Uric Acid: The Central Player Behind Diabetes and CVD

88% of American adults have at least one component of Metabolic Syndrome.

So, what is Metabolic Syndrome? 

It’s a cluster of abnormalities associated with developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

NEWS FLASH:  Uric acid is THE central player in this development.  Uric acid has long been associated with gout and kidney stones, but Diabetes???  YES. 

Uric acid plays a huge role in elevating blood pressure, triggering gluconeogenesis (the formation of glucose), increasing insulin resistance, increasing the production of body fat, and locking up our body fat so we can’t use it as energy.  BAM! 

So, what increases Uric Acid?

There are a few things.  But the giant elephant in the room, way above and beyond anything else is fructose, specifically high fructose corn syrup.  “Fructose is alcohol without the buzz.”  Dr Robert Lustig.  This is a big problem, because >60% of foods in the grocery store are sweetened, and most of those are with high fructose corn syrup.  It is in most packaged foods.  It is very sweet and very cheap and the government sponsors corn production to the tune of around 500 billion dollars per year. 

Fructose is the sugar of energy storage.  It tells the body winter and caloric scarcity are coming and that you might starve.  It tells the body to make fat, increase glucose production to power the brain, elevate blood pressure because you might not have water to drink, and to increase weight.  We have lots of genes to deal with scarcity, but nothing to deal with abundance, as humans have never existed in a world of abundance before.  We can’t rely on gene mutation.  It won’t happen fast enough. 

Fructose is also found in fruit.  An apple contains 13g of fructose.  But it is also loaded in fiber, quercetin, and vitamin C.  These are all things that aide in uric acid secretion.  Fruit juices and soda are also high in fructose, with about 22grams in 10oz. 

Uric acid is also found in purines.  Things like scallops and shellfish are purine rich animal foods.  So are liver and organ meats.  And, uric acid is found in alcohol, to varying degrees.  Beer is the biggest offender.  That’s because beer contains brewer’s yeast, which also has purines. 

Certain medications also elevate uric acid.  Come common culprits are Aspirin, water pills or diuretics, PPIs (acid blocking drugs), beta blockers, and the common Parkinson’s drug Levodopa. 

What else elevates Uric Acid?  Simply not getting enough restorative sleep or enough exercise. 

So, what can you do?  First, ask your doctor for a simple uric acid blood test.  They may be unaware of the association between uric acid and metabolic syndrome.  If so, ask them to simply google uric acid and metabolic.  I encourage you to do the same.  Typical labs will flag uric acid at 7.0 or higher.  Optimal is 5.5 or below.  For every point above 7.0, there is an 8-13% increase in all-cause mortality. 

What else can you do?  Eat a diet that is mostly plant based, high in fiber, and colorful.  Also ensure you get plenty of good sleep and exercise. 

You are in control of your body.  You are the Captain of YOUR ship.  There is so much you can do to move the needle closer towards Optimal Health.  Want some guidance?  Please reach out!