(Fructose from fruit can also contribute to high uric acid.)

Eating a high-purine diet that includes a lot of red meat, shellfish, sweets, sugary sodas and high-fructose corn syrup.

Drinking alcohol, which increases the risk of gout and gout flares.

Not excreting enough uric acid from the body, sometimes from dehydration but more often kidney disease.

Higher-than-normal uric acid can result from:

Only humans and certain apes lack this enzyme, making low - and especially high - uric acid more likely.

Most mammals have an enzyme that breaks down uric acid so it can be easily flushed out of the system. Low uric acid is also associated with kidney damage after vigorous exercise (called exercise-induced kidney injury) and uric acid kidney stones. Higher uric acid is known to help protect against these disorders. Yet it’s associated with serious neurologic disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), reduced kidney function and a painful nerve condition called trigeminal neuralgia. Low uric acid, or hypouricemia, gets less attention because it affects far fewer people - only about 0.5% of the population. In some studies, it’s associated with high blood pressure and heart failure as well as metabolic syndrome - a group of symptoms that increase your chances of diabetes, stroke and heart disease. High uric acid is also linked to uric acid kidney stones and chronic kidney disease. It’s important to note that the vast majority of people with hyperuricemia never develop gout.

You’ve probably heard about high uric acid, or hyperuricemia, because it’s the biggest risk factor for gout - a particularly painful form of arthritis. Low uric acid is defined as less than 2 mg/dL. Uric acid is usually considered high when it’s over 7 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) for men (and those who were male at birth) and over 6 mg/dL for women (and those who were female at birth). High and Low Uric Acid: Risks and Benefits It is a double-edged sword, increasing the risk of some health problems and helping prevent others. It’s mainly flushed out through the kidneys, but uric acid is much more than a waste product. Uric acid is produced when the body breaks down purines - natural substances found in every cell and in most foods.

High card flush explained