Dietary factors in gout
| Risk factor | Association with gout | Relevance to African Americans |
|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | Ethanol metabolism causes adenosine triphosphate consumption, leading to purine degradation and increased serum uric acid | Rates of alcohol use in African Americans are lower than in white Americans, but African Americans are more likely to have negative health consequences from excessive drinking than white Americans |
| Purine-rich foods | Excess purine is degraded to uric acid, leading to hyperuricemia | Meat consumption is higher among African Americans than white Americans |
| Sugary drinks | Fructose phosphorylation depletes phosphate, causing accumulation of uric acid | 17% of African American adults obtain ≥ 25% of their calories from added sugars, compared with 11% of white adults |
| Dairy products | Beneficial: uricosuric effect of casein and lactalbumin | African Americans drink less milk than white Americans |
| Caffeine | Beneficial: uricosuric effect, antioxidant properties may increase insulin sensitivity, may inhibit xanthine oxidase | |
| Vitamin C | Beneficial: direct uricosuric effect | African Americans eat less fruits and vegetables than white Americans |
| Cherries or cherry juice | Beneficial: anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols |