Of the 71% of adults who reported drinking any kind of alcoholic beverage within the past year, those who suffer from gout need to be particularly careful with alcohol consumption.
Why is Alcohol Bad for Gout?
One of alcohol's effects on the body is that it causes the kidneys to excrete alcohol instead of uric acid. This means that while the kidneys are busy processing the alcohol, uric acid that needs to be eliminated begins to build up.
Alcohol of all types increases the production of uric acid, something that those with gout want to avoid. And, alcohol decreases the body's ability to re-absorb water, leading to dehydration (one of the main triggers for gout attacks).
The most important thing for gout sufferers to practice with alcohol is moderation. Everyone is different but for gout sufferers in general consuming more than four drinks in one day is not a good idea. As we get older the body's ability to process and eliminate alcohol declines, leaving more uric acid behind.
Does the Type of Alcohol Matter?
A recent study2 indicated that while alcohol of any kind is not good for those with gout, beer and hard liquor such as whiskey are more of a risk. Over two drinks of any kind of alcohol per day increased the risk of gout attacks. The reasons for why different forms of alcohol pose different levels of gout risk was not clear. See Beer and Gout.
One piece of good news was that less than two glasses of wine a day was not found to be a risk factor. So those with gout that are managing their condition through diet and exercise should be able to enjoy a few glasses of wine without too much worry.