Comments on: Gout and low carb diet

By: Warner Soroa

Warner Soroa — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 01:10:28 +0000

I’ve been suffering gout attacks once a year for 3 years. I am noton allipurinol but do take Indomethicin for attacks. My question:I am 43 and went for a physical and because my cholesterol is 233(down from 273 9 months ago)the doctor wants to put me on a low carbdiet or go on cholesterol drugs in 3 months if it is not lowered. Iam in very good shape 6′ 265lbs. My urich level 7.3 (down from 10last summer)any comments on the effect of a low carb diet and gout.It seems that the group believes high protien = high purines. I amtorn over what to do.

By: Columbus Luthe

Columbus Luthe — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 07:58:45 +0000

The trigger mechanisms for gout really seem to vary from individual to individual, but here is what I have to say on your subject based on my own experience: The Atkins Diet, in my experience and OPINION, should be AKA “The Atkins Expressway to Goutville”. Purines/ tyramine is predominantly produced by the breakdown of proteins, and since a low carb diet is usually a high protein diet, the risk is certainly there for aggravation of gout.Â I seem to have plenty of “trigger mechanisms, many of which are vague in source, and some are absolute guarantees for nasty gout attacks- red meats (especially aged, marinated, or cured), hard aged cheeses (like cheddar otr parmesan), any kind of wine, any kind of beer. Red meats I can and do eat on a regular, albeit limited basis, and it is as fresh as possible (I will not give my steak or hamburger, just won’t do it). The other stuff listedÂ I avoid like the plague. It seems odd your doctor would suggest a low carb diet for reduction of cholesterol- that seems to be contrary to all info on the subject, since meatsÂ are cholesterol offenders.

I HAVE heard that weight loss will cut your cholesterol levels, and I have also heard many times that weight loss also reduces the frequency of gout attacks.Â I am currently trying to restructure my diet, since my gout has forced me to far more sedentary than I have ever been in my life I have gained about 30 lbs, which I need to lose now.

Anyay, there’s my two cents. Good luck in your efforts, and do us all a favor and let us know how it goes.

By: Terrance Molock

Terrance Molock — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:45:20 +0000

to individual, but here is what I have to say on your subject basedon my own experience:Atkins Expressway to Goutville”. Purines/ tyramine is predominantlyproduced by the breakdown of proteins, and since a low carb diet isusually a high protein diet, the risk is certainly there foraggravation of gout. I seem to have plenty of “trigger mechanisms,many of which are vague in source, and some are absolute guaranteesfor nasty gout attacks- red meats (especially aged, marinated, orcured), hard aged cheeses (like cheddar otr parmesan), any kind ofwine, any kind of beer. Red meats I can and do eat on a regular,albeit limited basis, and it is as fresh as possible (I will not givemy steak or hamburger, just won’t do it). The other stuff listed Iavoid like the plague.reduction of cholesterol- that seems to be contrary to all info onthe subject, since meats are cholesterol offenders.I have also heard many times that weight loss also reduces thefrequency of gout attacks. I am currently trying to restructure mydiet, since my gout has forced me to far more sedentary than I haveever been in my life I have gained about 30 lbs, which I need to losenow.all a favor and let us know how it goes.carb

Have you been positively identified as having gout?Indomethicinwworks for a lot of ailments.When you say that you have been havingattacks for 3 years and in the last year you have lowerred your u/afrom 10 to 7..did this reduce the attacks?Congrats on lowerring theu/a!..I don’t know what level of u/a you need for gout?It is entirelypossible that you may have another attack because you are stilllowerring your u/a..then it is also possible that you may haveanother attack because your level is still too high.NOT uncommon isfor the gout sufferer to get his u/a down by various means..then havehim and the Dr. think all is well..MEANWHILE the body has begunto “re-adjust” and the u/a level starts creeping back up.Next thingyou know..gout attack..BUT a lot of the u/a is NOW in the joints andyou get an artificially low reading..that is close or lower than youroriginal low reading..WATCH OUT for this!..keep a tab on your u/alevels every 3/4 months..as a general rule of thumb..gout sufferersneed to keep their u/a to the low end of the average scale..bringingdown high u/a levels is not really that hard..especially by weightloss..BUT maintaining them..ESPECIALLY if there are ANY yo/yoweight/loaa/gains..IN that low range..THAT! IS HARD!!.. I have read/heard where cholesterol drugs simply caused gout. ANNHHH..low carb..I’dno.. I don’t think that this group believes that high protein=highpurines..more and more the evidence amongst researchers/experts..isleaning towards many other factors.Green leafy vegetables seem to bethe bad boy on the block right now for goutsufferers..Brocoli..FREQUENTLLY gets called up..so do a LOT of otherthings with little or no protein in them..let alone purines.Watch outfor those so called gout diets/foods..lists..plenty of them aresimply no longer accurate.

Sure.. Dr.Atkins is a FINE example..he continued on withstuffing himself FULL of meat..ONLY to get gout..THEN having itmaking his condition WORSE he continued to stuff himself..THEN..whatdid he do..CONTINUED to stuff himself full of meat AND went onallopurinol.True story..he admitted to having to take allopurinol. “Road To Goutville”..FUNNY! and fitting!!

Gout and weight loss..again of course weight loss is a goodthing!..BUT many experts say it is only the reduced stress on thejoint..

By: Warner Soroa

Warner Soroa — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 14:04:49 +0000

Thanks for the input. My doc concluded it was gout the first time notby drawing fluid but for the fact my big toe and foot were 2x normalsize. I also tried to get into a gout study with a rheumatologistlast summer for a new drug trial but they would not take me since myu/a was so high?? Go figure they want to do a study and not includepeople likely to get gout. I still get twinges and right now my toejoint is sore I pray it does’nt flare I have to go to Vegas the 17th.Is there a connection between Allipurinol and cholesterol going up ordown? Personally I think 233 is not high for cholesterol. Mygrandfather lived to 105 eating bacon, eggs, steak, ice cream etcc..every day. I’m a firm believer its the stress that kills and its justthe drug companies trying to force the whole world to be on meds!

By: Rowena Aminov

Rowena Aminov — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 22:47:08 +0000

I am freshly diagnosed w/ gout. It kinda ironic!! (in my mind) Ihad a gastric bypass mid november & because of the weight I am tryingto loss I should eat HIGH protien LOW carb.. I had noticed more painsince My surgery but assumed my body was trying to adjust. during myroutine blood work gout was dianosed.. I’m experimenting with mydiet to try & get good weight loss & no pain.. I was told by a fellowpost op to eat high protein until an attack…

By: Jonas Laramore

Jonas Laramore — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 19:38:47 +0000

my experience my be influential. So without further delay;

I FEEL GREAT AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY ATTACKS IN 4 MONTHS!!! (Sinceincreasing my dosage of allopurinol-THIS IS THE KEY IN MY OPINION)

I’ll add that I’m on allopurinol 300mg/daily and regular exercise now.I have lost 32lbs in 7 weeks. I am 6′3 starting weight at 289lbs. Mydoctor recommended the South Beach diet which I started but modified itafter a month to continue significant weight loss results. I eat a highprotein/low saturated fat diet. With occasional fruits and breads whichare low on the GI (Glycemic Index) My mother has diabetes and I don’twant to take the chance of gettting it too.

My daily supplements include;GNC Megamans multi vitaminDietary Fiber 5g/dailyOmega 3,6, and 9Allopurinoland recently Ritalin SR for my ADD.

As Arnold has said time and time again, I think the additional weightdoes lessen the burdens on the joints, in addition most nutritionistwill tell you that when your body reaches it’s maximum weight it iscommon for health problems to arrise. This was true to the letter forme. I did not have my first problem with gout until I had settled inat an overweight condition.

Unlike most, I have only been fighting gout for 3 years, however thefrequency of my attacks were way over the norm. I suffered a minimumof 8 attacks a year.

I would like to add that, as another post mentioned, an attackseems very likely when stopping this diet. I watched a special onDateline where they test all the popular diets and the person doingAtkins stopped for a little bit during the year long test and suffereda gout attack. The dieticians at Atkins worked with him personally andhe continued the diet with great success.

Like anything with gout, we know each person can be a little differentin symptoms and treatment. What works for some may not work for you.

Time to wash the cars and go ice skating!