The Danger Of Being Fat
Apologies for being so blunt, but I am fat (overweight if you prefer) and my high body-mass index (BMI) puts me at risk for gout. Whenever my weight drops below 105 kg (230 pounds), I get far fewer or no gout attacks. When my weight goes up, I start having attacks again.
HORMONES ARE TO BLAME
The reason weight is a risk factor for gout sufferers is a hormone called leptine, which controls how you manage fatty tissue. If you have too much fatty tissue, your body starts treating it as something to get rid of and triggers an inflammation. As the hormone (like most hormones) has multiple functions, it also helps the lungs to grow and regulates functions in your brain. The reason people who are overweight is more sensitive to Covid-19 is exactly this inflammation, which makes it easier for the virus to attack your cells.
STRAIN ON THE JOINTS
The weight used to be believed to be the reason for the wear on the joints that often comes with gout, but later research has shown that the explanation is much simpler. The inflammation which is triggered by overweight or obesity is the culprit, and the wear comes from arthritis. Which also explains why you can get problems in your hands, even though you are walking on your feet.
PERSISTENT INFLAMMATION
The inflammation which comes from the overweight causes wear not only on the joints, but on your heart and blood circulation as well. Actually, even if you could be overweight without inflammation, wheighing 120 kg puts more strain on pumping blood around than weighing 80 kg.
But the persistent inflammation is what wears out your body, and makes you more sensitive to gout. That alone is a good reason for lifestyle change and a different diet.
But the persistent inflammation is what wears out your body, and makes you more sensitive to gout. That alone is a good reason for lifestyle change and a different diet.
WEIGHT GAIN STARTS GOUT
There is another way your weight is impacting your gout: Your gout started with your weight gain.
As you know by now, the reason you have gout is that you are hyperuricemic, that is, your body produces more uric acid than it can execrete through the kidneys, so the excess has to be stored somewhere - sequestered in your joints. The reason for having so much uric acid is that your liver can not stop producing uric acid, since it can not stop priducing glucose and uric acid is what the enzymes producing glucose become when they are used up. Even when it gets stop signals from the cells in the body, it can not stop. If it has not happened already, you are pre-diabetic as well as hyperuricemic.
So what triggered this excess glucose production in the first place? The most likely culprit is your weight gain. Which would be logical since a weight
loss is the only thing that can cure metabolic syndrome (allopurinol stops the uric acid production but you would still be hyperuricemic if you did not take it).
As you know by now, the reason you have gout is that you are hyperuricemic, that is, your body produces more uric acid than it can execrete through the kidneys, so the excess has to be stored somewhere - sequestered in your joints. The reason for having so much uric acid is that your liver can not stop producing uric acid, since it can not stop priducing glucose and uric acid is what the enzymes producing glucose become when they are used up. Even when it gets stop signals from the cells in the body, it can not stop. If it has not happened already, you are pre-diabetic as well as hyperuricemic.
So what triggered this excess glucose production in the first place? The most likely culprit is your weight gain. Which would be logical since a weight
loss is the only thing that can cure metabolic syndrome (allopurinol stops the uric acid production but you would still be hyperuricemic if you did not take it).
THE FATTY CANCER
There is another reason I want to get rid of fat: The cancer risk. Being overweight (not to say anything about obese) increases the risk for cancer.
The mechanisms are not clear, but the presence of large amounts of fat (and energy) confuses cells to start dividing uncontrollably - the very definition of cancer.
A lot of stress on the cells also make the risk of cancer higher, and in case of hyperuricemia, your liver is already running away uncontrollably to produce as much glucose (with uric acid as a byproduct) as it can. The cancer risk increases significantly thanks to the additional glucose in the blood.
The mechanisms are not clear, but the presence of large amounts of fat (and energy) confuses cells to start dividing uncontrollably - the very definition of cancer.
A lot of stress on the cells also make the risk of cancer higher, and in case of hyperuricemia, your liver is already running away uncontrollably to produce as much glucose (with uric acid as a byproduct) as it can. The cancer risk increases significantly thanks to the additional glucose in the blood.
THE SIMPLE CURE
The cure is simple: Lose weight. Easier said than done, as anyone who has tried knows. The only thing to remember is that you have to manage your weight loss carefully. Dead cells is the primary source of the purine production in your body, and if you provide the liver with too much, it will create excess uric acid from the purines. Which is what gives you gout.
Read more here:
* Why you should go on a diet - and how.
* The forbidden gout foods
* How to make your new diet taste better than the old one.
* Great foods for gout beaters
* What to do when the diet gets boring
And a few links to warn about potential dangers:
* The danger of being fat
* Your heart and gout
* Why you should go on a diet - and how.
* The forbidden gout foods
* How to make your new diet taste better than the old one.
* Great foods for gout beaters
* What to do when the diet gets boring
And a few links to warn about potential dangers:
* The danger of being fat
* Your heart and gout