The pleasures that alcoholic beverages can offer are undeniably irresistible. As a matter of fact, drinking it may cause temporary happiness but at the end of the day, the happiness that it brings will give harsh punishments. Thus, in this article, you will learn about the relationship between gout and alcohol. For instance, you can be able to figure out why gout is also called the “diseases of the kings”.
Gout: The Diseases of the Royalties
“Diseases of the Kings” is a common phrase that best describes the gout disease. As a matter of fact, gout is called “diseases of the kings” because thousands of years ago, people in higher ranks or people in the higher class of society are the common targets of this disease. Moreover, several historical figures are known to have suffered from this disease. Some of them are Sir Isaac Newton, Ludwig Van Beethoven, and even one of the founding fathers of USA Benjamin Franklin. Hence, the existence of gout is widely known to be caused by pleasurable things in life such as alcoholic beverages and tasty foods. Thus, the pleasurable diets of highly ranked people are usually linked to gout.
Does Alcohol Triggers Gout?
In many parts of the world, beer is one of the famous alcoholic beverages that can be consumed on many occasions. But drinking this might cause gout flare-ups making it easier for the drinker to be the target of gout. As a matter of fact, beer is loaded with purine that can trigger gout and aside from purine beer also have ethanol which is known to be the gout sufferer’s enemy.
Ethanol found in many alcoholic beverages boosts the production of lactate and pyruvate hence increasing the production of lactic acid in our body. The excessive amount of lactic acid creeping in our bloodstream brings harmful effect in our body that is why we must excrete it immediately. As a matter of fact, our kidneys are responsible for the allocation of glomerular filtration rate between uric acid and some other acids including lactic acid produced from the consumption of alcohol. Thus, the great amount of lactic acid in our body leads to greater amount of uric acid that can trigger breached saturation points (the point wherein the volume of the solute is almost the same with the solvent) in the joints. For instance, if you are already suffering from gout, there is a tendency that you might get more serious gout problem, as the increased amount of uric acid can cause severe gout attacks.
What Can Other Alcoholic Beverages Bring?
As what mentioned earlier, beer is one of the alcoholic beverages that can trigger extreme gout attacks containing only 5% of alcohol. How about the others? Well, it is said that alcoholic beverages such as whiskey and tequila contain considerable high amounts of alcohol that can range up to 90%. Hence, a drop of such beverages will surely bring you down as the agonizing pain of gout will keep your body restless.
Is There Any Alcohol That Is Good For Gout?
Well, sorry to say but there are no alcoholic beverages that can be of any good for your gout. Consumption of alcoholic beverages can only trigger a harmful and really painful effect. Though there are many perks from alcoholic beverages, its agonizing effect for your gout will only lead to regret. Thus the health benefits of alcohol are debunked as it contains ethanol which is harmful to you.
What Drinks Are Good For Your Gout?
Since the consumption of alcoholic beverages will do you no good, experts have suggested that alkaline water will do. Studies have suggested that the changes in the pH of our urine through alkaline diet will help our body to excrete uric acid. Hence, the alkaline minerals in our body will replace the minerals lost as the body chips the bones and muscle mass to compensate for the damages caused by the acids generated by hyperuricemia and alcohol consumption.
Alkaline water is surely an effective remedy for gout compared to alcohol. Yes, it’s true that alcoholic beverages bring unexplainable pleasures in life but bear in mind that these pleasures are just temporary. It may bring happiness for now, but regret in the end.
