When it comes to preventing gout, coffee can be both an enemy and an
ally. It’s a strange thing, but coffee contains certain elements that can help
lower your risk of gout, but it also includes the one thing that can increase
your chances as well.
Regular coffee consumption has been considered good for your health in
many different ways. It’s been linked to lower your risk for type 2 diabetes,
heart disease, and even some types of cancer. But should you consider it an aid
in reducing your chances of gout?
It all comes down to whether or not you’ve been consuming coffee on a
regular basis for a long period of time. The effects of coffee and its relation
to gout reduction are seen to have a positive effect over time.
However, those who are new to daily coffee consumption may find
themselves at a higher risk of gout. Let’s take a look as to why.
The positive effects coffee can have against gout
Back in 2007, a study was conducted that looked at the potential
correlation between coffee consumption and running the risk of gout. This
US/Canada-based study looked at nearly 46,000 male medical professionals,
specifically looking at their intake of coffee and tea.
Over the 12 years that this study was conducted, almost 800 of the
46,000 developed gout. Now, based on the dietary information that was provided,
the team was able to find that the more coffee that was consumed, the less
likely the participants were to suffer from gout.
And here’s what’s really interesting: coffee has something in it that
decreases your chance of gout, but regular tea does not. While tea didn’t seem
to have any kind of long-lasting effect towards reducing your risk of gout,
coffee of all levels of caffeination did!
Coffee with higher levels of caffeination had a higher chance of
reduction, but caffeine didn’t seem to be the deciding factor as decaffeinated
coffee reduced risk as well.
So what does coffee contain that
reduces the risk of gout?
Unfortunately, the exact component within coffee that reduces risk of
gout can’t be pinpointed, but that doesn’t stop the genius minds behind this
study from trying. And speaking of genius minds, this study was conducted by
Dr. Hyon K. Choi, one of the forerunners in identifying gout’s beginnings and
hopefully its end.
Choi and his team have noted that coffee contains a large amount of
phenol chlorogenic acid, a very strong antioxidant. Chlorogenic acid, among
other antioxidants are helpful in reducing your insulin levels. One thing you
may not know is that insulin and uric acid are strongly connected, specifically
in their levels within your body.
As chlorogenic acid reduces levels of insulin, uric acid tends to do
the same. As one lowers, so does the other. Once more, there was a study in
that took this exact concept and put it to the test. Dr. Choi, at it again,
found that individuals who consumed several cups of coffee in any given day had
lower uric acid levels. Lower uric acid levels mean a reduced risk of gout!
The negative effects coffee can have against gout
While a long-term consumer of coffee may have a reduced their risk of
gout, that isn’t the case for those who are just picking up the habit. A study
that was conducted in 2010 proved that those who begin consuming coffee after
not having been a heavy user before actually increase their risk of gout. The
study was conducted by Dr. Thuina Neogi of Boston University School of Medicine
and her findings may surprise you.
You may be wondering how can that be. Something that has benefits in
the long-term may be harmful in the short-term? Dr. Neogi’s findings were that
a sudden intake of caffeine can be incredibly detrimental towards running the
risk of gout.
Specifically, those who drank two or fewer servings of a caffeinated
beverage per day raise their immediate (24-hour) risk of a gout flare up by
40%. This number only climbs to 80% if you drink three to four servings of
caffeine!
Those patients who were used to caffeine being in their system ran a
lower risk of a gout attack than those who weren’t used to having caffeine in
their system, some of which were tripling their risk for an attack.
Why is caffeine a risk factor for
gout in the short-term?
Caffeine, that perfect substance that helps you get up and go, it’s
very similar in chemical structure to a medication called allopurinol. This may
be an unknown to you, so allow me to explain.
Allopurinol is a medication that’s used to treat gout by lowering the
uric acid levels in the body, but it shocks the system in the short-term. It’s
an incredibly effective drug in the long-term, but allopurinol can trigger an
attack of gout for those who are taking it for the first time. It’s through
this reasoning that Dr. Neogi believes caffeine causes the same short-term
effect.
It’s important to remember the coffee, even the decaffeinated kind can
be very beneficial towards preventing an attack of gout. This needs to be taken
into consideration with the fact that if you’re a long-time drinker of
caffeinated coffee–at least two servings a day, you’re only increasing the
benefit it can have.
However, if you drink decaffeinated coffee or you stay away from the
stuff altogether, it may be best to keep caffeine out of your system as it has
a chance of spurring an attack of gout.
And most importantly, a healthy lifestyle is the best way to combat
gout. Caffeine and the intake of coffee may have its effect, but nothing can
overcome flare-ups of gout like proper diet and exercise. Your consumption of
that get-up-and-go should ride backseat to eating right and taking care of
yourself.
Bynaturael Product:
 |
| Liquid Castile Soap |
This document is provided for reference purposes only and not necessarily reflect the opinion of bynaturael’s team . Train your mind to test every thought and keep on searching the final truth that satisfies the conscience inside you. Please visit our blog: bynaturael.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment