Uric Acid

Uric acid (urate) is a waste product formed when the body breaks down purines, substances found in some foods and made by the body itself. Most of it leaves the body through the kidneys and a smaller part through the gut. The level reflects the balance between how much is formed and how much is cleared. Retesting shows how it changes over time.

Red meat, offal, shellfish, beer and other alcohol, and drinks sweetened with fructose tend to raise uric acid, as do too little fluid, fasting and very hard training. Extra weight around the waist and some medicines, such as diuretics, also raise it. Levels are usually higher in men, and rise in women after menopause.