Description

Limiting alcohol intake is a crucial lifestyle modification for gout management, as alcohol consumption has been strongly linked to increased risk of gout and gout flares. A prospective study by Choi et al. (2004) in The Lancet found that beer and liquor consumption were associated with an increased risk of gout, with beer posing a higher risk than liquor, while moderate wine consumption did not significantly increase risk. The mechanism behind this association was explored in a review by Ragab et al. (2017), which explained how alcohol can increase uric acid production and decrease uric acid excretion. A more recent study by Neogi et al. (2014) demonstrated that alcohol intake was associated with recurrent gout attacks, with the effect being dose-dependent. The study found that consuming more than 1-2 drinks in the 24 hours preceding a gout attack was associated with 36% higher odds of recurrent gout attacks. The ACR guidelines (Khanna et al., 2012) strongly recommend limiting or avoiding alcohol intake, particularly beer and spirits, for patients with gout. However, it's important to note that the impact of alcohol can vary among individuals, and patients should work with their healthcare providers to determine appropriate limits.