You’ve probably heard that moderate alcohol consumption can’t harm your health, and may even be beneficial. But it’s becoming clear that even small amounts of alcohol can harm your health.
A recent large study involving participants from the UK Biobank has shed new light on the link between alcohol consumption and gout risk.1 Interestingly, even light-to-moderate consumption of large amounts of alcohol increases the risk of gout. The study, which followed more than 401,128 participants for an average of 12.7 years, in this case, confirmed the issues of the type of alcohol they chose.
While beer and spirits show the strongest link to gout risk, white wine and champagne aren’t off the hook either. Even red wine, which is considered for its health benefits, has shown a modest increase in the risk of gout among men. This challenges the long-held belief that wine, especially red wine, may be a safer choice for people concerned about gout and other health risks.
Is it taken? However, the type of alcohol you choose to drink may have a more significant effect on your gout risk than previously thought.
Men and women: different drinks, different risks
Your gender plays a role in how alcohol affects your gout risk. The study found some surprising differences between men and women in relation to alcohol consumption and gout. For men, being a current drinker was associated with a 69% higher risk of gout compared to never drinkers.2 On the other hand, women are now drinkers, so they don’t show a high risk.
However, when it comes to regular drinking, defined as five or more times a week, both sexes are more likely to experience it – a 105% increase for men and a 34% increase for women.3 One possible explanation for this difference lies in beverage preferences.
Men in the study consumed more beer or cider than women – an average of 4.2 pints per week compared to just 0.4 pints for women. Given beer’s association with gout risk, this drinking pattern may partially explain why men are more likely to drink alcohol overall.
The truth about pint gout
If you’re a beer lover, you might want to think twice before reaching for that pint. The study found that drinking beer or cider had the strongest association with gout risk among all alcoholic beverages. For both men and women, each additional pint of beer per day was associated with a 60 percent to 62 percent increased risk of gout.
This strong association may be due to the higher levels of purines found in beer compared to other alcoholic beverages. Purines are compounds that when broken down in your body produce uric acid – the main culprit behind gout.
Beer’s dual alcohol and purine content is especially problematic for gout sufferers or those at risk. So, if you’re concerned about gout, consider cutting down on your beer consumption or exploring healthier alcohol alternatives.
If you’re worried about gout, you might think that switching to wine or spirits might be a safer bet. However, the results of the study suggest that it is not that simple. While beer showed the strongest association with gout risk, other alcoholic beverages were not far behind. Drinking champagne or white wine was associated with an increased risk of gout in both men and women.4
Ghosts also showed a significant correlation, with risk appearing stronger for women than for men. Red wine showed a slight increase in the risk of gout in men but not in women. These findings challenge the notion that some types of alcohol are “safer” than others when it comes to gout risk.
The Carbohydrate Connection: How Your Diet Affects Gout Risk
Although drinking alcohol can increase your risk of developing gout, not all carbohydrates are created equal in this situation. A large study explored how different types of carbohydrates affect the risk of developing this painful form of arthritis.5 While a total carbohydrate diet is associated with a reduced risk of gout, the type and source of carbohydrates is also important.
For example, eating naturally occurring sugars, starches, and fiber is associated with a lower risk of gout. However, a large amount of net or Free sugar — like those found in sweetened beverages and processed foods — have been linked to increased risk.
This reflects previous findings on alcohol and sugary drinks, both of which can raise the level of uric acid in your blood. Is it taken? Your total carbohydrate intake is not as critical as specific types of carbohydrates in preventing gout.
While your dietary choices play a significant role in your gout risk, your genetic makeup is also a key factor. The study revealed insights into how these two elements interact. Participants with a low genetic risk for gout who ate high amounts of total carbohydrates, free sugars, starches, and fiber were less likely to develop the disease.
On the flip side, people with a genetic risk who ate the highest amount of free sugars had the highest risk of gout.6 The researchers made a surprising discovery about how diet and genetics work together to affect gout risk. For people who are genetically more likely to develop gout, eating total carbohydrates or starches lowers their risk more than expected.
Similarly, a diet high in certain carbohydrates and the presence of genes that normally increase gout risk worked together in unexpected ways. The diet cancels out some genetic risks. This means that if you have a family history of gout or know you have a higher genetic risk, paying attention to the types of carbohydrates you eat can be especially helpful in reducing your risk of developing gout.
To understand how dietary carbohydrates affect the risk of gout, the researchers examined various blood and urine biomarkers. They identified 11 biomarkers linking the association between carbohydrate consumption and gout risk. Surprisingly, serum uric acid (SUA) levels played a significant role. This is related to alcohol’s effect on gout, as alcohol and certain carbohydrates can affect SUA levels.
Two other prominent mediators were cystatin C (CIS) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). Higher carbohydrate intake was associated with higher CYS levels, while certain carbohydrate-rich foods were associated with lower GGT levels. Both of these biomarkers have been associated with gout risk in previous studies.
These findings provide important insights into the biological mechanisms by which your dietary choices, including carbohydrate and alcohol consumption, affect your risk of developing gout.7 An increase in gout is just one. Effect of low-carbohydrate dietBut it’s important to consume carbohydrates from healthy sources like fruit, not from processed foods or alcohol.
The Gut Microbiome: Your Secret Partner With Gout
Your gut bacteria play an important role in regulating uric acid levels, which is the main culprit behind gout. A recent study published in Cell Host and Microbe found that certain gut bacteria can break down purines and reduce our risk of gout.8 However, drinking alcohol disturbs this delicate balance. When you drink alcohol, you are not only affecting your liver, but also the complex ecosystem in your gut.
Alcohol negatively affects your gut microbiome and the gut-liver-brain axis, a two-way communication network that connects three critical systems in your body. Alcohol’s antimicrobial properties, which make sterilization effective, also indiscriminately kill beneficial intestinal bacteria.
For example, drinking alcohol can reduce the beneficial bacteria species Ackermansia mucinophila naturally found in the human gut.9 This is also associated with “deregulation of microbial metabolite production, intestinal permeability disorders, chronic inflammation and increased cytokine production.”10
When you consume alcoholic beverages, especially beer and spirits, you are putting more purines into your system. Your body breaks down these purines into uric acid, which can increase your kidneys’ ability to filter and excrete them. Alcohol also dehydrates you, making it harder for your body to get rid of excess uric acid. But the story does not end there.
Cell Host and Microbe research has shown that certain gut bacteria break down purines in your gut before they enter your bloodstream.11 By harming these beneficial bacteria, alcohol not only increases purine intake, but also lowers your body’s natural defenses against uric acid build-up. This double effect greatly increases your risk of developing gout or more frequent and severe gout attacks if you already have the condition.
Health risks beyond alcohol gout
Alcohol produces the same harmful compounds as omega-6 fats Linoleic acid (LA), found in vegetable or seed oils, commonly found in processed foods. When metabolized, they turn into OXLAMs, or oxidized linoleic metabolites. All of those molecules are reactive aldehydes.
Alcohol turns into reactive aldehydes, called acid aldehydes, and these reactive aldehydes wreak havoc throughout your body, damaging mitochondria and accelerating aging at the cellular level. Negative effects of alcohol They avoid more than an increased risk of gout. drinking alcohol;
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impairs mitochondrial function;12 Accelerate aging |
It aggravates anxiety and depression |
It destroys important substances |
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It affects hormones like leptin and ghrelin. |
It increases the risk of cancer significantly13 |
It contributes to insulin resistance and metabolic disorders14 |
Drinking alcohol affects your hormones, especially the balance between testosterone and estrogen. Alcohol increases the conversion of testosterone to estrogen.15 It can cause different negative effects on men and women. Estrogens They are one of the main factors that increase the risk of cancer.
Alcohol increases cancer risk through other mechanisms, including DNA damage, inflammation, leaky gut, and acetaldehyde toxicity, which can weaken immune function. Drinking alcohol disrupts sleep, which means you don’t get restorative sleep when you drink.
The worrying truth about alcohol and your health
Evidence against alcohol consumption continues to mount. From increasing your risk of gout to disrupting your gut microbiome and accelerating cellular aging, the negative effects of alcohol on your health are vast and profound. Despite the persistent myth of “healthy moderation”, I do not recommend drinking any alcohol.
The scientific evidence is clear: the risks associated with alcohol consumption, even in small amounts, far outweigh the perceived benefits. Even occasional drinking can trigger painful gout attacks, disrupt the balance of your gut microbiome, and set the stage for a host of other health issues.
Whether your primary concern is preventing gout or you’re simply determined to achieve and maintain good health, eliminating alcohol from your lifestyle is a major step in the right direction.
Remember, your health is your most valuable asset. By making informed choices about what you put in your body, you can take control of your health and reduce your risk of chronic diseases like gout. In our alcohol-centered culture, the choice to abstain from alcohol may seem like a challenge, but your body will thank you for it.
