Uric acid is a byproduct produced in the metabolism of purines from foods. So, if the uric acid test shows that it is too high or lower than normal, it is an alarm signal that the body is having a health problem.
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What is uric acid?
Uric acid is a term that is mentioned a lot in medicine. However, for ordinary people who are not knowledgeable about medical knowledge, this is still a strange concept, or if you know, do not understand deeply about the nature of this acid.
Uric acid was first discovered in isolates from kidney stones in 1776 by a Swedish scientist. It was not until 1882 that Ukrainian scientist ivan Horbaczewski synthesized this substance by melting urea with glycine.
Uric acid is professionally defined as the chemical formula C5H4N4O3 – a heterocyclic compound composed of substances such as oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and carbon formed in the body by the breakdown of purines. Uric acid forms salt ions, also known as acid urates, such as ammonium acid urate.
Normally, uric acid will be converted by uricase enzyme into blood-soluble allatonin and delivered to the kidneys, then eliminated from the body through the urinary tract, a few excreted through sweat, through digestive system and only a very small amount of uric acid in the blood.
The source of uric acid production in the blood includes two main ways: exogenous and endogenous:
- Exogenous origin: is from foods, foods that people eat into the body every day. On average, the foods provide the amount of purine about 100-200mg / day. The foods containing many purines can be mentioned as red meats, animal organs, alcohol, sea fish, seafood, peas …
- Endogenous origin: is due to nucleic acid metabolism in the body about 600mg / day. This process takes place silently and occurs mainly in the liver, a little in the intestinal mucosa.
Find out the meaning of uric acid indexes in a blood test
The index of uric acid in the blood reflects a state of health in the body. So, if the blood test shows that the uric acid level is too high or too low, it is a warning sign of bodily problems.
In which, the significance of the uric acid indexes you need to know include:
Low uric acid index (<3mg / dl)
Low uric acid index is determined by blood test results and results uric acid levels below 3mg / dl. However, the experience of many medical experts shows that cases of low uric acid are very rare, usually 2% of the total uric acid test cases.
Some causes of uric acid levels in the blood are too low than normal:
- Xanthinuria
- Acromegaly
- Celiac disease (gluten intolerance)
- Fenconi syndrome
- SIADH syndrome (an adrenal hormone disorder)
- Wilson’s disease
- Due to excessive use of uric acid reducers
In addition, most cases with low uric acid index are often difficult to overcome through adjusting eating and living habits. Because the causes of this condition are inherited and the treatment is complicated. Therefore, patients need to be examined and consulted for treatment according to the doctor’s protocol.
Normal uric acid index (3 – 7mg / dl)
A person is considered to have a normal uric acid index when a blood test shows that the uric acid concentration ranges from 3 to 7 mg / dl. However, this number depends on many factors such as weight, height, and health condition of the tested person, so there is no absolute uniformity in all subjects.
Accordingly, the normal limit of uric acid in each subject will be different including:
- Children 3 – 4mg / dl
- Female 1.9 – 7.5mg / dl
- Male 2.5 – 8mg / dl
If your uric acid levels are fluctuating within safe levels, it means your body is very healthy and there is no risk of serious medical problems.
High uric acid index (> 6 – 7mg / dl)
Hyperuricemia in the blood is considered one of the most common conditions, if the blood test shows that the uric acid level is higher than 6-7mg / dl, it means that uric acid in the blood is in excess, the number of crystals. Urates are formed more and more, they are deposited in organs such as joints, internal organs and cause extremely dangerous diseases.
In particular, the group of people with uric acid index is divided into 2 forms:
- If the uric acid index in the blood is higher than 6-7mg / dl but not over 9mg / dl, then nothing too dangerous and it can be completely overcome by adjusting your eating and living habits.
- If the uric acid level in the blood is higher than 10mg / dl, this is definitely a warning sign of danger, and it should be treated with drugs or other specialized methods to avoid progressing more serious and difficult to treat. .
Cause increased uric acid index in the blood
There are many causes of increasing uric acid in the blood, but for easy classification, experts have classified into four main categories: genetics, increased production of uric acid, reduced uric acid excretion and mixture. increase proliferation and decrease uric acid excretion.
Due to genetic factors
According to some scientific studies, cases of Lesch-Nyhan syndrome are the cause of the defect in the body of an important protein responsible for removing uric acid. At this time, the patient will have congenital high uric acid levels and lead to many other dangerous diseases and affect health.
Due to increased production of uric acid in the blood
According to statistics, up to 80% of cases have increased uric acid in the blood due to increased synthesis of purines, increased degeneration of ATP, increased degradation of nucleotides. There are many causes of increased uric acid production such as:
- Due to the diet : The patient eats too much protein-rich foods, foods containing purines such as animal organs, seafood, red meat, fried foods that are high in fat, drink a lot of alcohol …
- Due to the destruction of blood vessel organs: occurs after chemotherapy or radiation therapy for malignant tumors.
- Due to increased metabolism of cells : lymphoma, acute lichen disease
- Due to anemia, hemolysis : malaria, G6PD deficiency, sickle cell disease.
- In addition, people who are overweight, obesity and often fasting is also the cause of increased uric acid.
Due to decreased renal excretion of uric acid
- In people with kidney failure, the distal tubules are damaged
- Use low-dose diuretics, aspirin, probenecid, and phenylbutazon.
- People who regularly drink alcohol also impair the renal excretion of uric acid, reduce urate secretion and increase the ability to keep purines from food in the body.
In addition, some other causes of uric acid increase such as pregnancy poisoning, pre-eclampsia, acute infectious mononucleosis, thyroid failure, lead poisoning or other trauma. …
What diseases do high uric acid cause?
High uric acid is the “oligarch” causing a series of dangerous human diseases such as:
Gout
Increased uric acid in the blood is the leading cause of gout . When uric acid increases, the association and formation of urate salt crystals deposited in the joints cause outbreaks of gout pain and gradually worsen if not treated promptly.
Nephrolithiasis
Kidney stones, also known as uric stone disease, are considered one of the complications of chronic gout. The symptoms of kidney stones can be identified as appearing cramping pain in the back, hip, gradually spreading down the groin, appointment, genitals, even blood in the urine …
Chronic kidney failure
A common feature of most people with chronic kidney failure is having a high level of uric acid in the blood.
Some genetic diseases
Increased blood uric acid levels have also been linked to certain genetic diseases. Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, for example, occurs due to an enzyme deficiency in purine metabolism, thereby causing a mutation in the X chromosome, causing the endogenous purine synthesis to increase dramatically.
In addition, increased blood uric acid levels have also been linked to Gipke’s disease. The disease occurs due to a disturbance in the release of enzyme glucose 6 phosphatase in the liver. When this enzyme is in deficiency, the process of increasing uric acid synthesis increases and reduces the excretion of this substance in the kidney.
Other diseases
Certain diseases that cause cell destruction such as psoriasis, cyanobacteria … have also been shown to be related to increased uric acid levels.
Subjects should have their uric acid levels tested
The uric acid index is not a mandatory indicator to perform in health tests. It is usually indicated to do the following:
- Suspected gout, urinary tract stones, or kidney stones.
- Test of uric acid levels in the blood in cancer cases and in the process of killing cancer cells. Because this process often easily increases uric acid concentration.
- Those who regularly use alcohol, protein, seafood …
- To evaluate the use of uric acid reducing aids
- Diagnose the disease and evaluate kidney function in the elderly.
How to overcome high uric acid concentration
According to experts the treatment of drug additive uric acid concentration greatly on the cause. If increases in blood uric acid levels do not show any symptoms or symptoms, there is no need for treatment. Because in this case, treatment will not bring any obvious benefits.
If there is an increase in the concentration of uric acid in the blood due to well-defined underlying causes, it is necessary to conduct treatment with active methods. Currently, there are many ways to help reduce blood uric acid such as changing diet, living habits and drug use.
In particular, the adjustment of the diet as well as one’s own lifestyle is often applied to most common cases of increasing uric acid. And using adjuvant drugs is only considered to be used in cases where increased uric acid levels have arisen dangerous complications for the body.
As follows:
Adjust your diet every day
Eating too many purines, protein-rich foods is one of the biggest causes of uric acid levels in the blood. According to one statistic, most people who regularly consume these foods suffer from kidney diseases, kidney stone deposition, gout higher than those who eat frugally and scientifically.
Therefore, in order to reduce the concentration of uric acid in the blood, the patient should firstly change his / her daily diet according to the following principles:
Limit or completely eliminate your use of foods high in purines
Protein-rich foods such as red meats (beef, pork, goat meat …, animal organs (heart, liver, pancreas, kidney …), seafood (shrimp, crab, crab …), animal fat , fast food, purine-rich vegetables (mushrooms, cauliflower, asparagus, soybeans …)
Absolutely do not use alcohol
In essence, alcohol is not the direct cause of the increase in uric acid synthesis. However, when absorbed into the body, the substances in alcohol are converted to lactic acid, hindering the elimination process as well as stimulating the reuptake of uric acid concentration in the kidneys. Not only that, but the regular use of alcohol also causes negative effects on the central nervous system and other internal organs such as the kidneys, liver, cardiovascular system …
Do not drink carbonated soft drinks
Carbonated soft drinks are the most common cause of overweight and obesity. According to scientific studies show that people who are overweight and obese will have a higher risk of metabolic disorders, causing the body to increase synthesis and reduce uric acid levels in the blood.
Not only that, carbonated soft drinks also cause many negative effects on the kidneys, high phosphate content accelerates the aging process, stimulates osteoarthritis and causes painful inflammation in the injured joint area. . Therefore, it is best to remove this drink from the daily diet to protect health.
Limit salt intake
Scientific studies show that using too high salt to prepare food every day for people with high uric acid concentration is not recommended. Although salt has the effect of balancing electrolytes in the body, preventing low blood pressure and avoiding cramps, eating a lot of salt can also increase the level of albumin excreted in the urinary tract.
This situation indirectly causes inhibition of renal uric acid excretion, increases the absorption of uric acid into the blood and causes dangerous diseases for human health. Even the habit of using a lot of salt and eating too salty also causes a high risk of bladder stones and kidney stones.
Increase intake of foods rich in vitamin C
According to the advice of nutritionists, patients with high blood uric acid levels should increase the use of foods rich in vitamin C such as oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, apples, cherries, cherries, and strawberries. Western, kiwi …
Because scientific studies have shown that providing from 500-100mg of vitamin C per day will increase the ability to reduce the concentration of uric acid in the blood through renal excretion mechanism.
Eat more vegetables
In the daily diet of those with a high uric acid index in the blood, green vegetables are absolutely indispensable. This food group contains a lot of vitamins and minerals, especially the extremely high fiber content that is able to alkaline urine, control weight and increase uric acid excretion in the blood and urine. from the body.
Not only that, those who regularly eat a lot of foods containing fiber also reduce the risk of diseases such as metabolic disorders in the elderly, support effective weight loss, avoid overweight and obesity. It even helps to control and prevent diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, stomach pain, chronic colitis, peptic ulcers …
Drink plenty of water every day
Experts recommend that people with high blood uric acid levels need to supplement more water than normal people. Because water has the effect of alkalizing urine, promoting activity of eliminating the concentration of uric acid from the body.
In addition, drinking plenty of water every day also helps dilute toxic substances in the blood and urine, preventing the risk of forming urate stones in the kidneys, in the urinary tract.
So, every day, supplement from 2.5 – 3 liters of water, preferably alkaline pH water and contain many minerals essential for health.
Eliminate unhealthy living habits
Uric acid is a product of purine degradation in food, however, people whose lifestyle is not scientific is also the cause of increasing uric acid index in the blood.
Therefore, to support the most effective reduction of uric acid in the blood, patients need to build the healthiest and most scientific lifestyle possible:
- Exercise regularly : Whether the person is healthy or those who have a disease, exercise is indispensable. For those who have a uric acid index too high, it is best to spend a lot of time exercising, exercising as well as exercising for 15-30 minutes per day. This way will help promote metabolism in the body, overcome the disorder, stimulate the elimination activity of the kidneys, control weight, limit overweight and obesity …
- Absolutely do not stay up late : Sleep on time, correct sleep, ensure enough sleep from 7-8 hours / night and absolutely do not stay up late than 12 o’clock at night. Because staying up late will cause the internal organs not to rest, especially the kidneys are inactive, it will disturb the metabolism in the body, thereby increasing the uric acid index in the blood and urine. Since then, there are many other dangerous diseases.
- No smoking and stimulants : These habits are completely unhealthy, stimulants disrupt metabolism, indirectly increase synthesis and reduce uric acid secretion in the blood. So, if you are a smoker, addicted to coffee, it is best to quit as soon as possible to improve your health.
- Giving up some drugs : The use of certain drugs such as diuretics, aspirin and some other types of treatment … is also the cause of the increase in the concentration of uric acid in the blood. So, inform your doctor about the use of these medications for instructions to adjust accordingly.
Use drugs to reduce the concentration of uric acid in the blood
Specialized drugs will work to quickly reduce excess uric acid in the blood and urine. However, as noted, only cases of hyperuricemia levels higher than 12mg / dl cause adverse symptoms and complications such as cardiovascular effects or signs of excessive cytostasis is indicated to use drugs because Western drugs always have hidden risks that are unpredictable.
Currently, experts have divided the group of drugs that work to reduce uric acid into 3 groups, including:
Group of drugs that inhibit the synthesis of uric acid
The feature of this group of drugs is its ability to inhibit xanthine oxidase, thereby effectively blocking the synthesis of uric acid in the blood. Some of the commonly used drugs in this class include:
- Allopurinol
- Febuxostat
- Topiroxostat
- …
The group of drugs increases uric acid excretion
Besides inhibiting synthesis, the mechanism of increasing the elimination of uric acid concentration in the blood is also an effective way to reduce excess uric acid in the body. With the ability to eliminate uric acid through the secretory system by inhibiting the formation of URAT 1 (this is the enzyme that re-absorbed uric acid in the renal tubules).
This class of drugs is often used in combination with the enzyme xanthin oxydase inhibitor in cases where single use of a drug does not cause uric acid to decrease effectiveness.
Some commonly indicated drugs for use in this case include probenecid, benzbromarone, lesinurad …
Group of drugs that break down uric acid
Uric acid degradation drugs work to provide uricase enzyme in recombinant form, increasing the ability to break down uric acid into soluble allatonin before and then excreted by the kidneys. From there, the effect of reducing the concentration of uric acid quickly.
However, this drug is only indicated for use in cases of hyperuricemia causing serious complications or diseases such as chronic gout , tophi seed formation …
Pegloticase and Rasburicase are two common types in this group of drugs.
Most medicines that reduce uric acid levels have side effects, causing negative health effects. So, do not arbitrarily use any Western medicine without the prescription and prescription of your doctor.
It can be seen that uric acid is an indicator capable of evaluating the health and pathological status of a person. So, if you see any unusual signs, immediately notify your doctor to be examined, diagnosed and consulted for appropriate and timely treatment.
* The information contained in this article is for reference only, and is not a substitute for any advice, diagnosis or medical treatment indication.
