Does Orange Juice Cause Gout? by Charlene J Nuble

Uric acid is the primary cause of gout. The body needs uric acid but if it is produced in excess, that’s a different story. Excess uric acid can build up around the joints thereby creating sudden pain which can bring discomfort to the patient. According to a study in Spain way back in 2003, orange juice does not cause gout but rather it can help in lowering the levels of uric acid in the body.

Perhaps you’re already aware that orange juice contains vitamin C; but how many glasses of orange juice will you need to get the adequate vitamin C requirement of your body?

In the study, each individual drank two glasses of orange juice everyday. That means that each individual got 250 milligrams of the vitamin C. Additional glasses of orange juice were given until the daily intake of vitamin C reached 136 mg for the men and 112 mg for the women. In a couple of days, the level of vitamin C among men has risen by 52% and the women by 22%. In just 2 weeks, the men were able to reduce their uric acid by 12.5% and the women by 6.5%.

The study was able to remove the doubts in the minds of people that orange juice causes gout. If you’re already suffering from gout, daily intake of orange juice may have a different effect. Gout sufferers need to employ a drug therapy in order to reduce the UA levels at a faster rate.

Orange juice is not a drug medication. If you have a normal UA level or even slightly higher (like in the case of hyperuricemia), you can start the orange juice therapy so that you can maintain the uric acid at the right level. If you want, you can also take vitamin C supplements if you don’t want to drink orange juice often. Supplements don’t contain potassium but orange juice does. Potassium is an alkalizing mineral to naturally relieve gout. Aside from potassium, orange juice also contains flavonoids which help in the absorption or retention of vitamin C.

The orange juice used in the study was not the commercialized orange juices. The study used fresh orange juice from freshly squeezed oranges. Nothing was added to the fresh orange juice. That means you need to buy lots of fresh oranges.

So, Does orange juice cause gout? Of course not and in fact, it can even be used to prevent or treat gout.

Drinking the commercial orange juices is a different thing because it already contains preservatives and additives. You need to drink fresh orange juice without added ingredients, even sugar. If you follow this regimen, you can surely maintain your uric acid at the right level. Ask your doctor about it and if you want, you can also consult a nutritionist.

The Spain study on orange juice has definitely shed a light when it comes to treating gout the natural way. Gout is a persisting problem and there is no known cure for it. Talk to your doctor if you feel any gout symptoms and keep in mind that gout occurs mainly on the toe and ankle but there are also times when it occurs on the elbows, hands, wrist, and knees.