What is Uric Acid? How Can You Test It?
Uric acid is a byproduct of our body's digestive system. Imbalanced uric acid levels can cause several health conditions, so it's important to test it.
Learn what is uric acid and how you can test it in this comprehensive guide.
What is uric acid in the body?
Uric acid is a chemical compound that forms in the body during the breakdown of purines, naturally occurring substances in the body and certain foods. Purines are present in various foods and drinks, including meat and organ meats such as liver and kidneys, oily fish and seafood, alcohol, and foods high in fructose corn syrup.
The majority of uric acid dissolves in the blood and is filtered through the kidneys, eventually excreted in the urine. However, an imbalance in the production and elimination of uric acid can lead to elevated levels in the bloodstream, a condition known as hyperuricemia.
Uric acid isn’t all bad, though. Normal levels of uric acid act as an antioxidant in the body, helping to control free radicals, and so has a protective function. But it’s not just high levels of uric acid that should be avoided; low levels of uric acid can also cause problems. Recent research links low uric acid levels to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.
What causes increased levels of uric acid?
Typically, the kidneys filter out uric acid from the body, excreting it in the urine. However, an excess intake of purines from food or a sluggish elimination process caused by various factors can lead to the accumulation of uric acid in the bloodstream.
While a diet rich in purines can cause high levels of uric acid in the body, there are other causes to be aware of. Factors that increase uric acid in the body include:
- Some inherited genes
- Medications such as diuretics, immune-suppressing drugs and the vitamin supplement niacin/B3
- Some health conditions, including hypothyroidism and hyperparathyroidism, sarcoidosis, kidney disease and some cancers.
- Health conditions related to poor diet and lifestyle, such as metabolic syndrome, obesity and high blood pressure.
What level of uric acid is dangerous?
A higher uric acid level than normal increases the risk of developing associated conditions, such as gout or kidney stones. The normal range for uric acid may differ slightly between countries and testing laboratories Usually uric acid is defined as high when it's over 6 milligrams per decilitre (mg/dL) for women and over 7 milligrams per decilitre (mg/dL) for men.
Symptoms of high uric acid
Hyperuricemia (high uric acid levels) often comes without symptoms, while the conditions caused by hyperuricemia are symptomatic. Those conditions and symptoms are:
Gout can impact any joint within the body, but initial flares frequently manifest in the big toe. Common sites for gout include the feet, ankles, knees, and elbows. Symptoms include swelling and redness around the joint, pain and stiffness, soreness, and the area feeling hot to the touch.
Kidney stones occur when crystals of uric acid form in the kidneys. Typically small, these stones are often expelled in the urine. However, they may grow too large to pass, causing blockages in parts of the urinary tract. Symptoms include nausea and vomiting, urgent need to pass urine, intense pain in the lower back that may move to the genitals and blood in the urine.
Tophaceous gout can develop after having prolonged spells of high uric acid. The uric acid crystals can form masses called tophi. These often visible hard clumps of uric acid crystal can develop beneath the skin, around joints, and in the curvature at the top of the ear. Tophi can intensify joint pain, cause joint damage, and constrict nerves over time.
What is a Uric Acid Blood Test?
Gout stands as the predominant cause of inflammatory arthritis globally. Gout affects 1 in 50 people in the UK. As the conditions associated with high uric acid levels are increasing amongst the UK population, testing your uric acid levels is an important part of health management.
Routine blood tests do not typically include a Uric Acid Test. However, getting a Uric Acid Test is quick, easy and cheap. Private testing is easily available, such as with Bluecrest Wellness, where you can test your uric acid levels in less than 10 minutes at a testing centre local to you. The procedure is very simple: a health assessment specialist will take a small sample of your blood, which will be sent to a laboratory for analysis.
How can I naturally reduce uric acid levels?
If you have high uric acid levels, you can work to lower them through diet, hydration, and lifestyle changes without needing medical intervention. There are medications available that can help to lower uric acid levels and manage a gout flare-up, but the most effective way is through diet.
Here are ways you can naturally reduce your uric acid levels:
Diet
- Avoid foods high in purines, such as meat and oily fish, sugary foods – especially those containing fructose corn syrup, and foods high in yeast.
- Increase low purine foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts and peanut butter.
- Increase these foods that have been shown to reduce uric acid levels: skimmed milk, cherries, and coffee.
- Take a regular vitamin C supplement.
Hydration
- Increase your water intake, as people who drink five to eight glasses a day are less likely to experience symptoms associated with gout
- Avoid alcohol, especially beer and hard liquors
- Avoid sugary drinks, especially ones containing fructose corn syrup
Lifestyle
- If you’re overweight, lowering your weight can significantly reduce your risk of developing conditions associated with high uric levels.
- Some medications, such as diuretics, low dose aspirin, ACE inhibitors, and beta blockers, can raise uric acid levels. Speak to your prescribing doctor before reducing or stopping these drugs.
Check your uric acid levels and more
Testing your uric acid levels is more convenient than ever with Bluecrest Wellness.
Our Uric Acid Test is part of our comprehensive health assessment package, the Complete Heath MOT and as part of our Advanced Energy Profile package, which is the most cost-effective way to test. It can also be added as an extra individual test to many of our existing full-body health packages.
Test your uric acid levels or get a comprehensive health assessment in 3 simple steps:
- Choose the most suitable test for you and a convenient venue and time for your appointment.
- Attend our appointment without any queues or wait times. At your assessment, a trained health assessment specilaist will carry out the tests, taking no more than 20 minutes in total.
- Your results will be available 24/7 through our online dashboard, My Wellness. You will receive an email notification as soon as your results are ready for viewing. Processing times vary by test, with some results accessible on the dashboard in as little as three days.
