1. Sidestep the Effects
Vitamin C flushes uric acid out of the system, making it effective in relieving symptoms of gout. If you are taking vitamin C and your doctor wants to put you on medication as well, approach that advice with caution. Often times the side effects are worse than the gout attacks themselves. Some people have even responded negatively to taking large amounts of vitamin C and it should therefore only be taken under medical supervision. High doses of vitamin C can also lead to kidney stones due to high levels of uric acid being released from it.
2. Add Chocolate to Your Diet
Chocolate, in its rawest form, is actually a fruit. The popular candy is made from cocoa beans, which are the fruit of the cocoa flower and have a ton of vitamin C. The reason you never see this on a candy wrapper is because chocolate bars are so processed that the vitamin C gets stripped away. Try throwing some raw chocolate, dried cranberries and dried cherries together the next time you need to sneak in a snack at the movie theater. This is a great combination of power packing vitamin C.
3. Cut Back on Sugar Consumption
Sugar is one of the most destructive substances known to the body. It causes obesity, diabetes and acid formation. The last thing you want to do is eat high amounts of white, granulated sugar when you have gout. To make matters worse, it has a tendency to blunt vitamin C uptake and absorption. Leave it in the bowl, keep it out of your mouth, and feed it to the gnats if you live in a humid climate.
4. Join the Fortunate 500
You don't need to reach for the stars. You need not look any further than 500--500 mg, that is. If you're supplementing with vitamin C, 500 mg is your goal. Vitamin C is water soluble, so it doesn't get stored in the fat cells of the body, but mega dosing can still cause diarrhea or an upset stomach. It would probably take over 2000 mg a day for this to happen, but it can add up.
5. Stand the Test of Time
If you start taking vitamin C for gout, be patient. Results don't happen over night. It could take a good couple months to see any improvement. During this time frame, do not assume that the amount you are taking is not helping and start shoveling oranges and supplements in your mouth like rock candy. Just like exercise, it's all about patience and persistence. Speaking of exercise, it is also a good idea to lose some weight if you have some to give. Weight loss has been known to be a good antidote to fight gout. If you have stiff or sore joints, try doing non-impact exercise such as biking, swimming or using the elliptical trainer at the gym.
