Gout Information

Who Gets Gout?

Gout occurs in adults of both sexes, but is thought to be at least ten times more common in men than in women. Levels of a chemical called uric acid (urate) tend to increase in men at puberty, and because it takes at least 20 years of raised levels to cause the symptoms of gout, men commonly develop it in their late thirties and through their forties. Women typically develop gout in later life, often in their sixties and seventies. According to some experts, oestrogen - the 'female' hormone - protects against raised levels of uric acid, and when oestrogen levels fall during menopause, levels of uric acid begin to build up.

A recent survey by market analysts Taylor Nelson Sofres found that three per cent of adults questioned had experienced gout.

What causes gout?

Gout is usually linked to raised levels of uric acid (urate) in the blood. Everyone has some uric acid. However, it is generally harmless and eliminated with the urine. It is only when levels are higher than normal that problems can occur.

What is uric acid (urate)?

Uric acid is a type of metabolic waste that cannot be broken down within the body. It is formed in the liver as the body degrades other waste products, through various chemical processes. The amount of uric acid produced each day is determined by the breakdown of nuclear DNA and the levels of energy used, both of which are proportionate to the body size of the individual - a large person will produce more uric acid than a small person, for example. The concentration of uric acid in our bodily tissues depends also on the balance between the amount produced by the liver and the amount passed out via the kidneys. The ability of the kidneys to eliminate uric acid is determined to a great extent by inherited factors, as does the ability to clear uric acid from the blood and pass it out in the urine. Elimination of uric acid can also depend on the presence of other health problems, including kidney disease, and the type of medications taken.

In a healthy person, approximately two-thirds of the uric acid produced each day is passed out of the body in the form of urine. The remainder moves into the intestine and is broken down and eliminated in the faeces. When there is any excess uric acid it builds up in the bloodstream and is eventually deposited as urate crystals in the small joints and/or soft tissues.

Researchers have found that 75-90 per cent of people with gout have raised levels of circulating uric acid. Those with low levels suffer no apparent adverse effects.