diseases. Cyclosporine therapy may decrease renal urate clearance and cause hyperuricemia, which means high uric acid levels in your body.
• - Salicylates: Drugs containing salicylates can worsen the condition. It can also lessen the effects of some medicines used to treat gouts.

Health conditions

People with certain health conditions are more likely to develop gout, including:

• - Overweight or obesity.
• - Congestive heart failure.
• - Diabetes.
• - Hypertension (high blood pressure).
• - Kidney disease.
• - Blood cancer.

Besides, some special conditions may cause a high production of uric acid by the body. This includes inherited genetic metabolic disorders, leukemia, or chemotherapy for cancer.

Genetics

Genetic factors influence multiple complex processes in the human body. A family history of gout can increase a person’s risk of developing gouts. If your first degree relative, such as a sibling or a parent, has gouts, you're more likely to develop this disease. Ask a doctor to know if you should get genetically tested for gouts.