Uric acid liver. Reducing uric acid folk remedies

It is not uncommon, when you go to the doctor and take tests, you can hear that you have an increased level of uric acid in the blood, or, in other words, hyperuricemia. But what does this mean, why is this happening, how can it affect health, and how can this indicator be reduced?

Where does uric acid come from?

The urinary system is a good mechanism that cleanses the body of the remnants of metabolic processes. If all the organs of this area work together, we can avoid other related diseases. But sometimes the kidneys fail in this system, and the body ceases to be sufficiently cleansed of uric acid (the result of purine and protein metabolism). These particles, which were not excreted in time with urine, enter the bloodstream and are carried to all parts of our body (joints, kidneys, etc.).

Accumulating in large quantities, they crystallize in the internal organs and cause a number of diseases. So, after passing certain tests, elevated uric acid may be detected in the blood. The reasons for this lie in the failure of the urinary system. But it is worth noting that increased synthesis of uric acid in the liver area can also be to blame. Often this process is affected by food rich in purine compounds. But what factors can cause "pollution" of the blood?

Elevated uric acid: causes of malfunctions in the body

Improper eating habits and medications can affect uric acid levels. In particular, these are:

Prolonged diets, during which the excretory functions of the kidneys gradually fail.
Beer and red wine are loaded with purines, which increase uric acid levels, so drinking alcohol can affect kidney function.
Some drugs, such as Aspirin, Furosemide, and others.
Regular consumption of meat, fish, offal - everything that is rich in purines.
Elevated uric acid in the blood also occurs due to intense sports and exorbitant physical exertion, as they lead to increased protein breakdown.

Diseases that lead to hyperuricemia

But there are diseases that are inextricably linked with an increase in uric acid, or against which this pathology usually develops:

Of course, these are not the only clinical factors that lead to elevated uric acid in the blood, but these are the most common. It is worth noting that hyperuricemia can occur in some people without a cause that specialists could identify. In this case, doctors explain this pathology as an independent factor that increases the likelihood of death.

Symptoms of hyperuricemia

But by what signs can you determine that uric acid is elevated? Symptoms vary from person to person and are generally not attributed to hyperuricemia. Most often, a change in blood content is accompanied by rapid fatigue or chronic fatigue and the formation of tartar. If hyperuricemia has a concomitant disease (gout, GA, diabetes mellitus, etc.), it manifests itself in symptoms characteristic of this pathology.

In childhood, an increase in uric acid can be determined by the fact that diathetic bright red spots appear on the hands and / or cheeks.

Analysis for the definition of hyperuricemia

To accurately determine whether there is elevated uric acid in your body, you need to conduct a blood test. To obtain accurate results, three days before the delivery of the biomaterial, you must adhere to a diet in which alcohol and protein products are completely excluded. Also, eating should be stopped 8 hours before the analysis. For research, venous blood is taken.

The direction can be prescribed by such doctors: urologist, rheumatologist, cardiologist, nephrologist.

Depending on the gender and age of a person, the normal level of uric acid in the blood is calculated. So, in children who are under 14 years old, this indicator should be in the range of 120-320 µmol / l.

For men under 60 years old - from 250 to 400 µmol / l, from 60 years old - from 250 to 480.

The indicator in women under 60 years old is from 200 to 300 µmol / l, from 60 years old - from 210 to 430.

It is worth noting that not only high uric acid is detrimental to health, but also its low level.

How to normalize indicators

There are three methods that are used to remove uric acid from the body. These are medicines, folk recipes and proper nutrition. It is best if the problem is addressed in a complex way. But in any case, if uric acid is elevated, diet is a necessary measure - it speeds up recovery. Therefore, experts first of all recommend paying attention to nutrition.

Proper nutrition in case of illness

The first thing such a diet requires is the rejection of salted, fatty, pickled, smoked, meat broths, fried, canned food. You should also limit the use of table salt to 7 grams per day. If you have elevated uric acid, you will have to give up foods rich in proteins and purines. These include fatty fish, meat, sausage, liver, kidneys, tongue, chocolate, coffee, legumes, mushrooms. You will also have to exclude sweets, rich and puff pastry. Sorrel, spinach, grapes, eggplants, tomatoes, turnips, cauliflower are not suitable for vegetation. Alcohol is also not allowed, especially beer and wine. Very rarely in small quantities you can vodka. Strong black or green tea is excluded from the diet.

A sick person should give preference to fermented milk products. For example, low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, sour cream. Eggs are allowed daily, but no more than one per day. You can eat potatoes, boiled lean fish, especially lean on vegetables and fruits (apples, pears, apricots, plums, strawberries, cherries). In this situation, it is useful to consume watermelons, which help cleanse the body of uric acid. It is better to buy bran bread.

Once a week, you need to organize fasting days and use only kefir.

If uric acid is elevated, be sure to drink plenty of clean water. Compotes, juices, rosehip broth will also benefit. The attending physician can explain in more detail all the subtleties regarding such a diet.

Folk recipes for hyperuricemia

Often, even doctors resort to the advice of herbalists if uric acid is elevated in the blood. Treatment with folk remedies can be a good addition to proper nutrition. Here are some decoctions that are easy to prepare (you need to take them for at least a month).

20 grams of lingonberry leaves insist half an hour in boiling water (1 cup). Take three times a day for a tablespoon.
Chop birch leaves, 2 tbsp. spoons of greens pour two glasses of var. Put on the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Put on the table and wait half an hour. Take a strained solution of 1/4 cup with meals.
Finely chop pear sprigs, 1 tbsp. l. pour a glass of var. Put the container in a water bath and keep for another 5 minutes. Insist hour. Divide one glass into 4 portions and take throughout the day.
Steam an umbrella of wild carrot seeds in a glass of boiling water. Take in the same way as a decoction of pear branches.
Foot baths are made from sage, chamomile or calendula herbs.

Elevated uric acid: drug treatment

Treatment with drugs should take place only as directed by a doctor. The drug method of removing uric acid is carried out under the supervision of a specialist who will regularly prescribe appropriate tests.

To cleanse the body, the doctor prescribes diuretic drugs that remove uric acid. Next, medications are prescribed that inhibit the synthesis of this product, usually Allopurinol or its analogues. To achieve the effect, strict adherence to the medication regimen for four weeks or more is required. Also, the doctor may consider it necessary to prescribe prophylactic drugs, for example, Koltsikhin.

Approximately half of people in adulthood complain of gradually increasing pain and discomfort in the joints. This is especially true for those who are overweight.

All these unpleasant symptoms are usually accompanied by high blood pressure and poor overall health.

In addition to venerable age, the objective cause of this condition may be uric acid, or rather its increased content in the blood.

The norm of uric acid in the blood in men, women, children

For an adult, the normal level of uric acid is considered to be from 150 to 420 microns / l, depending on gender.

If it exceeds the specified norm, then this may be the basis for diagnosing hyperuricemia.

Uric acid and the mechanism of its formation

Uric acid is a natural organic substance, it is synthesized by the human liver from purines, which are found in a large number of foods.

Once in the blood, uric acid reacts chemically with carbon dioxide and leaves the body through the kidneys.

Foods that are high in purines include:

alcoholic drinks;
seafood;
liver;
confectionery;
fruit syrups;
some legumes.

Uric acid plays a very important role in the metabolic process, it performs many functions aimed at ensuring the normal functioning of the body:

neutralizes free radicals and prevents the onset of oncology;
beneficial effect on the functions of the brain and central nervous system.

Elevated uric acid in the blood - causes

Why does elevated uric acid occur?

The blood of a healthy person under different circumstances may contain different amounts of uric acid, as everything depends on the diet, physical activity, the presence of bad habits and chronic diseases.

Slight fluctuations in the concentration of this substance usually does not cause any pathologies.

If the body, for various reasons, cannot cope with its processing, then excess uric acid, turning into salts, can settle in human organs and tissues. This condition can be classified as a pathology called hyperuricemia.

There are two types of this disease.

Idiopathic hyperuricemia is rare and is a global disorder of the processing of purines, which is inherited. For this reason, this type of hyperuricemia is diagnosed at an early age.

Secondary hyperuricemia is a widespread disease that occurs as a result of a disorder of purine metabolism. This can be caused by pathological changes in various organs.

Let us briefly list the diseases in which an increase in the content of uric acid can be observed.

Inflammatory processes that occur in the gallbladder and liver (cirrhosis,).
Obesity.
Inflammatory processes in the kidneys associated with violations of their functions.
Chronic acute infectious respiratory diseases complicated by inflammatory processes.
, provoked by an insufficient amount of vitamin B12 and metabolic disorders.
Elevated blood sugar.
Bronchial asthma.
Skin diseases.
Toxicosis of pregnancy, which provoke the development of acidosis.
Alcohol poisoning.

Separately, it should be noted that an increase in the level of uric acid in the blood can occur as a result of prolonged use of certain drugs (Furosemide, Aspirin, Phenothiazines, Theophylline, Adrenaline, etc.). These are substances that contain components that inhibit the metabolism of purines in the human body.

These may be drugs used in chemotherapy, diuretics, and long-term anti-TB drugs.

At risk are lovers of strict diets, as well as people who abuse foods high in purines.

Symptoms of high uric acid in the blood

A high amount of uric acid in childhood often manifests itself as various dermatological problems. It can be all sorts of rashes,. This is hidden some insidiousness of hyperuricemia.

It happens that huge efforts and funds are spent on getting rid of allergies and skin diseases at a time when the real cause of these symptoms is associated with a completely different pathology.

Fatigue, constant fatigue, frequent formation in the oral cavity and dense deposits are considered to be non-specific symptoms of an increase in uric acid in the blood, even with proper sanitation and dental treatment.

Secondary hyperuricemia is more often diagnosed in the male half of the population after 45 years of age. This is due to the greater predisposition of men to bad habits and poor nutrition.

Uric acid in the blood is increased - diet and treatment

The fight against hyperuricemia, the treatment of elevated uric acid in the blood should begin with a revision of the diet. From it it is necessary to exclude components with a rich content of purines.

Nutrition should be regular, but in small doses. All fasting and any other diets are prohibited. The patient should not consume all kinds of carbonated drinks, alcohol, tea,.

The consumption of the following dishes is minimized: smoked meats, organ meats, fried and fatty meats, sausages, meat broths, anchovies, legumes, sweets, pastry, chocolate, white bread.

It is important to limit your salt intake, therefore, for a patient with hyperuricemia, seasonings, sauces, and home preservation are prohibited.

On the contrary, the consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits is not limited. Freshly squeezed juices, kefir, cottage cheese will not hurt.

Plentiful drink is a good prerequisite for removing excess uric acid from the body. Tangible results can be achieved if you drink up to 15 glasses of water per day.

Hyperuricemia can occur for various reasons. Accordingly, treatment methods should be adequately correlated with the level of accumulated uric acid in the body and the cause of this disorder.

It is very important not to limit yourself to taking only painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, since in this case only temporary relief of the condition is possible. At the same time, with the wrong treatment, you can start the problem, subsequent relapses are possible, which can be a serious threat to life.

If the patient is noted, then he automatically falls into the risk group for developing gout. Therefore, weight loss is the basis for further successful treatment.

If the level of uric acid approaches the critical level, then drug treatment is prescribed. The treatment regimen is prescribed by a doctor who constantly monitors the patient's condition.

The action of these drugs should be aimed at intensifying the process of excretion of uric acid, as well as reducing its production in the liver.

These can be diuretics: diacarb or furosemide together with sulfinpyrazole, allopurinol or other blockers of uric acid synthesis.

From folk remedies with an increase in uric acid in the blood, a decoction of a herbal mixture (birch buds, nettle and lingonberry leaf) is recommended, it is drunk 1 cup 2 times a day for a monthly course.

In a normal diet, it is worth including rosehip decoction, bran in the diet.

I hope the site site answered the question of why the level of uric acid in the blood of a person rises, described the main symptoms and gave recommendations for changing the diet and treating this condition, which is dangerous for further progression while ignoring dangerous signs.

Uric acid cleanses the organs of nitrogenous compounds. It is a sodium salt that is part of the interstitial fluid. The content of urate salts in the blood reflects the balance of their synthesis and utilization.

norm for women

Recently, gout, which was previously considered a purely male disease, is increasingly being diagnosed in women.

Uric acid is always present in a healthy body. The norm in the blood in women characterizes its approach to saturation, but with an increase in its percentage composition, urate salts begin to be deposited in our joints, the subcutaneous layer and on the internal organs, causing the development of gout and arthrosis.

The maximum allowable blood levels in children under 14 years of age are 0.12-0.32 mmol / l.

The norm of uric acid in women and men is different and is allowed from 0.21 to 0.32 in adult men and from 0.18 to 0.38 in women under 60 years old. With age, due to changes in hormonal levels, these figures increase.

After reaching the age of 60, the norms of uric acid in the blood of women rise to 0.19-0.43 mmol / l.

Symptoms of excess uric acid

In addition to the test results, several factors can signal the development of the disease.

Children often suffer from diathesis, which is expressed by red spots on the cheeks.
In adults, plaque and stones form, specific granulomas appear, joints thicken and weakness and rapid fatigue appear.

Causes of an increase in the content of urate salts in the blood

An increase in the amount of uric acid usually occurs due to a weakening of its utilization by the kidneys or an excess of its production due to excessive content in the diet of foods with a high content of purines, which include fatty and salty meat, fish, caviar, tongue and liver, coffee, sorrel and others. sour foods.

Diagnosis of the disease

Hyperuricemia can be the main symptom of gout. The primary stage of the disease often proceeds without visible manifestations, it can be diagnosed solely by the results of laboratory tests. To clarify the causes of the disease, it is recommended to additionally check the amount of urate

Causes of the growth of urate salts in the blood

Primary hyperuricemia is often congenital, associated with an enzyme deficiency in purine base metabolism, resulting in increased production of uric acid.

The secondary form of the disease is caused by the following reasons:

Deterioration of kidney function;
. psoriasis;
. damage to the liver and gallbladder;
. blood pathologies (anemia, leukemia);
. uncontrolled use of alcohol;
. intoxication with salts of heavy metals;
. chemotherapy;
. a diet with an excessive content of purines or a lack of nutrients, starvation;
. acute forms of infectious diseases;
. uncompensated diabetes mellitus.

Taking certain medications can also affect the amount of uric acid in the blood.

There are cases of increased uric acid in pregnant women, causing toxicosis.

Do not forget that the norm and the increased content of uric acid in the blood are variable values for different groups by age and level of physical activity.

So, in older women and athletes, the norm is usually higher. With the extinction of sexual functions and increased physical activity, uric acid increases in the blood, the norm for women in such cases is also considered higher.

The most common complications of hyperuricemia are the development of gout and chronic arthritis.

Treatment Methods

After identifying the causes and consequences of the disease, treatment should begin. Often, a change in the content of uric acid signals the presence of pathological processes in the body.

In the initial stage of the disease, diets with a restriction in the diet of purine-containing foods can help. It is possible to use medicines to relieve inflammation and soreness of the joints and muscles.

A high concentration of urates causes the formation of sand and even stones in the kidneys and bladder. In such variants, a strict diet and medications are used to delay their appearance and growth.

In emergency cases, when stones block the lumen of the ureter, surgery is required.

When dietary nutrition does not help, the doctor prescribes drug therapy.

Traditionally, treatment with drugs "Allopurinol", "Benzobromarone", "Sulfinpyrazone", "Colchicine" is offered. Very often, after the use of drug treatment in the blood, uric acid decreases, the norm for women is brought into line.

Principles of dietary nutrition to reduce the concentration of urate salts

Excessive consumption of protein foods often causes a violation of metabolic reactions, increases uric acid. The norm in the blood of women is exceeded, and with insufficient work of the kidneys, its salts begin to be deposited on the organs, in the vessels and under the skin.

To prevent excessive entry of uric acid into the blood, dietitians advise to reduce as much as possible in your diet and seafood, red meats, offal and eggs. Lean chicken is allowed.

To maintain the acid-base balance, it is necessary to saturate the menu with vegetables as much as possible, mostly fresh.

You must completely eliminate marinades, legumes, alcoholic beverages, strong coffee and tea.

It is suggested to drink clean water and freshly squeezed juices.

Many women, in an effort to lose weight, begin to use low-carb diets with increased protein content. Before using such diets, it is necessary to consult a doctor and check the functioning of the kidneys.

Traditional medicine advises birch sap, decoctions of lingonberry and birch leaves and other decoctions, thanks to which uric acid is excreted from the body. The norm for women to drink fluids is from 2.5 to 3 liters per day.

Interpretation of test results

To detect the disease at the initial stage and prevent its development, it is necessary to regularly undergo preventive examinations with the delivery of an extended blood test.

Exceeding the threshold of uric acid relative to the norm serves as a signal of the possibility of developing gout, the formation of blood diseases, and renal failure.

It may turn out to be a temporary change indicating toxicosis during pregnancy, exorbitant physical activity, increased protein intake.

A decrease in the amount (hypouricemia) occurs with Wilson-Konovalov disease and with a lack of nucleic acids in the diet.

The most complete interpretation of the results of the examination and the appointment of a course of treatment should be performed only by a specialist.

Uric acid in the blood: norms and deviations, why it rises, a diet to lower

It would seem that such a substance as uric acid is difficult to combine with blood. Here in the urine - another matter, there it should be. Meanwhile, various metabolic processes are constantly going on in the body with the formation of salts, acids, alkalis and other chemical compounds that are excreted by urine and the gastrointestinal tract from the body, entering there from the bloodstream.

Uric acid (UA) is also present in the blood, it is formed in small amounts from purine bases. The purine bases necessary for the body are mainly obtained from the outside, with food, and are used in the synthesis of nucleic acids, although they are also produced in some quantities by the body. As for uric acid, it is the end product of purine metabolism and, in general, the body does not need it by itself. Its elevated level (hyperuricemia) indicates a violation of purine metabolism and can threaten the deposition of salts unnecessary for a person in the joints and other tissues, causing not only discomfort, but also serious illness.

The norm of uric acid and increased concentration

The norm of uric acid in the blood in men should not exceed 7.0 mg / dl (70.0 mg / l) or be in the range of 0.24 - 0.50 mmol / l. In women, the norm is slightly lower - up to 5.7 mg / dl (57 mg / l) or 0.16 - 0.44 mmol / l, respectively.

The UA formed during purine metabolism must dissolve in plasma in order to subsequently leave through the kidneys, however, plasma cannot dissolve uric acid more than 0.42 mmol / l. With urine, 2.36 - 5.90 mmol / day (250 - 750 mg / day) is normally removed from the body.

At its high concentration, uric acid forms a salt (sodium urate), which is deposited in tophi (kind of nodules) in various types of tissues that have an affinity for UA. Most often, tophi can be observed on the auricles, hands, feet, but the favorite place is the surfaces of the joints (elbow, ankle) and tendon sheaths. In rare cases, they are able to merge and form ulcers, from which urate crystals come out in the form of a white dry mass. Sometimes urates are found in synovial bags, causing inflammation, pain, and limited mobility (synovitis). Salts of uric acid can be found in bones with the development of destructive changes in bone tissues.

The level of uric acid in the blood depends on its production during purine metabolism, glomerular filtration and reabsorption, as well as tubular secretion. Most often, an increased concentration of UA is a consequence of malnutrition, especially for people who have a hereditary pathology (autosomal dominant or X-linked fermentopathy), in which the production of uric acid in the body increases or its excretion slows down. Genetically determined hyperuricemia is called primary, secondary arises from a number of other pathological conditions or is formed under the influence of lifestyle.

Thus, it can be concluded that The causes of an increase in uric acid in the blood (excessive production or delayed excretion) are:

genetic factor;
Improper nutrition;
Renal failure (violation of glomerular filtration, a decrease in tubular secretion - MK does not pass from the bloodstream into urine);
Accelerated exchange of nucleotides (, lympho- and myeloproliferative diseases, hemolytic).
The use of salicylic drugs and.

The main reasons for the increase...

One of the reasons for the increase in uric acid in the blood medicine calls malnutrition, namely, the consumption of an unreasonable amount of foods that accumulate purine substances. These are smoked meats (fish and meat), canned food (especially sprats), beef and pork liver, kidneys, fried meat dishes, mushrooms and all sorts of other goodies. A great love for these products leads to the fact that the purine bases needed by the body are absorbed, and the final product, uric acid, turns out to be superfluous.

It should be noted that animal products, which play an important role in increasing the concentration of uric acid, since they carry purine bases, as a rule, contain a large amount of cholesterol. Being carried away by such favorite dishes, not observing the measures, a person can deal a double blow to his body.

The purine-depleted diet consists of dairy products, pears and apples, cucumbers (not pickled, of course), berries, potatoes, and other fresh vegetables. Preservation, frying or any "witchcraft" over semi-finished products significantly worsen the quality of food in this regard (the content of purines in food and the accumulation of uric acid in the body).

... And the main manifestations

Excess uric acid is carried throughout the body, where the expression of its behavior can have several options:

Urate crystals are deposited and form microtophi in cartilaginous, bone and connective tissues, causing gouty diseases. The urates accumulated in the cartilage are often released from the tophi. This is usually preceded by exposure to factors provoking hyperuricemia, for example, a new intake of purines and, accordingly, uric acid. Salt crystals are taken up by leukocytes (phagocytosis) and found in the synovial fluid of the joints (synovitis). This is an acute attack gouty arthritis.
Urate, getting into the kidneys, can be deposited in the interstitial renal tissue and lead to the formation of gouty nephropathy, followed by renal failure. The first symptoms of the disease can be considered a permanently low specific gravity of urine with the appearance of protein in it and an increase in blood pressure (arterial hypertension), further changes in the organs of the excretory system occur, and pyelonephritis develops. The completion of the process is the formation kidney failure.
Elevated uric acid, salt formation(urates and calcium calculi) with its retention in the kidneys + increased acidity of urine in most cases leads to the development kidney disease.

All movements and transformations of uric acid, which determine its behavior as a whole, can be interconnected or exist in isolation (as it goes for anyone).

Uric acid and gout

Talking about purines, uric acid, diet, it is impossible to ignore such an unpleasant disease as gout. In most cases, it is associated with MK, moreover, it is difficult to call it rare.

Gout mainly develops in males of mature age, sometimes it has a family character. Elevated levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia) occur long before the onset of symptoms.

The first attack of gout also does not differ in the brightness of the clinical picture, just something - the big toe of some foot hurts, and after five days the person feels completely healthy again and forgets about this unfortunate misunderstanding. The next attack may appear after a long period of time and proceeds more pronouncedly:

Treating the disease is not easy, and sometimes not harmless to the body as a whole. Therapy aimed at the manifestation of pathological changes includes:

In an acute attack - colchicine, which reduces the intensity of pain, but tends to accumulate in white blood cells, prevent their movement and phagocytosis, and, consequently, participation in the inflammatory process. Colchicine inhibits hematopoiesis;
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - NSAIDs that have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, but negatively affect the organs of the digestive tract;
Diacarb prevents stone formation (participates in their dissolution);
The anti-gout drugs probenecid and sulfinpyrazone promote increased excretion of UA in the urine, but are used with caution in case of changes in the urinary tract, in parallel, a large fluid intake, diacarb and alkalizing drugs are prescribed. Allopurinol reduces the production of UA, promotes the regression of tophi and the disappearance of other symptoms of gout, so this drug is probably one of the best treatments for gout.

The effectiveness of treatment the patient can significantly increase if he takes up a diet containing a minimum amount of purines (only for the needs of the body, and not for accumulation).

Diet for hyperuricemia

A low-calorie diet (table No. 5 is best if the patient is okay with weight), meat and fish - without fanaticism, 300 grams per week and no more. This will help the patient to reduce uric acid in the blood, to live a full life, without suffering from attacks of gouty arthritis. Patients with signs of this disease who are overweight are advised to use table number 8, remembering to unload every week, but remember that complete fasting is prohibited. Not eating at the very beginning of the diet will quickly raise the level of UA and exacerbate the process. But the additional intake of ascorbic acid and B vitamins should be seriously considered.

All days, while the exacerbation of the disease lasts, should proceed without the use of meat and fish dishes. Food should not be solid, however, it is better to consume it in liquid form (milk, fruit jelly and compotes, juices from fruits and vegetables, vegetable broth soups, porridge-"mud"). In addition, the patient should drink a lot (at least 2 liters per day).

It should be borne in mind that a significant amount of purine bases is found in such delicacies as:

On the contrary, the minimum concentration of purines is observed in:

This is a short list of foods that are prohibited or allowed for patients who have found the first signs of gout and elevated uric acid in a blood test. The second part of the list (milk, vegetables and fruits) will help reduce uric acid in the blood.

Uric acid is low. What does this mean?

Uric acid in the blood is lowered, first of all, when using anti-gout drugs, which is absolutely natural, because they reduce the synthesis of UA.

In addition, a decrease in the level of uric acid can be caused by a decrease in tubular reabsorption, a hereditary decrease in UA production, and in rare cases, hepatitis and anemia.

Meanwhile, a reduced level of the end product of purine metabolism (exactly as well as an increased one) in the urine is associated with a wider range of pathological conditions, however, urine analysis for the content of UA is not so frequent, it is usually of interest to narrow specialists dealing with a specific problem. . For self-diagnosis of patients, it can hardly be useful.

Video: uric acid in the joints, doctor's opinion

A by-product of the metabolism of purine bases, which is in the blood plasma in the form of a sodium base, is uric acid or stone, the content of which in the blood, urine is one of the diagnostic markers, a symptom of inflammatory processes, crystal deposits, disorders of purine metabolism. Both high and low rates indicate pathological mechanisms in the body.

What is uric acid

Organic matter formed as a by-product of purine metabolism during metabolism is called uric (stone) acid. Its normal content does not harm the tissues of the body, but at an increased concentration in the blood, it begins to accumulate in cartilage and joints, causing their active inflammation. Salt crystals increase the risk of developing acute inflammation. An elevated level of a substance occurs when the urinary system does not function well (with kidney stones). An increase in uric acid in the blood is called hyperuricemia.

Formula

Organic matter, belongs to the class of dibasic acids, has the form of white crystals. When metabolized in the human body, it forms acidic and medium salts called urates. It exists in two forms - lactam and lictim. It was first discovered by the Swedish pharmacist-chemist Scheele in 1776, synthesized by the artificial method Gorbachevsky in 1882.

Blood uric acid test

Measurement of the content of this metabolite is not a standard analysis, it is prescribed by a doctor in case of suspicion of diseases that disrupt metabolism or the normal functioning of the kidneys. To study the acid content in plasma, blood is taken from a vein in the morning on an empty stomach, in an amount of 5-10 ml. Biochemical analysis in the laboratory is done for about a day using special sera, enzymes.

What does uric acid show in a blood test?

The content of the metabolite shows the state of all the main systems of the body, the type and quality of nutrition, the degree of functioning of metabolism. Elevated levels of uric acid means a malfunction of the kidneys, liver, or metabolism. Poor nutrition, an increase or decrease in the content of fructose in the diet immediately affects the amount of acid in the blood plasma. Excessive synthesis of a substance leads to the deposition of excess salts, disruption of the normal metabolism of nucleic acids.

Deciphering a blood test

The number of metabolites of purine bases in the biochemical analysis of blood of the old sample is indicated by the abbreviation "ur. acids", in new electronic, clinical computer programs - the Latin abbreviation "UA". The content of a substance is expressed in kilomoles per liter of blood plasma, which refers to the number of molecules contained in the blood.

Norm

If the analysis shows that the content of the metabolite is at the border of the upper or lower norm, the attending physician needs to prescribe additional laboratory, instrumental studies, and collect the patient's history in more detail. The extreme indicator may indicate a developing pathological mechanism, the early diagnosis of which will avoid many symptoms and complications (kidney disease). The physiological norm of uric acid in the blood is:

in children under 14 years old - 120 - 320 µmol / l;
in adult women - 150 - 350 µmol / l;
in adult men - 210 - 420 µmol / l.

Uric acid in the blood is elevated

In therapy, two types of hyperuricemia are distinguished: primary and secondary. An idiopathic or primary disease is a disease that has arisen as a result of the inheritance of a mutated gene that is responsible for the normal process of splitting purines. Diagnosed in children in the first year of life, is rare. Secondary hyperuricemia occurs for a number of reasons: organ pathology (liver disease), malnutrition. Often occurs in the elderly, in conjunction with arthritis, patients with gout.

excess symptoms

With a slight increase in the level of the metabolite, the patient's well-being does not change. Significant damage to health is caused by constantly high or recurring hyperuricemia. The clinical picture, its intensity in this case depends on the age of the patient:

In children under 14-15 years old, there are constant signs of skin problems: rash, peeling, itching, development of psoriasis. Affects the physical development of children under three years of age.
Men over 50-55 years old suffer from pain in the joints during movement and at rest, swelling of the limbs, gout attacks.
Men and women of middle age suffer from severe itching, weeping rash on the body, pain.
In women, the microflora of the vagina suffers, attacks of exacerbation of candidiasis become more frequent. Hyperuricemia leads to prolonged menstrual irregularities.

Causes

Hyperuricemia can be caused by two main causes of an increase in the concentration of urinary bases: a violation of their excretion by the kidneys and an increased breakdown of purines. In addition, some drugs can cause an increased concentration of metabolites during the exchange of purines, for example, diuretics. The high content can be caused by the formation of their depot - the accumulation of crystalline salt.

Reasons for depositing can be:

Diseases of the urinary system. When the kidneys do not cope with the filtering function, metabolites settle, are deposited in the tissues of the joints, and gout develops.
Endocrine diseases. Diabetes mellitus, a tendency to acidosis cause intense breakdown of purines, and, as a result, a high concentration of end metabolites that the kidneys do not have time to excrete.
Improper nutrition, starvation, an excess of meat in food, dairy products.

Uric acid is low

A decrease in the concentration of a metabolite is diagnosed by a doctor when two or more biochemical analyzes of blood plasma showed an acid concentration below the lower limit of the norm. The condition is due to a decrease in the production of a metabolite, an increase in excretion from the body along with urine, bile, acid breakdown under the influence of the uricase enzyme, which is a component of some drugs to combat gout.

Causes

Among the reasons that cause a decrease in the number of purine metabolites, the following are distinguished:

hereditary deficiency of xanthine oxidase - a disease in which xanthine is not converted to the final metabolite, due to the lack of enzymes;
acquired xanthine oxidase deficiency;
low purine or low protein diet;
increased excretion of a substance in the urine;
Fanconi syndrome - acid reabsorption in the tubules of the kidneys is maximally reduced;
familial renal hypouricemia - a hereditary disease caused by a mutation of the genes responsible for the reabsorption of purine metabolites;
an increase in extracellular fluid volume.

Treatment

Therapy for the state of hypouricemia consists in diagnosing the disease that caused the decrease in the content of the metabolite. If the disease is hereditary, incurable, the doctor prescribes drugs that stop the symptoms of the disease. Mandatory basis of therapy is diet, lifestyle changes. The patient, to control the condition, is assigned an analysis every week, then every month.

How to lower the level of uric acid in the blood

To reduce the concentration of the metabolite, drug therapy is used: diuretics, enzyme preparations, drugs that reduce the absorption of the substance by the renal tubules. For background treatment, in order to reduce the content of side substances, dietary adjustment is mandatory - reducing the intake of food containing a large amount of purines, their bases. A diet with elevated uric acid in women must necessarily include animal fats - this prevents an imbalance of sex hormones.

Medical therapy

The following medications are used to treat low or high acid levels:

Allopurinol. The drug, produced in the form of tablets, 30 or 50 pcs. packaged. Hypouricemic, anti-gout agent. Prevents the synthesis of the enzyme xanthine oxidase, which enhances the production of purine bases to the final metabolites, metabolic products. Of the positive characteristics, one can distinguish a cumulative effect, a soft gradual effect. The disadvantage of the drug is an aggressive effect on the cardiovascular system.
Etamide. It is used to lower the concentration of acid by reducing its reabsorption by the renal tubules. It has a tablet form of release, is contraindicated in children under 14 years of age, patients with renal insufficiency, helps to remove excess salts. A positive feature of the drug is the effect of reducing the synthesis of purines, reduces the content of sodium salts, negative - a strong effect on the kidneys, which can provoke organ failure.
Sulfinpyrazone. Increases the excretion of acid by the kidneys with the help of increased diuresis. Release form - drops or tablets. Drops are prescribed mainly for children. The advantages of using the drug are a mild but strong effect. Cons - removes potassium and sodium from the body.
Benzbromanone. Prevents reabsorption of the metabolite back into the bloodstream. Available in the form of capsules, tablets. Contraindicated for people with kidney disease. The advantages of using the drug are the cumulative effect of therapy, the disadvantages are that it contributes to the retention of salts and water in the interstitial fluid.

Diet

When a patient is diagnosed with a change in the normal level of acid, he is prescribed a special diet. Adjusting nutrition will not cure the disease, but will help bring the level of the metabolite into the normal range. The list of prohibited and permitted products depends on whether the content of the substance is increased or decreased. At a high level, it is forbidden to eat protein foods, fructose. If the content of the substance is lowered, then these foods, on the contrary, are mandatory for consumption.

Treatment with folk remedies

To reduce the level of acid, to increase its excretion by the kidneys, it is recommended to use infusions, decoctions of birch leaves, lingonberries, angelica root, bay leaf. Herbs contribute to the excretion of acid by the kidneys, reducing its content. Prepare a drink from the infusion as follows:

two tablespoons of dry herbs should be added to a glass of boiling water;
cover with a lid for 2-3 hours;
use a tablespoon 2 times a day before meals.

Herbs, roots are considered potent means for removing salts. To combat inflammation of the joints, remove the urinary base, treat gout, you can prepare a home-made ointment from burdock root. Burdock has an excellent anti-inflammatory effect, enhances the excretion of harmful substances, there is a decrease in uric acid in the blood, urine acidity. If the acid is elevated, with regular use, patients note a decrease in pain, a decrease in joint swelling. So, to make an ointment from the burdock root should be as follows:

take 4-5 units of ground burdock root, petroleum jelly, a tablespoon of alcohol;
mix until the consistency of thick sour cream;
apply to a sore joint;
wrap in a towel or diaper;
leave overnight.

How to increase uric acid

After detecting a low concentration of a substance, the doctor should prescribe additional studies to identify the disease or condition that caused the decrease in the amount of the end metabolite of purines. Prescribe medications, a special diet with a high protein content, vitamins, and reduce salt intake. In order to eliminate the decrease in the acid content in the blood, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of its occurrence. Helps to reduce the risk of hyporinumia the correct mode of drinking clean water.