What Is Uric Acid in a Blood Test?
Uric acid is a waste product from purine breakdown. Excess uric acid forms crystals that deposit in joints (gout) or kidneys (stones).
Normal Ranges
- Men: 3.4–7.2 mg/dL
- Women: 2.4–6.0 mg/dL
- Above 6.8 mg/dL = crystal formation possible
- Above 7.2 mg/dL = hyperuricemia
High Uric Acid Causes
- Diet: red meat, organ meats, seafood, beer, fructose-sweetened drinks
- Reduced kidney excretion
- Medications: diuretics, low-dose aspirin
- Metabolic syndrome
- Genetics
- Rapid cell turnover — chemotherapy, psoriasis
Health Consequences
- Gout — severe joint pain (classically big toe)
- Kidney stones
- Chronic kidney disease
- Cardiovascular risk
Lowering Uric Acid
- Limit red meat, organ meats, seafood, alcohol
- Drink plenty of water
- Allopurinol or febuxostat for recurrent gout
- Weight loss
Source: NLM MedlinePlus, American Association for Clinical Chemistry.
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