How does alcohol, particularly beer, impact gout? (By increasing uric acid production and inhibiting uric acid excretion)

Oh, when it comes to gout and drinking, these two are truly old adversaries, especially beer – it's like adding fuel to the fire. I'll try to explain in plain language what's really going on.

This issue can be explained from two angles: on one hand, it "opens the tap" (increases production), and on the other, it "restricts the flow" (reduces excretion). The result is an accumulation of uric acid in your body.

1. "Opening the Tap" – Making your body produce more uric acid

You can think of uric acid as the "waste product" after your body metabolizes something called "purine." The foods you eat, especially broths, seafood, and organ meats, all contain high amounts of purines.

Alcohol, particularly beer, is a "purine powerhouse" itself. During the brewing process, yeast produces a large amount of purines. So, when you drink beer, you're directly supplying your body with a large quantity of "raw materials" for uric acid production. With more raw materials, your body (the "factory") naturally produces more of this "waste product" called uric acid.

2. "Restricting the Flow" – Making your body excrete less uric acid

Normally, about 70% of the uric acid in our bodies is excreted through the kidneys, along with urine. The kidneys are like our body's "waste disposal plant."

However, when alcohol (ethanol) enters the body, its metabolism produces something called "lactic acid." Both lactic acid and uric acid need to be excreted through this same "disposal plant" (the kidneys). You can imagine them competing to use the same "exit."

The problem is that the lactic acid produced from alcohol metabolism "cuts in line" in this competition, taking priority. The kidneys have to prioritize processing lactic acid, pushing the job of processing uric acid to the back, significantly reducing its efficiency.

As a result, a large amount of uric acid cannot be excreted and instead returns to the bloodstream, accumulating in your body.

To summarize:

Drinking beer = simultaneously flooding your body with "raw materials" (purines) for uric acid production AND blocking the "exit" for uric acid excretion.

This double whammy, both increasing input and restricting output, inevitably leads to high uric acid levels in your body. When uric acid is high, it easily forms crystals in your joints, especially in places like your toes and ankles, leading to those excruciating gout attacks.

That's why doctors always advise people with gout or high uric acid to drink other types of alcohol sparingly, and ideally, not touch beer at all. This is precisely the reason.