A study that appeared in the June issue of Arthritis Care & Research reported a link between the amount of coffee a person drinks and the level of uric acid in their blood. From an analysis of 14,758 participants in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), researchers found that those who drank the most coffee had the lowest serum uric acid levels.1This association did not hold for tea or other caffeinated beverages. It was however seen with decaffeinated coffee consumption, leading researchers to hypothesize that components in coffee other than caffeine were responsible.
High uric acid levels can lead to gout, a painful condition that arises when uric acid crystals are deposited in tissue surrounding joints.
Uric Acid's Relationship to Diabetes
Other studies have reported a relationship between uric acid levels and insulin resistance, diabetes, and other markers of the metabolic syndrome.
In 2005, researchers in Korea reported the following from their study of 53,477 Korean adult men (64%) and women:2
"Serum uric acid concentration was found to be independently correlated with hypertension, insulin resistance and the risk factors of metabolic syndrome. In addition, even those with a serum uric acid concentration in the normal range showed an increased risk of metabolic syndrome as serum uric acid concentration increased."In 2003, researchers in Japan reported the following from their study of 2310 Japanese male office workers:3
"Serum uric acid level is closely associated with an increased risk for hypertension and IFG [impaired fasting glucose] or Type II diabetes."In 2004, researchers in Finland reported the following from their study of 1423 middle-aged Finnish men:4
"Serum uric acid levels are a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease mortality in healthy middle-aged men."The above studies are correlational, not causal. They haven't found that reducing levels of uric acid can reduce risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or other disorders of the metabolic syndrome. Such trials may prove clinically relevant.
2 Relationship Between Serum Uric Acid Concentration And Insulin Resistance And Metabolic Syndrome
3 Serum Uric Acid And Risk For Development Of Hypertension And Impaired Fasting Glucose Or Type II Diabetes In Japanese Male Office Workers
4 Uric Acid Level as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality in Middle-aged Men
