From the Guidelines
Alkaline water is not proven to help with high uric acid levels, and its use is not recommended for managing hyperuricemia. While some proponents claim that alkaline water can neutralize acid in the bloodstream and help excrete uric acid, there is insufficient scientific evidence to support this theory 1. For managing high uric acid levels (hyperuricemia), it's better to focus on established treatments such as prescription medications like allopurinol, febuxostat, or probenecid as directed by a healthcare provider 1.
Key Points to Consider
- Lifestyle modifications that are proven effective include:
- Limiting purine-rich foods (red meat, organ meats, seafood)
- Reducing alcohol consumption (especially beer)
- Maintaining adequate hydration with regular water
- Achieving a healthy weight
- Avoiding high-fructose corn syrup
- Regular water consumption is important for diluting uric acid concentration and supporting kidney function, but the alkalinity of water has not been shown to provide additional benefits 1.
- The body has sophisticated mechanisms to maintain proper pH balance regardless of the pH of consumed water, and the stomach's strong acidity neutralizes alkaline water before it enters the bloodstream.
Recommendations for Managing Hyperuricemia
- Focus on established treatments: Prescription medications like allopurinol, febuxostat, or probenecid as directed by a healthcare provider 1.
- Lifestyle modifications: Limit purine-rich foods, reduce alcohol consumption, maintain adequate hydration, achieve a healthy weight, and avoid high-fructose corn syrup.
- Avoid unproven remedies: Alkaline water is not recommended for managing hyperuricemia due to lack of scientific evidence 1.
From the Research
Alkaline Water and Hyperuricemia
- There are no research papers provided that directly assess the effect of alkaline water on hyperuricemia 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- The studies available focus on the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout using urate-lowering therapies such as febuxostat and allopurinol 2, 3, 4, 5.
- One study discusses the U-shaped association of uric acid with overall-cause mortality and its impact on clinical management of hyperuricemia, but does not mention alkaline water 6.
Urate-Lowering Therapies
- Febuxostat is shown to be effective in lowering serum uric acid levels in patients with gout and hyperuricemia 2, 3, 5.
- Febuxostat is compared to allopurinol in several studies, with febuxostat demonstrating greater urate-lowering efficacy 2, 3, 5.
- The use of prophylaxis with colchicine or NSAIDs is recommended during the initiation of urate-lowering therapy to prevent gout flares 4.