High Uric Acid: What It Means and What You Can Do

High uric acid (hyperuricemia) can be harmless or the start of painful problems like gout and kidney stones. Many people don’t notice anything until a sudden, intense joint attack arrives. A quick blood test tells you where you stand: generally, levels above 7 mg/dL in men and 6 mg/dL in women are considered high.

Causes & Risks

Your body makes uric acid when it breaks down purines, which come from some foods and from your own cells. Common causes of high uric acid include eating lots of red meat, shellfish, or organ meats, drinking beer or sugary sodas, being overweight, taking certain medicines (like thiazide diuretics), and reduced kidney function. Genetics also plays a role — some people simply clear uric acid less well.

High uric acid raises the chances of gout (sudden, sharp pain and swelling in a joint, often the big toe), kidney stones, and over the long term it may be linked with higher blood pressure and kidney stress. But many with high numbers never have symptoms.

Practical Steps to Lower Uric Acid

1) Get tested. Ask your doctor for a serum uric acid level and, if needed, a 24-hour urine test to see how much uric acid you’re excreting. Tests guide treatment decisions.

2) Change what you eat. Cut back on high-purine foods: organ meats, game, some seafood (anchovies, sardines, mussels), and large amounts of red meat. Replace with more vegetables, whole grains, and modest portions of lean protein. Low-fat dairy often helps lower uric acid.

3) Drop sugary drinks and excess alcohol. Fructose-sweetened sodas and beer are especially linked to higher uric acid. Swap to water, unsweetened tea, or seltzer.

4) Hydrate and move. Drinking plenty of water helps the kidneys flush uric acid. Losing even 5–10% of body weight if you’re overweight lowers levels. Regular exercise helps but avoid crash diets — rapid weight loss can raise uric acid short term.

5) Consider foods that may help. Cherries and coffee have been associated with lower gout risk in some real-world studies. They’re not cures, but adding them can be a useful, low-risk step.

6) Medication when needed. If you have frequent gout attacks, tophi (small lumps under the skin), kidney stones, or very high levels, doctors prescribe drugs that lower uric acid long term — allopurinol, febuxostat, or uricosuric agents like probenecid. Start and adjust these only under medical supervision.

When should you see a doctor? If you get sudden joint pain, recurring swelling, visible lumps (tophi), or kidney stone symptoms — get checked. Also see a clinician if a routine test shows high uric acid and you have risk factors. Small, steady changes in diet, hydration, weight, and meds when appropriate can cut the risk of painful flares and protect your kidneys over time.