5 Drinks That Can Increase Your Gout Risk

Gout pain is caused by crystals of uric acid that form inside joints. If you have ever had a gout attack, you know that it is a very painful type of arthritis. You should also know that your gout risk goes up when your diet is high in purines. Purines are found in high-protein foods, and they are also found in some drinks.

Patients at risk for gout should avoid beverages with high purine contents. The body converts purines into uric acid. A diet high in purines can raise uric acid levels and potentially lead to a gout attack. Here’s our list of the worst drinks when you have gout.

Beer and Gout Risk

While all alcohol can affect gout, beer has the most purines among alcoholic drinks and has a strong association with gout attacks, according to research. One study found that men who drank one serving of beer daily were 50 percent more likely to have gout. Men who drank two or more servings daily were 2.5 times more likely to have gout.

Alcohol and Gout Risk

Although beer may be the worst drink for gout, any alcoholic beverage can trigger gout symptoms in people who are prone to the disease, including wine or hard liquor, according to a study. Alcohol affects your kidneys, causing them to excrete alcohol instead of uric acid. This in turn raises the amount of uric acid in your blood, notes CreakyJoints.

Soft Drinks and Gout Risk

Studies have found an increased gout risk from sugar-sweetened drinks. Sugar-sweetened drinks are rich in fructose. Fructose is broken down into purines in the body. In one study, men who had two or more servings of sugar-sweetened soft drinks daily had an 85 percent higher risk of a gout attack than those who drank just one a month.

Orange Juice and Gout Risk

Many sugar-sweetened juices can increase your risk for gout, but naturally sweetened juices like orange juice may also be a gout risk trigger. Orange juice has a similar amount of fructose as many sugary beverages, as research has noted, and fructose breaks down into purines. For this reason, doctors may suggest you limit how much orange juice and other fruit juices you drink when you have gout.

Energy Drinks and Gout Risk

While there isn’t much research about energy drinks and gout, some energy drinks may have a high sugar content, including fructose. This can increase the uric acid levels in the body, as a study from 2023 found, which can increase the risk of gout.

A Note About Caffeine and Gout Risk

Some studies have suggested that drinking caffeine in moderation may protect you from gout, including a research analysis from 2022 that reported that coffee consumption reduced gout risk. But remember that caffeine may affect you differently if you have other health conditions. Make sure to talk to your doctor to find out if it’s okay for you to drink coffee when you have gout, advises the Mayo Clinic.