From the Guidelines
A diet for people with gout should focus on limiting alcohol intake, purine intake, and high-fructose corn syrup, while maintaining good nutrition. According to the 2020 American College of Rheumatology guideline for the management of gout 1, limiting these factors can help reduce the risk of gout attacks. The recommended diet includes:
- Limiting high-purine foods like organ meats, game meats, certain seafood, and alcoholic beverages, especially beer
- Emphasizing low-purine options such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and plant proteins like legumes and nuts
- Staying well-hydrated by drinking 8-10 glasses of water daily to help flush uric acid from the body
- Maintaining a healthy weight through gradual weight loss if needed, as rapid weight loss can trigger gout attacks
- Avoiding sugary beverages and foods with high-fructose corn syrup, as they can raise uric acid levels
It is also important to note that the 2016 updated EULAR evidence-based recommendations for the management of gout 1 suggest that every person with gout should receive advice regarding lifestyle, including weight loss if appropriate, avoidance of alcohol and sugar-sweetened drinks, and encouragement of low-fat dairy products and regular exercise. However, the most recent and highest quality study, the 2020 American College of Rheumatology guideline 1, takes precedence in guiding dietary recommendations for people with gout.
Key considerations for a gout diet include:
- Limiting alcohol intake, as recommended by the 2020 American College of Rheumatology guideline 1
- Limiting purine intake, as recommended by the 2020 American College of Rheumatology guideline 1
- Avoiding high-fructose corn syrup, as recommended by the 2020 American College of Rheumatology guideline 1
- Maintaining a healthy weight, as recommended by the 2016 updated EULAR evidence-based recommendations for the management of gout 1
From the Research
Diet for Gout Management
There is no direct information on diet for people with gout in the provided studies. However, the studies discuss various treatments and management strategies for gout, including urate-lowering therapies and lifestyle modifications.
Urate-Lowering Therapies
- Allopurinol is an agent of first choice for urate lowering therapy 2
- Febuxostat is another efficacious urate lowering therapy, but has received a U.S. FDA black box warning for cardiovascular safety 2, 3
- Uricosuric agents, such as probenecid and benzbromarone, can be used as adjuncts to urate-lowering therapy 4, 5
Lifestyle Modifications
- Lifestyle modifications form a part of gout prevention 2
- There is no specific information on dietary recommendations for people with gout in the provided studies