The patient started taking traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture in October. After one month, uric acid improved, along with improvements in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and triglycerides.
114.5.10
Uric acid: 8.5
Glomerular filtration rate: 72
Triglycerides: 128
114.10.28
Uric acid: 6.5 (improved)
Glomerular filtration rate: 97 (improved)
Triglycerides: 111 (improved)
Definition of hyperuricemia:
• Men: >7.0 mg/dL
• Women: >6.0 mg/dL
Uric acid is a byproduct of purine metabolism. Approximately 80% originates from the body's cells, and 20% from diet. High uric acid levels can lead to uric acid crystal deposition in joints causing gout, or in the kidneys causing kidney stones or kidney disease.
Causes affecting uric acid metabolism:
1. Kidney insufficiency: The kidneys are the main organs for metabolizing uric acid.
2. Genetics: Deficiency of the HGPRT enzyme, which metabolizes purines.
3. Excessive alcohol consumption: Alcohol stimulates the liver to produce uric acid, and simultaneously produces lactic acid, which replaces uric acid and is excreted in urine, causing a large accumulation of uric acid in the body.
4. Excessive intake of sweets and beverages: Fructose can cause metabolic abnormalities, preventing uric acid from being excreted smoothly.
Causes of excessive uric acid production:
1. Animal meat and offal: Red meat has the highest purine content, while offal includes: heart, liver, large intestine, etc.
2. Seafood: Fish, clams, oysters, crab roe, squid, lobster, octopus, etc.
3. Others: Soup, gravy, chicken essence, dried small fish, etc.
High Uric Acid Levels and Potential Problems:
1. Hyperuricemia: When the body produces too much uric acid or the kidneys fail to excrete it properly, blood uric acid levels will be high.
2. Gout: High uric acid can cause uric acid crystals to deposit in the joints, leading to redness, swelling, heat, and pain.
3. Kidney Problems: Uric acid crystals may form kidney stones or cause kidney inflammation, potentially leading to long-term kidney damage.
Causes of High Uric Acid Levels:
1. Genetics and Constitution: A genetic predisposition to excessive uric acid production or abnormal excretion.
2. Kidney Function: Chronic kidney disease patients experience decreased excretion capacity, leading to uric acid buildup.
3. Diet: Excessive consumption of high-purine foods (organ meats, red meat, seafood, beer) and fructose-containing beverages.
4. Medications: Taking diuretics, anti-rejection drugs, salicylates (aspirin), etc., can hinder uric acid excretion.
5. Other factors: Obesity, strenuous exercise (producing lactic acid), hunger, and excessive alcohol consumption (especially beer) can all lead to elevated uric acid levels.
Who is at high risk for gout?
1. Those who enjoy eating organ meats and seafood: A diet high in these foods increases uric acid levels in the body.
2. Those who excessively diet and skip meals: Nutritional deficiencies impair metabolic function, hindering uric acid excretion.
3. Those with high work stress: High stress levels lead to a state of high tension, resulting in endocrine dysfunction and increased uric acid production.
4. Those who are heavy drinkers: Alcohol metabolism produces lactic acid, which is preferentially excreted, causing uric acid to accumulate in the body.
5. Those who engage in daily high-intensity anaerobic exercise: People who enjoy high-intensity anaerobic exercises such as weight training, basketball, tennis, and dancing are more prone to gout because their bodies burn calories and produce purines during exercise; strenuous exercise also generates large amounts of lactic acid, and excessive sweating reduces urination, all of which hinder uric acid excretion. 6. Drinking sugary drinks daily: Studies show that people who drink two sugary drinks a day have an 85% higher chance of developing gout than those who don't drink sugary drinks.
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