Doctors aren’t sure how diabetes and gout are linked but they are convinced the two diseases affect each other negatively.
Most agree that if you have one, you are likely to have the other as well.
Gout occurs when your body has too much uric acid in the blood, causing a type of arthritis.
Type 2 diabetes, the most common form among gout patients, occurs when you have too much sugar in your blood.
The cause of diabetes is your body isn’t producing enough insulin to control your blood sugar.
The Relationship Between Gout and Diabetes
How are the two diseases related?
The plausible answer is that studies show diabetics have high levels of uric acid in their blood.
Doctors believe that insulin production, coming at high spurts at times for those with high blood sugar,
prevents kidneys from working effectively.
The kidneys are the organs that get rid of uric acid. High uric acid then leads to gout.
It is also noted that inflammation, such as those gout patients experience, affects diabetes.
Practical Things You Can Do
Those who suffer from either gout or diabetes can do some practical things to lessen the risk of getting the other disease and control the chronic condition afflicting them.
Here are three things to start doing.
1. Lose weight.
The one common factor of those who have both gout and diabetes is they are overweight.
Extra fat makes the risk of having both ailments more likely.
Losing the pounds will not only reduce the risk but will help you control either or both.
2. Quit drinking.
There are lots of pro-alcohol studies that state moderate amounts can help your heart and reduce your diabetes risk.
Too much alcohol hurts your liver and reduces the effectiveness of your pancreas in producing insulin,
which can result in Type 2 diabetes.
3. Treat your other health problems.
Be sure to stay on top of all your health issues, especially if you have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Both are linked to gout and diabetes.
Managing all your other health problems will reduce your risk of gout and diabetes as well since your body tends to function interdependently.
