Coffee Drinkers and Gout

Gout is an inherited metabolic disorder that results in excessive uric acid in the blood and urine. Though linked to a rich diet, the diet is not the cause of the disease but an antagonist of the disorder. Deposits of uric acid crystals form in and around the joints which causes acute arthritis and joint inflammation. Limiting the foods high in purine is helpful in reducing uric acid in the system and the discomforts of the inflammation. Coffee has been linked to reducing uric acid and the risk of gout in 57% of the participants in a 26 year study. The average intake of the 89,000 persons in the study was 4 cups per day, decaf and regular. Tea was not linked to reducing risk, though other studies are still underway. Coffee drinkers also have a lower risk of developing Type II diabetes and Parkinson's disease. However, too much caffeine may cause insomnia and the jitters! Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant should minimize caffeine.
~ American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010