How vitamin C is helpful to cure gout

Gout sufferers experience a great disruption of their usual activities of daily living during attacks. Intense pain, along with severe articular and periarticular inflammation is two of the most debilitating sign and symptom that gout can impose to anyone suffering from it. Gout is caused by excess levels of uric acid in the blood or medically dubbed as hyperuricemia. We can say that a person has hyperuricemia when his/her laboratory results read as uric acid level of more than 6mg/dL or 0.35 mmol/L. There are a number of approved and proven pharmacologic treatments for gout in the market nowadays. There are those that inhibit the production of uric acid whilst some aid in excreting the excess uric acid thereby attaining the common objective of gout treatment, which is to reduce the uric acid levels in the body.

However, natural remedies are now introduced in the market for gout sufferers to try to prove if these remedies are indeed effective. One of these is Vitamin C. it has emerged as amongst the different mechanisms of action of various gout medications; Vitamin C resembles the excretory nature of some drugs. Meaning, it aids in flushing out the excess uric acid levels out from the body; therefore, a decrease of uric acid levels, subsequently eliminating the state of hyperuricemia.

The potential of Vitamin C being a natural remedy for gout has been a topic of interest in the medical and pharmacological field for the past three decades. However, a discrepancy in dosage can be inferred in the different research studies. Others administered a daily dose of only half of a gram whilst others administered four, five and even up to ten grams (4 – 10 grams) daily. Most of the participants exhibited an average of 0.5 mg/dL reduction of uric acid levels in the body. Although this reduction might not be so significant, it will still make a difference if taken in adjunct to the various pharmacologic therapies available in the market nowadays, plus eating a low purine diet.

Some might think of over or mega dosing intake of Vitamin C in order to achieve significant results; however, this should not be the case. Always remember that everything has a limitation and anything taken in excess will in one way or another resulting in some bad outcomes. That is why it is very important to take Vitamin C in its appropriate and recommended daily dose. After all, treating gout is neither a race nor an overnight affair. The most evident undesirable outcome of megadosing is gout attack itself, because rapid changes in uric acid levels can trigger this.

The recommended daily dose of Vitamin C intake is 500 mg. However, if you want to go up a notch higher, say you want a 1000 mg daily dose or more, you must consult with your physician first. Do not change your dosing by your own because as stated above, improper dosage might result to undesirable effects. Lastly, follow your doctor's advice to prevent untoward effects. Happy day!

Source: mariah1977