Hyperuricemia: Can turmeric help to control high levels of uric acid?

High levels of uric acid in the body is a cause of concern for many and it takes a toll on the body. Hence, it is important to control its levels at the initial stage as it can lead to not only joint pain but also issues related to the kidney and obesity. But did you know that turmeric can also be helpful in controlling high uric acid levels, which is also known as hyperuricemia?

What exactly is hyperuricemia?

It is a condition of elevated uric acid level in the blood. The normal upper limit is 6.8 mg/dL, and anything over 7 mg/dL is considered saturated. Elevated level of uric acid can be the result of either increased production or decreased excretion of uric acid, or a combination of both processes.

What are its symptoms?

“One-third of people with hyperuricemia are asymptomatic. But people who have high uric acid levels over a long time, do show the symptoms or the clinical manifestations like gout. severe pain in joints, joint stiffness, difficulty in moving affected joints, redness and swelling, and misshapen joints which mostly start with the toe.

Severity of hyperuricemia can also manifest as stones in the kidney. The patient can experience pain or aching in the lower back, side, abdomen, or groin, nausea, increased urge to urinate, pain when urinating, blood in the urine, and foul-smelling urine. If one has a kidney infection, one may experience fever or chills as well,” Ira Rattan, senior diabetes educator and medical nutritional therapist, tells HealthShots.

Also, read: Here’s everything you didn’t know about the many benefits of turmeric

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Can turmeric help in the problem of high uric acid levels?

Curcumin is the most active chemical in turmeric. It is responsible for turmeric’s potent anti-inflammatory abilities.

“Since curcumin is fat soluble, it’s necessary to have it with fat or lipids along with black pepper in order to be absorbed effectively by the body. Therefore, especially for lactose intolerant and vegans, it’s good to have it after roasting turmeric in half a teaspoon of coconut oil and a pinch of black pepper while boiling it in water. To increase its efficacy, ginger root can be added too,” Rattan adds.

How can hyperuricemia be controlled?

While it’s important to find the root cause of the problem, diet plays a very important role in controlling the uric acid levels and preventing it from being hyper-inflammatory. About two-thirds of the uric acid in the blood is naturally made by our body. The rest is produced when our body breaks down substances called purines, which are found in many foods.

“High-purine foods include seafood, red meat, and alcohol. Drinking the required amount of water, preferably in sips, along with eating cherries, citrus fruits, high magnesium food like cashews, makhanas can be helpful. In fact, soaking the feet in water with Epsom salt can be very beneficial too. Ginger turmeric with black pepper and coconut oil is the best concoction for any inflammatory relief,” Rattan says.

Is turmeric beneficial for other health problems too?

Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is a God-sent natural antibiotic gift for humans. The potent antioxidant can neutralize free radicals due to its chemical structure. The main reason antioxidants are so beneficial is that they protect your body from free radicals. Therefore, curcumin can help as an anti-inflammatory for treating a variety of ailments, from cold and cough, heart diseases and arthritis to gout, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, depression and even cancer.

However, it’s important to ask your doctor if one is consuming too much turmeric or any curcumin supplements.