Gout is a type of arthritis that affects more than 8 million people in the USA. It occurs when the body either produces too much uric acid or can’t excrete it properly. A gout attack can be extremely painful. In the majority of cases, gout affects the joint in the big toe, but it can also affect other joints of the feet and ankles.

The conventional medical treatment of gout involves the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or other medication to lower uric acid. This can offer temporary relief but doesn’t address the source of the problem. Long term use of anti-inflammatory drugs increases the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, and it does cause leaky gut.

People with gout are at higher risk of kidney stones and type 2 diabetes. Syndrome X (insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome) is the underlying cause of gout in most instances. Therefore reversing syndrome X is the key to preventing gout attacks.

In the past, individuals with gout were told to avoid foods high in purines such as offal, sardines and herrings. We now know that sugar, excess carbohydrate, alcohol and caffeine are the real villains, because they inhibit uric acid excretion, and they promote insulin resistance.

New research has shown that a ketogenic diet has an anti-inflammatory effect and can help prevent a gout attack. This research was carried out at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, CT. A ketogenic diet is a very low carbohydrate diet that is commonly used for weight loss and improving blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. It puts the body into a state of ketosis, whereby fats are broken down into fatty acids and ketone bodies, which are used for energy. A ketogenic diet is not a high protein diet; it is a moderate protein and high fat diet. Eating excessive amounts of protein can cause a gout flare up in people with insulin resistance.

One of the ketone bodies produced on a ketogenic diet is called beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and research has shown it may alleviate gout. The painful flare ups of gout are triggered by a protein complex called the NLRP3 inflammasome. With the help of a type of white blood cell called neutrophils, NLRP3 activates the interleukin-1B pro-inflammatory cytokine, and that’s what leads to intense pain, fever, and the destruction of joints seen in gout.

The researchers found that beta-hydroxybutyrate has the ability to inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome. It also blocks interleukin-1B in the neutrophils. In this way, raising beta-hydroxybutyrate can prevent a gout attack. The researchers remarked "Collectively, our studies show that BHB, a known alternate metabolic fuel, is also an anti-inflammatory molecule that may serve as a treatment for gout." A ketogenic diet helps to resolve a lot of health problems, but it can take some time. Serrapeptase is a natural enzyme that helps reduce inflammation in the body. It acts like Pac Man, helping to clear swelling and debris. It can provide relatively fast pain relief.

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