Do you know that the knowledge about uric acid’s normal range can help you to control the uric acid?
Uric acid is a waste product in your body.
In some cases, it can build up in joints and tissues, causing a range of health issues.
These include gout, a form of arthritis.
Moreover, uric acid contains purines that are also present in high amounts in certain foods.
These are certain meats, sardines, dried beans, and beer.
Purines form and break down in your body.
In normal cases, your body filters out uric acid through your kidneys and in urine.
However, when you consume too much purine in your diet, or if your body is unable to get rid of this by-product, uric acid can build up in your body.
Keep on reading to learn more about uric acid normal range, what causes changes in it, and more in this guide.
Uric Acid Normal Range
Uric acid in your blood is normal.
However, if the uric acid levels go high above a healthy range, it can cause a number of issues.
High uric acid levels can also increase your risk of gout.
Moreover, it is unusual to have low uric acid levels, but it is also possible when you pass too much urine as waste.
The following table can give you a better understanding of low, normal, and high levels of uric acid in your blood.
These amounts are in milligrams per deciliter. i.e. mg/dl.
Uric acid level |
Males |
Females |
Low |
below 2.5 mg/dl |
below 1.5 mg/dl |
Normal |
2.5–7.0 mg/dl |
1.5–6.0 mg/dl |
High |
above 7.0 mg/dl |
above 6.0 mg/dl |
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Uric Acid Buildup in Body
Purines are certain chemicals that naturally occur in your body and in some foods.
When your body breaks down purines, it creates uric acid as a waste product.
Moreover, your kidneys are responsible to filter them from the blood and pass it out of the body in your urine.
However, in some cases, your blood can have uric acid build-up.
The medical term for this condition is Hyperuricemia.
It can occur when your body produces too much uric acid or does not get rid of enough of it.
Excessive uric acid in the blood can lead to crystals forming in your joints and tissues.
This in turn causes inflammation and gout symptoms.
Causes of Changes in Uric Acid Normal Range
There are certain factors that can lead to changes in the uric acid normal range.
The cause of high uric acid levels is not always clear.
However, certain factors like genetic and environmental factors like your diet and health play a role.
Some of the risk factors of hyperuricemia are:
use of diuretics
- a high purine diet
- diabetes
- being male
- drinking alcohol
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Related Medical Conditions
One of the important things to note is that changes in the uric acid normal range can lead to certain diseases and even treatments.
Moreover, high uric acids level are associated with gout, cancer treatment, and kidney disease.
Let’s discuss them as follows:
Gout
A gout is a form of arthritis and the symptoms come and go, often affecting just one joint.
If you have this condition, uric acid builds up in the joints and tissues, causing pain, swelling, and discoloration.
Moreover, gout most commonly affects the toe joints, ankles, and knees.
Cancer Treatment
When cells in your body die, they release purines.
These release uric acid into the blood when the body breaks them down.
Some cancer treatments, like chemotherapy, can cause cells in your body to die.
Uric acid testing is a part of medical treatment if you have cancer.
Kidney Disease
Your kidney has the ability to filter waste from the blood including uric acid.
Moreover, kidney disease can cause damage to the kidney and can stop them from working normally.
When this occurs, waste products that also include uric acid can build up in your blood.
Fanconi Syndrome
Low uric acid is very rare.
One of the most prevalent medical conditions that cause low uric acid levels is Fanconi syndrome.
It is rare kidney disease and in this condition, your kidneys are unable o absorb certain nutrients into the body.
Additionally, it can cause a lack of energy, dehydration, and problems with the bones,
If you have this condition then you will have low uric acid levels as too much of this substance is passing out of your body in the urine.
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Symptoms of Changes in Uric Acid Normal Range
If you have high or low uric acid levels, then you may not necessarily have symptoms.
Symptoms may not appear until you have levels outside the normal range for a long period of time.
Moreover, it can cause different health problems.
Some of the symptoms of gout, which high uric acid levels can case are:
- painful or swollen joints
- shiny, discolored skin around the joints
- joints that feel warm to the touch
On the other hand, symptoms of kidney stones that high uric acid levels can cause are:
Back pain, pain in the side, frequent urination, urine that is cloudy, small unusual or contains blood, nausea, and vomiting.
Moreover, low uric acid levels are less common than high ones.
If you have a low uric acid level then you may urinate more than usual.
This can cause dehydration if you are not drinking enough water.
Diagnosing changes in Uric Acid Normal Range
A uric acid test helps to measure the amount of uric acid in your blood or urine.
You may need this test if you have symptoms of gout or kidney stones or are undergoing cancer treatment.
This test, however, does not carry any risks.
Your healthcare professional will take a small sample of blood with a needle or ask you to collect the urine over a 24-hour period.
Moreover, the lab technicians will test the sample for uric acid levels.
In some cases, your doctor may perform a joint aspiration.
In this test, they will use a needle and syringe to remove a small amount of fluid from the swollen joint.
The presence of uric acid crystals in the fluid indicates gout.
If the doctor needs more information to diagnose any health conditions linked with uric acid levels, they may perform a physical examination.
Furthermore, they will ask questions about your medical history and current symptoms.
In some cases, you may have high uric acid levels and experience no symptoms of a medical condition.
You will most likely need treatment unless they develop symptoms.
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Treatment of High and Low Levels
Certain foods contain purines which create uric acid when your body breaks them down.
Eating a diet that is too rich in purines can cause uric acid to build up in the blood.
It is not possible to avoid purines completely as small amounts are still present in many foods.
However, you can follow a low purine diet and take certain steps to help lower purine levels.
Some of the foods that include moderate or high levels of purines are:
Alcohol, bacon, turkey, veal, organ meats, shellfish, trout, haddock, anchovies, sardines, and herring.
In case you are experiencing gout, you will need to limit the above foods in your diet.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs, and steroids can help to reduce pain and inflammation.
They do so by treating acute gout flare.
Moreover, you can take the following steps to prevent gout flares:
- avoid alcohol
- reach or maintain a moderate weight
- protect your joints with gentle, low impact exercises like walking, bicycling, and swimming
In case you are suffering from gout, you will need to get a uric acid test every 6 months.
Keeping your uric acid within the normal range can help to reduce pain, joint, damage, and complications from gout.
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Preventative Steps to maintain Uric Acid Normal Range
In order to maintain uric acid normal range, you can take the following steps.
Limit Purine Rich Foods
Limit the source of uric aid in your diet.
These are organ meats, pork, turkey, fish and shellfish, scallops, mutton, veal, cauliflower, green peas, dried beans, and mushrooms.
Avoid Sugar
While protein-rich foods can cause an increase in uric acid normal levels, recent studies indicate that sugar can also be a potential cause.
Added sugars to food include table sugar, corn syrup, and high fructose corn syrup, among other sources.
Sugar fructose is the main type of simple sugar and research indicates that it can lead to high levels of uric acid.
Make sure to check food labels for added sugars.
Moreover, sugary drinks, soda, and even fresh juices contain high concentrations of fructose and glucose-containing sugar.
Thus, make sure to replace sugar drinks to avoid changes to your uric acid normal range.
Drink More Water
Drinking plenty of fluids helps you to flush out uric acid faster.
Keep a water bottle with you and set an alarm every hour to remind you to take a few sips.
Lose Weight
Along with the food you consume, extra pounds can also cause changes to the uric acid normal range.
Fat cells make more uric acid than muscle cells and carrying extra pounds can make it hard for your kidneys to filter out uric acid.
Talk to your nutritionist about a healthy diet and weight loss plan to reduce those extra kilos.
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Final Thoughts
Uric acid is a waste by-product that can cause damage to your joints and tissues it builds up in excess. When you have high uric acid for a long period of time, you can develop different health conditions.
On the other hand, if you have gout, it is important to keep your uric acid within the normal range. Doing this can help to improve the symptoms and reduce the risk of a gout flare.