Worst Alcohol for Gout

As a type of arthritis, gout is a painful condition in which the joints are affected, often causing additional swelling and stiffness.

Gout specifically is caused by a buildup of excess uric acid in the blood which can crystallise and cause sudden pain, severe redness, and swelling – often beginning at the big toe.

Uric acid is a waste product of the body’s digestive system which usually is managed by the body through being dissolved in the blood and travelling to the kidneys before exiting the body in urine.

When this waste product is not dissolved as it should be (due to large quantities or another health issue), it can lead to gout.

Though some individuals are known to be more susceptible to gout as a result of demographic or cultural factors, the higher predictive factor is that of the individual’s family history with gout (1).

In general, gout is thought to be heavily influenced by an individual’s genetics.

For example, if the individual has a family history of gout, they are more likely to struggle with the condition themselves and should get tested as they notice any symptoms.

Signs and symptoms of gout

As a treatable disorder, gout can be detected and treated within a relatively short period of time – especially if the individual knows the signs and symptoms to look out for:

The following symptoms may be a sign of gout:

Sudden intense joint pain
Warmth in the joints
Redness around the joints
Sensitivity around the joint (i.e., bedsheets becoming an unbearable weight around the foot/ankle, for example)

In general, gout attacks can happen within a relatively short space of time and become severe within a few hours.

It is generally thought that gout attacks peak at around 12 to 24 hours, but they can also last up to 10 days, making this an uncomfortable and unpleasant disorder if not treated within a suitable time period.

The effects of gout on an individual

As gout affects such as vital part of an individual’s functioning, there can be many effects to their daily life that can occur, some of which can take many weeks to overcome.

As well as the physical health impacts of gout, there are many other factors that must be considered such as the individual’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.

For example, individuals struggling with gout may become constrained to their home, meaning that they miss out of social activities and/or responsibilities of their everyday life. This can seriously take a toll on an individual’s mental health.

In addition, many people may have a lot of stigma around gout as a disorder and judge those who may become afflicted; this can cause embarrassment for those suffering, adding to the difficult recovery process that they may already be progressing with.

Alcohol and gout: how can they be linked?

It has long been established that increased alcohol consumption can increase the risk of gout (2), especially in demographics and populations that are already more susceptible.

This is due to a few reasons, the most common outlined below:

High purines –alcohols such as beer contain a high level of purines which is one of the leading chemicals in the onset of gout.
Dehydration – most alcohols dehydrate the body, interrupting the body’s natural processing and filtration of uric acid in the kidneys.
Increased production of harmful chemicals – alcohol often breaks down rapidly in the body, leading to an increase in uric acid levels within the blood and the body in general.

When consuming alcohol, especially in large quantities, individuals will put themselves at a far higher risk than those who consume no alcohol or alcohol on a far less frequent basis.

Alcohol addiction and gout

Therefore, individuals who struggle with an alcohol addiction (alcoholism), are far more likely to develop gout compared to individuals who are not addicted to alcohol.

When an individual is addicted to alcohol, they will continuously seek out the drug, even when it causes negative consequences.

This is often achieved in large quantities, chasing the feeling of being ‘drunk’ and attempting to overcome the tolerance that will build over time.

With increased levels of alcohol in the body as a result of addiction, individuals will have far more uric acid in the body, as well as purines and a slowed rate of alcohol breakdown within the kidneys, a recipe for disaster when it comes to the causes of gout.

Types of alcohol and their effect on gout

Alcohol as a general category of gout-inducing substances can be broken down further into different types of alcohol, each which have their own unique impact on the body and therefore the risk of developing gout.

This is outlined below:

Beer – the alcohol with the highest risk for gout, beer has a high yeast content, as well as having high rates of purines, as well.
Spirits/liquor – increases the risk of gout but can also be a leading factor in the repetition of this disorder occurring.
Wine – though not as high a risk as some other alcohols, drinking large quantities of alcohol can increase the risk of gout, as well as causing attacks in some specific cases.

Recovering from gout: what is the process?

If you or someone you know is struggling with gout (either as a result of alcohol consumption and/or addiction or another health issue), it is vital that help is sought within the first 24 hours of experiencing symptoms.

In the short-term, gout can be treated through prescription of substances such as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) which includes ibuprofen and naproxen to treat the pain, as well as to reduce swelling.

In the longer term, however, more preventative measures are recommended.

For example, diet can also contribute to the risk of gout, meaning that developing a healthy diet can greatly reduce this risk. In addition, increasing water consumption and decreasing alcohol consumption are also beneficial.

If the individual’s gout has been caused by an addiction to alcohol, however, further support is always required.

Getting further support for gout and/or alcohol today

Rehab Recovery has helped countless individuals to find the most suitable rehabilitation programme for them and their needs, including the treatment of additional medical issues such as gout that may arise as a result of this.

To find out more, or to find out how we can help you starting today, call us on 0800 088 66 86.

References

[1] Kuo, C.F., Grainge, M.J., See, L.C., Yu, K.H., Luo, S.F., Valdes, A.M., Zhang, W. and Doherty, M., 2015. Familial aggregation of gout and relative genetic and environmental contributions: a nationwide population study in Taiwan. Annals of the rheumatic diseases, 74(2), pp.369-374.

[2] Choi, H.K., Atkinson, K., Karlson, E.W., Willett, W. and Curhan, G., 2004. Alcohol intake and risk of incident gout in men: a prospective study. The Lancet, 363(9417), pp.1277-1281.