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Vitamin C wards off gout

Men with a higher intake of vitamin C from food or supplements have a lower risk of developing gout, say researchers from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver in a paper published in the Archives of Internal Medicine journal.

Sufferers are typically men age 40 and older, although it is known to also strike women.

Gout can lead to permanent joint damage and is linked to alcohol abuse, obesity, high blood pressure and a diet heavy in meat and cheese.

The research team found vitamin C appears to lower the levels of uric acid in the blood.

The four year study followed nearly 47,000 American men from 1986 to 2006 for a variety of health issues. The researchers found that every 500 milligram increase of daily vitamin C intake produced a 17% decrease in the risk for gout.

An orange has about 70 milligrams of vitamin C – higher concentrations come in pill form.

Vitamin C may affect reabsorption of uric acid by the kidneys, increase the speed at which the kidneys work or protect against inflammation, all of which may reduce gout risk, the authors note.

But before stocking up on vitamin C, gout sufferers are reminded not to over do it. The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council suggest adults should not consume more than 1000 milligrams of vitamin C each day.

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