[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We hear a lot these days about the importance of having a “
healthy metabolism.” But what exactly does that mean? Metabolic factors include things like blood pressure, the balance of
good and bad cholesterol, our total triglyceride levels, blood sugar and body weight—or more specifically—body mass index (BMI).
These five parameters together are what defines the so-called “metabolic syndrome,” and to actually be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome you need only have three of these markers.
Why does it matter? Why should we really be concerned if our blood pressure is elevated, or our blood sugar is less than ideal, or we put on more pounds than we know is appropriate? It turns out that these metabolic issues are the underpinnings of serious concerns like coronary artery disease, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and even some forms of cancer.
In fact, these chronic degenerative conditions, and others, represent the number one cause of death on our planet according to the World Health Organization. There’s a lot of attention these days being given to viruses and other contagious diseases, and rightfully so. But again, by far and away, the diseases driven by problems with our metabolism are responsible for the lion’s share of our health issues.
What is uric acid?
Exciting research of the past two decades has revealed that
uric acid, a metabolic byproduct of the breakdown of things like fructose, alcohol, and a specific chemical called purines, is deeply involved in the
causation of metabolic mayhem. It’s been known for quite some time the people with Type 2 diabetes, obesity, or even high blood pressure, are noted to have significant elevation of their uric acid in comparison to those without these metabolic issues.
And this relationship was considered nothing more than being interesting over the years until researchers identified a simple fact. Uric acid in these metabolic conditions is actually playing a
causative role. This means that uric acid is actually working in the body to increase a person’s risk for high blood pressure, increased body fat, difficulty in using body fat for energy, increased blood sugar and even insulin resistance.
What’s even more fascinating is the research that reveals how all of these actions of elevated uric acid were good things in the days of our hunter gatherer ancestors. Making body fat, for example, is a powerful survival mechanism during times of food scarcity. Raising the blood pressure ensures blood supply to vital organs like the brain, heart and kidneys when dehydration is threatening. Increasing the blood sugar allowed our ancestors to power their brains, giving them a “superpower” to help reduce their risk of starvation and even predation–meaning being eaten by other animals.
It is only now that elevation of uric acid is actually leading us down the path of metabolic mayhem. We certainly don’t need to be adding on the pounds of fat, getting our blood pressure even higher, and having our blood sugar above normal. These are all issues that elevation of uric acid enhances, representing the body’s attempts to survive during times of food and water scarcity. Clearly, that’s not the situation in which we find ourselves these days.
In our modern times, the implications of elevated uric acid are profound. In a
recent study, researchers evaluated a group of 90,000 adults. At the beginning of the study, they measured their uric acid levels. They then followed this group for eight years. The findings of the research were telling. Those that had the highest level of uric acid in comparison to those with the lowest level had a 16% increased risk for what is called
all-cause mortality, meaning death from any cause whatsoever during the eight-year study. In addition, there was a dramatic 39% increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 35% increased risk of death from stroke.
In a similar study, research subjects without any evidence of dementia had their uric acid levels evaluated. They were then followed for 12 years. At the conclusion of the study, involving close to 1600 individuals, those with the highest level of uric acid had a remarkable 79% increased risk of dementia, a 55% increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease specifically, and an incredibly increased risk, 166%, of developing vascular or mixed dementia.
How to control uric acid levels
Across the board, we see strong correlation between elevation of uric acid and increased body fat, increased risk of diabetes, and high blood pressure as well, and no doubt this clearly explains why the disease endpoints described above are so dramatically increased.
But the empowering part of this information is that we can readily identify where our elevation of uric acid is coming from and bring it under control. Uric acid is only made from three dietary sources, alcohol, the breakdown products of DNA and RNA in foods, (called
purines), and by far and away the most important contributor, the sugar
fructose.
Our fructose consumption has increased dramatically in the past 100 years. In fact, just from 1970 to 1990 in the United States, fructose consumption increased an incredible 1000% and uric acid levels have increased in lockstep with our
increasing consumption of sugar.
To be clear, the amount of sugar we actually need to consume is
none. When we do consume sugar, even table sugar which is 50% fructose, we stimulate our bodies to prepare for winter, basically sending them an alarm signal—uric acid—that does everything it possibly can to prepare us for food scarcity. But this is hardly what we need! We are preparing for the winter that never comes, and we’re doing this 365 days a year!
These days, so much of our wellness decisions are focused on regaining and maintaining metabolic health. And while over the years we’ve known that reducing refined carbohydrates, getting enough
restorative sleep and engaging in exercise, have all helped us move toward this goal, gaining control of uric acid represents a powerful new tool for us all.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row gap="15" equal_height="yes" content_placement="middle" css=".vc_custom_1664897036958{margin-top: 20px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;background-color: #efefef !important;}"][vc_column width="1/3" css=".vc_custom_1579201332791{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}" offset="vc_col-lg-5 vc_col-md-6"][vc_single_image image="158771" img_size="full" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" el_class="zoom-hover" css=".vc_custom_1648485945682{margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}" link="https://www.drperlmutter.com/books/drop-acid/"][/vc_column][vc_column width="2/3" offset="vc_col-lg-7 vc_col-md-6"][vc_column_text]
Drop Acid by David Perlmutter, MD
My new book,
Drop Acid, does a deep dive into the revealing science of uric acid and how it is actually a central player in creating metabolic mayhem. In it, you will learn how to limit your fructose consumption and learned that in fact, there are ways in which your body will actually manufacture its own fructose even though you might not be eating it! And one of the biggest factors contributing to fructose production and therefore increased uric acid is consuming excess salt. No wonder excess salt consumption is associated with obesity, diabetes risk and hypertension.
You will learn how simple dietary supplements can be dramatically effective in helping you achieve your uric acid goal—a level below 5.5mg/dl. These include things like
quercetin,
vitamin C and
tart cherry. You will learn how sleep affects uric acid levels and how this now gives us a great explanation as to the relationship between nonrestorative sleep and metabolic issues like diabetes and obesity.
This uric acid connection explores so many of these relationships and really makes us recognize how powerful a tool we now have when we bring uric acid under control.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
