If you have chronic gout, you may or may not know but there is a high chance to form kidney stones as well. Sounds terrible, right? Just when you thought gout was awful, you learn that you are also at risk for another debilitating disease. We don’t want that to discourage you though. Gout and kidney stones are both preventable. It’s important to understand why you are susceptible and how you can be proactive and create a strategic prevention plan.
What is gout?
The build-up of uric acid in the bloodstream causes gout. Uric acid is produced by the breakdown of purines, which you can find in foods high in protein such as meats, seafood, and poultry as well as alcohol. Most of the time, uric acid passes through the kidneys with no problem. However, when a large build-up occurs, needle-like crystals begin to form, causing inflammation and pain in the joints. Like kidney stones, the pain of gout can be excruciating. Gout frequently affects the large joint of the big toe, but can also affect the forefoot, ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and fingers.
How does gout correlate with kidney stones?
One type of kidney stone is called a uric acid stone. Uric acid stones make up approximately 10% of all kidney stones. They usually form in people with a high animal protein diet and people who suffer from gout. If you’ve had gout, you are 60 percent more likely to develop a kidney stone! If your body is already producing lots of uric acid, your chances of forming crystals in your kidneys are pretty high. As if the pain of gout wasn’t terrible enough, let’s add the risk of kidney stones as well.
What can I do to prevent them?
First and most importantly, developing the habit of hydration throughout the day is your number one priority. Drinking plenty of water allows your body to dilute and flush out the uric acid that’s building up in your body. Limiting alcohol and keeping a healthy lifestyle are also great prevention strategies. While there is no need to change your diet up completely, it definitely won’t hurt to limit your servings of protein per day. If you do eat a lot of protein and have no plans to change your diet, we can’t urge you enough to drink more water. Not a big fan of water? KSPtabs is the perfect way to enhance the taste of your water while also adding the needed elements to reduce your risk of a gout flare-up and kidney stones. The citrate, magnesium, and B6 will alkalinize your urine and keep the uric acid from building up and forming stones.
