Uric acid is an important excretory product of urine together with nitrogen and urea. Uric acid is involved with purine metabolism, an important component of both DNA and RNA. It is best for individuals to maintain an optimum balance of uric acid in the body because it acts as an antioxidant. In excess, it can cause hyperuricemia which results to certain diseases.
Causes And Symptoms Of Low Uric Acid Levels
Low Uric Acid Causes
There are varied reasons for low uric acid levels in the body. The following are some examples:
- Mineral deficiencies
- Low molybdenum
- Low vitamin D
- Low vitamin B12
- Concurrent health problems
- Liver disease
- Certain cancers
- Wilson’s disease
- SIADH or syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone
- Parkinson’s disease
- Diabetes
- Myeloma
- Multiple sclerosis
- Nephritis
- Hyperthyroidism
- Inherited metabolic defects
- Medications
- Pregnancy
- Low uric acid diet
Low Uric Acid Symptoms
- Low uric acid level is itself a symptom and can be determined through blood chemistry examination.
- Low uric acid levels also leads to oxidative stress in the body
- Oxidative stress can lead to the development of atherosclerosis as well as strokes
- There are some cases wherein low uric acid is an optimum outcome and a sign of improving medical conditions.
- Normal uric acid levels in the body should be in between 3.6mg/dL to 8.3mg/dL.
Low Uric Acid Diet Foods
- Uric acid is produced after you consume food rich in purine.
- Diet low in purine is responsible for low uric acid level in the body.
- In order to increase uric acid in your blood when you have low uric acid, you have to eat diet rich in purine, which releases uric acid as byproduct after its digestion.
- While increase in uric acid level in low uric acid condition is harmless, rise of uric acid with a normal uric acid range in the blood may not be beneficial to body. It may result into hyperuricemia leading to gout and kidney stones.
Foods that are high in purine content can increase low uric acid level. They are;
- Fish: Hering, mackerel, mussels, scallops
- Meat: Minced meat, goose, duck
- Organ meat: liver, kidney, brain
- Broth, yeast, bouillon
- Asparagus, cauliflower, mushrooms, spinach
- Lentils, peas, wheat, bran, oatmeal, whole grain bread, cereals
- Alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine.
- Teas, coffee, sodas, beverage sweetened with corn syrup.
- Foods cooked in oil
- Acid forming foods are known to increase the level of uric acid like sugar, white flour, roasted nuts etc.