High uric acid: symptoms, causes and what to do

A high uric acid usually causes no symptoms, and most people who have it do not develop gout. Alcohol, sugary drinks and a few extra kilos are often behind it, sometimes the kidneys or a medicine. A few more tests help tell which.

What high uric acid means

Uric acid is made when your body breaks down purines, and your kidneys clear most of it. It rises when you make more of it or clear less.

If it stays high for a long time, it can form crystals: in the joints they cause gout, in the kidneys stones. But in most cases this does not happen, and the number is mostly a sign of how your metabolism is doing.

What causes high uric acid

The first three are the ones you can change most.

Symptoms

Usually none: you cannot feel high uric acid, and it is almost always found on a blood test. Symptoms only come if crystals form:

On its own, high uric acid does not cause tiredness or aches all over. If you have them, look for the cause with your doctor.

Gout and foot pain

Gout is inflammation of a joint caused by uric acid crystals. It most often hits the big toe, but also the ankle, foot and knee.

An attack comes on suddenly, often at night: the joint swells, turns red and hurts so much that even the bed sheet is too much. Get seen the same day: the pain can be treated, and your doctor needs to rule out an infection of the joint. If you also have a fever, go to the emergency department straight away.

Not every foot pain is gout, and not every high uric acid leads to gout. During an attack, the level in your blood can even look normal: it takes a doctor to tell.

Which tests to read alongside it

These tests help find the cause.

What your result means

The upper end of the scale, in mg/dL.

How to lower uric acid

Without medicines there is no way to clear it fast: the number comes down when your habits change. Where to start:

When to worry

Talk to a doctor if:

With Rosa, a uric acid of 9 or above is always flagged to a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

How can I get rid of uric acid fast? Without medicines there is no quick way: the number comes down when you drink less alcohol and fewer sugary drinks and lose weight slowly. It is usually checked again after about three months. If you have a gout attack, get seen the same day.

Do herbal teas and home remedies work? There is no solid evidence that any herbal tea or home remedy lowers it. What works is drinking less alcohol and fewer sugary drinks, and losing a few kilos if you need to.

Can I eat bananas with high uric acid? Yes. They are low in purines, and a banana is not the problem. Cutting alcohol and sugary drinks, juices included, matters more.

Which foods should I avoid with high uric acid? Rather than avoid, cut down: beer and spirits, sugary drinks, organ meats, red meat, cured meats and shellfish. You do not need to cut everything: fish, for example, is good for your heart and has little effect on uric acid.

Are there vegetables to avoid? No. Even purine-rich vegetables, such as spinach, mushrooms, peas and lentils, do not raise the risk of gout. Vegetables and legumes are fine.

Do I need medicines to lower it? Without symptoms, usually not: you start with your habits. After a gout attack or with kidney stones, medicines may be needed, and your doctor decides. Do not take them on your own.

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