Know the effects of having too much uric acid in the body

Uric acid is produced in the body. WebMD explains that our bodies create uric acid from the foods we eat and with the natural breakdown of our body's cells. Most of this uric acid is filtered out by the kidneys and excreted in urine, but sometimes the kidneys are unable to remove it from the blood normally, and this increases the level of uric acid in the blood.
High levels of uric acid can lead to serious conditions like gout, kidney stones or even kidney failure. Luckily, a simple blood test can determine if your blood uric acid levels are within a normal range. WebMD says you might undergo a uric acid blood test to determine:
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- If you have gout
- If your kidney stones are caused by high uric acid levels
- How much uric acid is in your blood, if you are a cancer patient undergoing radiation or chemotherapy, which can cause increased uric acid levels
Causes of High Uric Acid Levels
The Mayo Clinic explains that high uric acid levels usually happen when your kidneys aren't working properly to eliminate uric acid efficiently. But there are factors that can cause your kidneys to be overworked:
- Diuretic medications, like water pills
- High alcohol consumption
- Genetics
- Hypothyroidism
- Drugs that suppress the immune system
- Niacin, or vitamin B-3
- Obesity
- Psoriasis
- Purine-rich diet, including liver, game meat, anchovies, sardines, gravy, dried beans and peas and mushrooms
- Renal insufficiency: kidneys can't filter waste
- Tumor lysis syndrome: a rapid release of cells into the blood caused by some cancers or by chemotherapy for those cancers
- Chemotherapy or radiation
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