6 Ways to Reduce Uric Acid Levels
High levels of uric acid in the bloodstream can be due to a problem with the functioning of your kidneys. If your doctor tells you that your uric acid level is too high, then you should take the appropriate measures to reduce it. Ignoring this advice could lead to kidney stones and kidney failure. Don’t worry – the following remedies will help you reduce uric acid levels and get them back to normal.
Apple cider vinegar to reduce uric acid levels
Aside from being a natural cleansing agent for the body, apple cider vinegar helps to reduce uric acid as well. In addition to that, it also helps restore your body’s natural pH balance.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup of water (200 ml)
Procedure
- Firstly, mix the apple cider vinegar into a cup of water and then drink it three times a day.
Once you get used to the taste of the vinegar, you can then increase your dosage to two tablespoons of vinegar per cup of water. Don’t take more than this, however, because vinegar can reduce the amount of potassium in the body.
Lemon juice
Ingredients
- The juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup of water
Procedure
- Mix the lemon juice into a cup of water and then drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Berries
Cherries, blackberries, and other members of the berry family contain certain chemical properties that help to reduce uric acid fast. It’s a good idea to try the following options:
- ½ cup of cherries a day for a few weeks
- ¼ cup of cherry juice a day
- 1 cup of blackberries or strawberries a day
Baking soda
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon of baking soda
- 1 cup of water
Procedure
- Firstly, dissolve the baking soda in the cup of water and then drink four cups of this mixture a day for two weeks.
This is an excellent remedy, but you shouldn’t take it for more than two weeks. Nor is it a wise choice for people who have high blood pressure. However, if you’re over 60 years old, drink only three cups of this mixture a day.
Olive oil
Most oils become harmful to your health when they’re heated or over-processed. This also destroys the vitamin E that’s responsible for controlling your level of uric acid. This doesn’t happen with olive oil, however, which remains stable while cooking. And, because it’s rich in vitamin E, it does twice the amount of good by reducing uric acid levels.
Water
A diet low in purine
Purines are nitrogen-based compounds that turn into uric acid when broken down. Foods that are high in purines are animal proteins. The ones you should avoid include:
- Red meat
- Intestines
- Fish
- Poultry
- Beans
- Yeast
- Mushrooms
- Asparagus
- And, finally, beer
A diet rich in high-fiber foods and carbohydrates
Foods that are rich in dietary fiber can help reduce uric acid levels by facilitating their absorption and elimination from the body. Starchy carbohydrate foods, meanwhile, have low amounts of purines.
See also: Good Versus Bad Carbohydrates: Busting Myths
Some of the more fiber-rich foods include:
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Pears
- Oranges
- Whole grains
Starchy carbohydrates include:
- Rice
- Pasta
- Tapioca
- Quinoa
- Potatoes
- Oats
- Bananas
Some final recommendations
In summary, natural remedies can provide a lot of benefits, but if you want to reduce uric acid levels rapidly, remember to:
- Limit or avoid the consumption of alcohol until your uric acid levels return to normal
- Eliminate foods that are high in fructose or other artificial sweeteners
- Start an exercise routine to keep fat from building up, which facilitates the production of more uric acid
- And, finally, choose minimally processed, natural foods. The best options are fruits and vegetables.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Bjornstad P, Maahs DM, Roncal CA, Snell-Bergeon JK, Shah VN, Milagres T, et al. Role of bicarbonate supplementation on urine uric acid crystals and diabetic tubulopathy in adults with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes, Obes Metab. 2018;
- P. K, C. B, H. L, P. C. Hydration and gout: Looking at new modes of uric acid management. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017;
- Singh JA, Reddy SG, Kundukulam J. Risk factors for gout and prevention: A systematic review of the literature. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 2011.
