Seafood, like red meat, should be avoided if a person has gout. These foods contain high amounts of purines which are known to produce uric acid. Uric acid production, or more specifically, the inability to excrete it effectively, is the underlying culprit causing gout. Following a low-purine diet and possibly other therapies prescribed by a doctor can help control high serum uric acid levels.
Biochemistry
Gout is a type of arthritis that occurs when chemicals known as purines are broken down or metabolized and uric acid is produced. Uric acid is essentially a waste material or byproduct of metabolism. Every person has uric acid in their body, and the kidneys excrete it under normal conditions. However, some people build up uric acid levels to a high degree. It is not known why uric acid builds up or fails to be excreted in people who get gout, but alcohol consumption interferes with the process. When uric acid reaches a critical concentrations, it starts to crystallize.
Physiology
When high concentrations of uric acid crystallize the crystallization most often occurs in the joints, particularly in the foot and big toe. Other areas can be affected including the instep, ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers and elbows. The crystals form into sharp spike-like structures and this is what causes joint pain with gout. In addition to these sensations of gout, others include joint swelling, redness, heat and joint stiffness. Uric acid can also crystallize elsewhere. Sometimes the crystals are felt under skin as lumps called tophi. Kidney stones can also form when uric acid crystallizes in the kidney.
Causes of Gout
The reason why some people cannot excrete uric acid as effectively as others is not well understood. And precisely why it crystallizes in some people and not in others is also a mystery. However, certain risk factors are associated with gout: obesity, untreated diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, high serum triglycerides, joint injury, diuretic or chemotherapy use, kidney disease, and genetics. The factors which trigger gout onset are drinking alcohol excessively, eating foods rich in purines, eating large quantities of fructose, prolonged bed rest after surgery and high-protein fad diets.
Seafood
There are a number of foods to avoid if a patient has gout or high serum uric acid levels. Red meats and seafood should be particularly avoided since they are very rich in purine content. Shellfish like lobsters, crabs and shrimp are especially high in purines. Salmon contains 170 mg of purines per 100 g of food, which is among the least amount of all seafood. By comparing salmon with beef which has 110 mg of purines per 100 g and corn with 52 mg of purines per 100 g, then it is apparent that any seafood is a poor choice for a gout diet.
