The most common inflammatory joint disease next to arthritis is gout. Gout is common among people who have diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and alcohol problems.

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The condition occurs through the accumulation of uric acid crystals that leads to pain and swelling from its needle-shaped structure. 

There are a variety of medication and lifestyle modification to keep gout symptoms under control.

Recent studies have found that coffee consumption may have some significant benefits for controlling gout.

There are also indications that coffee may have some adverse effects on gout as well.

Whatever the case is, we have the answer to whether or not coffee consumption has any adverse effect or health benefits to controlling gout.

Related: What is Gout?

What is gout

Gout is a common inflammatory process that results in painful and swollen joints. It is caused by the accumulation of purine amino acid that led to the formation of uric acid.

The accumulation of uric acid in the body can deposit in joints leading to significant pain, swelling, and inflammation.

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What causes gout

Gout is mainly caused by the increase of uric acid in the body. Medications like aspirin, hydrochlorothiazide, loop diuretics, niacin, and pyrazinamide can increase uric acid levels.

 Keep in mind that kidney dysfunction can also lead to gout. There are even certain foods such as red meat, shellfish, and alcohol can aggravate or increase the formation of gout.

How is gout diagnosed 

Gout is diagnosed through various modalities such as clinical suspicion, lab tests, and imaging tests. If your doctor sees a swollen, red, and warm toe, then he may need to order additional tests.

He or she might use arthrocentesis, where the synovial fluid is taken from your joints for observation. A positive test would indicate a negative birefringent monosodium urate crystal that is needle-shaped in structure.

Another test is laboratory blood tests which will show increased white blood cells, increased ESR, and high uric acid levels.

Ultrasound will reveal a double contour sign which is the monosodium uric acid, and the tophus is a mixture of Hyperechoic and hypo echo structure. 

MRI can also detect gout formation, and it’s an excellent choice for spinal involvement. CT scan will show bone erosion from the tophi.

With chronic gout, the x-ray can detect punch out lytic bone lesions, which indicates the progression of gout.

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Can coffee help with gout?

Coffee is filled with caffeine, antioxidants, and flavor. It helps energize us, reduce depression, elevate mood, and can also reduce gout attacks. Coffee can indeed decrease gout symptoms, but it can also cause flare ups.

It’s a very dose-dependent relationship. Moderate consumption of coffee can keep gout under control, but high consumption can result in significant flare up or hyperuricemia.

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How can coffee reduce gout??

 Uric acid often gets excreted through the kidney. However, there are times that there's a significant amount of uric acid in the body, which makes it challenging to eliminate. This is often common in people with kidney dysfunction or severe dehydration. 

The most common mechanism of action of how coffee can reduce gout is by utilizing its diuretic effect. The common side effects of coffee consumption are the constant need to urinate.

Plus, coffee can dehydrate you, so you will end up drinking more water, which can further stimulate the urge to go to the bathroom.

The combination of increased hydration and the diuretic effect helps flush out excess uric acid in the body. This can help reduce gout formation or attacks.

 Another mechanism of action is that coffee has similar functionality to Alopurinol, a common medication to treat gout.

Allopurinol is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor which prevents purine from forming into uric acid. The same ingredient found in coffee performs the same function to lower gout symptoms.

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How can coffee cause gout flare-up?

Extremely high consumption of coffee can have a detrimental effect on anyone suffering from gout. The main mechanism of action is that high amounts of coffee can result in dehydration.

When you are dehydrated, the kidney isn’t working correctly to flush out toxins or uric acid. This can lead to an accumulation, which can cause a gout attack. 

Another thing is that Coffee is highly acidic and can result in inflammation to the G.I. and urinary system. This can further aggravate the gout symptom and result in a flare up.

How much is too much coffee?

On average, it is safe to consume less than 400 mg of caffeine. If you consume more than 400 mg of caffeine, you’re most likely to experience symptoms of insomnia, tremors, shakiness, constipation, heart palpitations, and upset stomach. 

Usually, a cup of coffee contains about 95 mg of coffee. If you drink more than 4 cups, then you are way above the caffeine limit.

When it comes to the dose-dependent relationship between gout and coffee, 1-3 cups per day can provide maximum benefits, and anything more can result in a flare up.

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How can coffee Improve your health?

Coffee in moderation has significant benefits to your health. It can reduce the progression to Alzheimer's, fight depression, enhance focus and concentration, and elevate mood. Coffee also has in the potent antioxidant property to boost your immune system.

Plus, it can promote healthy digestion and stimulate bowel movement to cleanse your colon. Keep in mind that too much coffee can result in dehydration and constipation.

Therefore, in order to reap its benefits, it's vital to drink it in moderation. 

With so many health benefits, it’s no wonder why people would brew a cup of coffee every morning.

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How to manage your gout?

Treating gout requires proper medication and lifestyle modification. Here is some information to consider for keeping gout symptoms under control.

Initial medication for acute gout

If you suffer an acute gout attack, the first medication that your doctor will prescribe you is an NSAID such as naproxen, indomethacin, or ibuprofen.

If you are prone to stomach ulcers, then an alternative medication would be colchicine. However, if you have potential kidney dysfunction or liver problems, then you may need to consider corticosteroid injections.

Medication maintenance 

There is gout medication that keeps the symptoms under control. They are not used during acute attacks but are commonly for chronic gout. These medications are allopurinol which prevents the formation of uric acid.

Another drug is probenecid which stimulates the elimination of uric acid through the kidney.

Lifestyle modifications

If you have gout, then your doctor will recommend some lifestyle modification such as limiting the intake of red meat, alcohol, or shellfish. These products can increase purine levels in your body, so it’s best to avoid them.

The doctor may recommend a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean and white meat, wheat, and grain.

The coffee alternative to gout

Some people find that coffee is too acidic for their stomach, and they prefer some alternative natural remedy for the condition. Here is some amazing selection to choose from.

Cherries

According to medical scientists, three servings of cherries for two days can significantly reduce gout attacks.

Magnesium

Deficiency of magnesium minerals can stimulate stress and chronic inflammation. In 2015, studies showed that adequate magnesium levels could reduce uric acid, therefore, lower gout attacks.

Ginger

Ginger has strong anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce pain from gout symptoms. All you have to do is compress the ginger and boil it in water with one tablespoon of grated ginger root.

Then soak it in a washcloth, and let it cool down. Once the mixture has cooled, you can apply it to irritated joints to soothe the symptoms.

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Celery

Eating celery several times per day can help reduce uric acid in the body. After all, celery is high in fiber and can regulate the bowel to increase the elimination of uric acid.

Nettle tea

Nettle tea can help reduce pain and inflammation. One study shows that it protects the kidney to promote healthy elimination of uric acid.

Dandelion

This type of tea can improve both kidney and liver function. According to 2013 and 2016 studies, individuals with kidney dysfunction have experienced health benefits from dandelion tea.

It helps lower the gout attack and improves renal function, therefore, promote uric acid elimination.

Turmeric

Turmeric has a potent anti-inflammatory component. Eating Turmeric supplement or in food can help reduce the inflammation process from the gout condition.

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Conclusion

The body plays a significant role in taking purine amino acid and converting it to uric acid to be excreted by the kidneys.

However, if there’s kidney dysfunction or that there’s too much uric acid in the body, it can hinder the elimination process.

This can lead to the formation of needle shaped crystals that can cause pain, inflammation, and swelling. 

Fortunately, with moderate consumption of coffee, it can enhance the elimination process of uric acid through the kidney and prevent the conversion of purine to uric acid.

However, high consumption of coffee can result in dehydration which can affect how these amino acid gets eliminated and can further aggravate the inflammation process of gout.

Either way, it’s essential to see your doctor and to be compliant with your medication and lifestyle modifications.

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