Gout may be caused by the Atkins diet because the Atkins diet consists of lots of purines which causes the excess production of uric acid. In addition, gout and the Atkins diet may be related because whenever body fat is burned up, uric acid is produced. So the purines in the Atkins diet combined with body fat being burned at the same time causes very high levels of uric acid and therefore an increase in the risk of developing gout.

For those who already have gout, the Atkins diet may cause the system to overload with uric acid and cause some of the worst attacks of gout that the patient has ever experienced. In people with gout, the Atkins diet may also cause a build up of uric acid in the connective tissues.

Eliminate Gout Pain - Naturally and Immediately

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, one 12 year study of over 47,000 men in New England found that gout risk increased when on Atkins diet or a similar diet rich in meat. Risk of gout on the Atkins diet or a similar diet decreased when the subject ate dairy products, however.

In this study, the Harvard School of Public Health interviewed the health professionals participating in the study about their diets in 1986, 1990, and 1994. The study controlled for other gout risk factors such as age, high blood pressure, alcohol use and being overweight. Out of the 47,000 men studied, 730 of them developed gout. Atkins diet or similar diets rich in protein, particularly beef, pork and lamb had a much higher risk of developing gout than those that ate more dairy products and less protein. Those that ate high-purine vegetables had no increased risk for gout and the vegetables seemed to protect against gout. Those who ate all types of seafood had the greatest risk of developing gout when on atkins diet or a similar high-protien diet.

Although the association with high purine diets such at Atkins and gout had always been suspected, it had never been proven until this study. For those with an increased risk of developing gout, Atkins diet and others like it should be avoided.

The Atkins diet is very high in purines so this diet is not recommended for patients with gout. Most people who have gout use a purine-modified diet.. This diet consists of eliminating extremely high-purine foods such as liver, brains, kidney and other organ meats as well as sweetbreads. However, in a purine-modified diet, it is ok to have some protein foods not to exceed 100 grams per day. In one ounce of meat, there are 7 grams of protein. Bread and grains have about 3 grams of protein per serving. One serving is one slice of bread or ½ cup of grain. Protein can be obtained by eating milk, eggs and cheese because these foods are high in protein and low in purines.

Get Rid of Gout for Good

To protect yourself against gout, Atkins diet or similar diets should be avoided because these diets put too much emphasis on eating protein and do not allow for protective dairy products and vegetables in the diet. Although you may lose weight on Atkins diet or other similar high protein diets, the risk for gout on Atkins diet should be seriously considered. There are diets that are more balanced and are therefore healthier for the body that you can use to loose weight. Eating diets rich in low fat dairy products and vegetables will protect you from developing gout and also may protect you against heart disease and cancer as well.

Gout is a condition that causes inflammation and pain in the joints, especially the joint of the big toe. This causes painful feet. Gout is caused by an excess of uric acid in the body. Uric acid may build up because either the body creates too much uric acid or the uric acid is prevented from being excreted by the body.

Uric acid is a chemical that is produced in the body and plays an important role in breaking down food and building tissues in the body. The uric acid, when at normal levels, will dissolve in the blood and be excreted in the urine. However, when the levels of uric acid are elevated, a condition called hyperuricaemia, the uric acid forms crystals which deposit themselves in the joint and cause the inflammation and pain of gout called acute gouty arthritis or acute gout.

Discover how to Immediately Eliminate Gout Pain -- once and for all -- with proven natural inflammation supplements for gout pain relief!