If you have gout, your doctor may advise you to consume a low-purine diet. That means you limit or avoid foods high in purines like scallops, oysters, beef and chicken. Many of these foods also happen to be good sources of zinc. If you are concerned about a dietary imbalance, discuss the issue with your doctor.
About Gout
Gout is a form of arthritis that causes sudden and acute joint pain, often in the big toe. The pain is often severe for 12 to 24 hours, with subsequent discomfort sometimes lingering for weeks. Your joint also becomes red, swollen and tender. Urate crystals that accumulate around your joint cause the inflammation and pain. Your body makes uric acid when it breaks down purines. These are found in your body and many foods. If your body creates too much uric acid or your kidneys don't excrete enough of it, the acid will build up and form sharp crystals.
Zinc and Purines
Many foods high in purines also tend to contain good amounts of zinc. A serving of oysters, for example, gives you 513 percent of your daily requirement. Eating 3 oz. beef gives you close to 60 percent, 3 oz. crab 43 percent and 3 oz. pork shoulder 28 percent. You need to consume zinc daily because your body does not have a storage system for this mineral, according to the U.S. Office of Dietary Supplements. You require zinc for all aspects of cellular metabolism, enzyme activity within your body and your senses of smell and taste. It also plays a role in your immune system, and a deficiency leads to impaired immune function.
Supplementing
If you are worried about a deficiency, don't turn to supplements without consulting a doctor. Too much zinc supplementation may have a negative impact on your urinary system, warns A.R. Johnson, lead author of a 2007 study published in "The Journal of Urology." Urinary system problems, in turn, may make it harder for your body to keep up with uric acid excretion.
Expert Insight
Drugs are usually much more effective than diet for controlling the amount of uric acid in your blood, according to "Nutrition Essentials and Diet Therapy," by Nancy J. Peckenpaugh and Charlotte M. Poleman. That's why dietary restrictions such as a low-purine diet are imposed less frequently by modern doctors. Avoiding excess fatty foods and alcohol is still recommended because they make it harder for your body to excrete uric acid.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Gout
- MayoClinic.com: Gout Symptoms
- MayoClinic.com: Gout Causes
- "Nutrition Essentials and Diet Therapy"; Nancy J. Peckenpaugh and Charlotte M. Poleman; 2003
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Zinc
- "The Journal of Urology"; High Dose Zinc Increases Hospital Admissions Due to Genitourinary Complications; A.R. Johnson; et al. 2007
