By Kaci Vohland, MS, RDN, LD, CPhT When you think of gout, you may not think of heart disease, however studies have shown that there is a strong tie between the buildup of uric acid and the risk of gout and cardiovascular disease. Uric acid is naturally made when our bodies break down certain foods and beverages high in purines such as beer, shellfish, and red meat. Uric acid buildup has been shown to be associated with not only gout but also cardiovascular disease (CVD). Additionally, patients with gout are at an increased risk of CVD independent of uric acid levels; possibly as a result of having higher levels of inflammations and/or oxidative stress. If you suffer from gout, following Life’s Essential 8 guidelines could help reduce your risk of CVD. Read More

By Melanie Betz, MS, RD, CSR, CSG, LDN Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis in the U.S., characterized by the painful buildup of uric acid crystals in joints. People with gout often have a wide variety of co-morbid conditions, many of which include nutrition recommendations as part of treatment. Most notably, 74% of people with gout have hypertension (HTN), and 70% have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Other common nutrition-related co-morbidities include coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, nephrolithiasis, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis. Given the high prevalence of co-morbid conditions, it is imperative that nutrition recommendations address the patient’s entire medical history; not just gout. Read More

By Mark Messina, PhD, MS Globally, in 2017, there were ~41.2 million prevalent cases of gout, with 7.4 million incident cases per year adding up to almost 1.3 million years of years lived with disability. In the U.S., approximately 3.9% (9.2 million) of Americans have a history of gout, but men (5.2%, 5.9 million) are much more likely to report having this disease than women (2.7%, 3.3 million). Read More