Drinking Water To Relieve Gout
Water is one of the best and simplest home remedies for gout. Water burns clean, it’s passed out of your urine, sweat, breathing, perspiring while working and it doesn’t stress the vital organs like the liver and kidneys and so on. Since water can serve as a joint lubricant, one who is at risk for gout should be sure to drink plenty of fluids. Drinking a half-gallon of water a day may keep gout attacks away. The recommended approximate amount is 8–12 eight fluid ounce glasses daily, (a glass/cup consisting of 8 oz. or 250 ml) or about eight glasses. If you’re not sure how much eight fluid ounces is exactly, observe how much by pouring water into a measuring cup.
Water may help dilute uric acid, but the real benefit is in its ability to help excrete some of the acid. Water may make it easier for the kidneys to excrete uric acid and may make it less likely that it will form crystals, thus hopefully preventing the next gout attack. When there’s less water in the body, the density of serum (blood) uric acid rises. Dehydration may also lead to kidney infections, stones and even failure and has been identified as a possible trigger for acute gout attacks. All this may create that excess uric acid that causes gout in the first place.
Other Health Benefits of Drinking Water
Furthermore, people on high protein diets are actually consuming more meat, which means they are at risk for consuming uric acid found in their food source. When eating meat and/or proteins, it takes seven times as much water for the kidneys to detoxify fats and proteins as it does for carbohydrates. It takes more water to separate the waste products from the protein and the principal food for the gout sufferer should be carbohydrates like veggies, fruits, grains, whole grain breads, whole wheat pastas and rice, preferably basmati. Body fluids transport waste products in and out of cells. Your kidneys do an amazing job of cleansing and ridding your body of toxins as long as your intake of fluids is adequate. Drinking more water may help the body flush out these harmful toxins. If you chronically drink too little, you may be at higher risk for developing kidney stones, especially in warm climates. Drinking more water may also help someone overweight lose excess weight, or maintain proper weight.
If you’re already on the process of losing that extra weight, water can help improve your physical performance. By keeping yourself hydrated, you counteract the effects of working out such as tiredness and fatigue. For those who do more intense workouts, drinking water can reduce oxidative stress in the body.
Drinking water also helps you focus better. There was a study done on hydration where they found that women who experienced 1.4% fluid loss from exercise had a decreased mood and concentration. They were also more prone to headaches. The male participants in the study who had 1.6% fluid loss had experienced poorer memory and they were more likely to feel anxiety and fatigue.
If you have a hard time passing stool, mineral water might just help. This is because this type of water contains magnesium and sodium which helps with the frequency and consistency of stool.
How Water Helps The Gout Sufferer
One school of thought about home remedies for gout is that the solubility of uric acid increases with a higher body pH ratio. That is, when the body is more alkaline, (higher pH) and therefore less acidic, the more uric acid may be dissolved and excreted. Drink the water in small amounts throughout the day. The amount of water to be consumed can be a bit intimidating when one tries to tackle it all at once or in sessions. Spread the water intake throughout the day to avoid getting overwhelmed. Doing this may also help reduce bloating and also check urine for water levels.
Your urine should be clear due to the constant water intake. If the urine does not appear clear, it is a sign to drink more water. You can also check your pH levels in the mornings with Ph Test Strips, when urinary pH is continuously between 6.5 in the a.m. and 7.5 by evening, you’re functioning in a healthy range. When you’re getting enough fluids, urine flows freely, is light in color and free of odor. When your body is not getting enough fluids, urine concentration, color, and odor increases because the kidneys trap extra fluid for bodily functions.
Water is the most important thing when you exercise. It’s essential for proper circulation, for urine production and temperature control. If you lose as much as 3% of your body weight in water, it may begin to interfere with the efficiency, in whatever sport you are involved in or whatever labour you are involved in. Lose 10% of your body weight by water and you may develop a heat stroke! So what do you then?
If you are going to exercise or play a sport, drink 24 ounces of water 2 hours before and then about 14 ounces just a few minutes before you exercise or compete. Then try and drink 7 ounces every 15 minutes while exercising or competing. What about drinking Gatorade to replace the potassium you lose while exercising? Not needed, eating one banana after exercising provides you with 7 times more potassium than 10 ounces of Gatorade or any other advertised products out there. Any fruit you eat after exercise will help replenish your carbohydrates, potassium and other minerals you lost while exercising. Water is the most important thing to take a lot of while exercising or playing a sport.
Finally, participants in an online survey who said they drank more than eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day experienced a 48% reduction in gout attacks, compared with individuals who reported drinking one glass of water or less a day according to a Boston University School of Medicine study.
So make sure water is with you everywhere you go, I carry a bottle with me from morning to night and keep refilling it all day long, very simply, the more water you drink the less chance you have of getting a gout attack. You will also feel better, more energetic and less sluggish, so put that Coke, beer, juice down and grab yourself some water.
What type of water should I drink?
Water may seem like a no-brainer drink but with all the variants out there from purified water to alkaline water, you’re probably wondering what type is best to take for gout.
If you can get alkaline water, that’s great since this helps balance out the acidity in your body which is causing some of the gout symptoms. However, if you only have plain water, that’s fine too! Just make sure it is clean and drinkable. If you are uncertain about the purity of your water, you can get a Brita water filter which removes contaminants in water like lead, copper, mercury, chlorine, and pesticides.
How will I know if I’m dehydrated?
You want to check for early signs before you actually get dehydrated. Thankfully, the symptoms are very easy to spot and remedy. The first thing to look out for is thirst. You will know what this is because of a dry mouth. As soon as you realize this, go ahead and drink a glass of water.
If you go to the bathroom and notice a strong smell in your urine, you probably need to up your water intake. The goal is to have a light yellowish pee.
If you feel muscle cramps, it can probably be remedied by just drinking water. You might also feel tired, in which case, a glass of water might just reenergize you. Keep an eye for these signs and you should be able to avoid dehydration before its other worse symptoms manifest.
To give you an idea of how easily you can get dehydrated, a fluid loss of 1-3% is about 2 to 5 pounds. That’s only if you exercise. What more if you did other things throughout the day such as do chores, running errands, walk under the heat of the sun, etc.
So the next time you’re in a bad mood, have a headache, or you feel weak, just grab a glass of water in your kitchen and it might just resolve your problem.
What has your experience been like with water as a remedy for your gout symptoms? Share your thoughts in the comments.
60 replies to "Gout and Water"
Il paraît que la maladie de la goutte es incurable, simplement il y a un traitement, que il faut suivre religieusement, sinon vraiment c’est le feu de l’enfer que tombe sur votre articulation; vous le savez bien. l’acide urique non parte pas, il non disparaître pas, simplement il continue de s’accumuler et avec un petit pretéxt il se réveille et vous attaque: donc il faut éviter de manger tout ce que est interdit; pas de blague, car pourrait attaquer vos reins et vous aurez besoin de une dialesis .
Je viens de souffrire un ataque sur mon genou, pendant trois semaines, les trois premiers jours je pensé mourir vraiment…SANS POUVOIR DU TOUT PLIER LE GENOU, sans pouvoir aller aux toilettes, je prends de la colchincine maintenant et doit le faire tous les jours de ici a six mois. Prenez garde a vous
Hi Spiro, what a great site! Since there are a lot of confusing sites out there, a few questions:
Do a few glasses of wine once every two weeks increase the incidence of gout?
How long can you safely take Indomethacin (150mg/day) for a gout flare?
I know you are not a Doctor, but do you have any anecdotal information to share?
I have been experiencing gout attacks for about 20 years and am currently on 200 mg of Allpurinol daily. Am finding your articles very informative. Recently felt the initial “twinges” preceding a gout attack and followed that up with Colchicine immediately. I decided I would pay more attention to my water intake and drank several glasses of water throughout the day.
By evening the “twinges” had subsided, got up this morning and still no pain!
These attacks usually last anywhere from 7 to 10 days.
Thanks for writing in!
[…] Water dilutes uric acid in the blood and stimulates the kidney to flush out excess uric acid. It’s recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water (8 glasses) every day. I recommend 12 glasses a day! Gout sufferers have to work a little harder. In addition to that, you can also drink other healthy fluids like lemon water, green tea and other herbal teas. […]
I recently changed to a local water providing company that uses reverse osmosis water. Is this something I should avoid, I’ve found mixed reviews in doing some basic internet searching. What are your thoughts on the reverse osmosis water vs. tap or spring water?
Just about everyone knows that Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems excel at removing water impurities, but few are aware that they also remove the beneficial minerals. In fact, the reverse osmosis process removes 92-99% of beneficial calcium and magnesium. So no I don’t recommend it. I do not recommend tap water either.
Spring water is good but I mostly recommend AlkaHydra now which boosts the pH of your water, it’s basically alkaline water what your body needs to help control your uric acid levels too. AlkaHydra consists of 74 Coral calcium minerals like Boron, Bromine, Calcium, Cesium, Chlorine, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Germanium, Indium, Iodine, Iridium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Phosphorus, Selenium, Silicon, Sodium, Strontium, Sulfur, Vanadium, Vitamin C, Zinc and more.
Does an infrared light help reduce inflammation and is it good for gout? Thank you.
Not really, there is no study that supports it.
Hi Spiro, I have just suffered a gout attack; I have had them about once every couple of years and normally with Naproxen it dissipates within a few days; this one lasted nearly 10 days. Needless to say, I have had a bit of a scare; I have been eating more tomatoes and I drink a lot of sparkling minteral water. Is there anything to say that sparkling minternal water is a no go? Your website is great, and very helpful – thank you.
Not per se, do drink more regular water though. Sparkling mineral water won’t raise uric acid or cause a gout attack. Now the tomatoes, I would definitely eat much less. They are a gout trigger for me and for many gout sufferers. Read my post on Gout and Tomatoes to learn why.
I have gained so much knowledge reading so much on gout from your site. Really appreciate the information as I was diagnosed with gout 8yrs ago, I still get my gout attacks but not as frequent. Reading all the information you provide has helped me understand so much on this topic. Great site, thank you!
You’re welcome Juan!
Hi Spiro.
I just came across your website and wanted to share this info with you.
I was 23 when I was diagnosed with gout after a blood test to confirm, I’m currently 49. I’ve suffered chronic gout since, so around 25 years. I have been to a number of specialists and after researching for years, trying everything under the sun medication and natural remedy wise, I can confirm that water is the best preventative measure.
As you know, everyone’s metabolism is different and we all have different triggers for an attack. I have found dehydration brings it on everytime.
Gout sufferers like myself should consume at a minimum 2X the daily recommended amount of water. I now consume 1.25 litres of water with every meal (hard at first but becomes easy) plus more water with snacks. It truly is the best preventative medicine for me, regarding gout. People that do not have serious hyperuricemia which leads to regular gout attacks wouldn’t require this quantity but for those that do, this quanitity works well for me.
All the best and kind regards,
Tim
Thanks for your comment Tim!
Hi Spiro,
I had a gout attack about one month ago and took Allopurinol for a couple of days. Then I went on holiday and drank quite a lot of lager for ten days. This would have normally started another attack but nothing happened at all. Then when I returned back to England after a week I had another attack. The only difference I can come up with is I was drinking filtered water while abroad and the water in my house has quite a lot of mineral deposits in it. Do you have any research on drinking filtered water to aid gout?
Hi Will!
There aren’t any studies that show this at this time although it’s a popular internet myth and there are some articles on the topic but no scientific evidence, but if it works then why stop it right? Regardless, drinking lots of water which helps flush out uric acid can only help.
[…] inside it. You don’t want to get dehydrated during a flight so make sure to drink plenty of water throughout your trip. And no, tea, coffee, or wine does not count. It can be tempting to take […]
Spiro, great site! I’m not sure salt causes hypertension. Please see: https://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/opinion/sunday/we-only-think-we-know-the-truth-about-salt.html
I haven’t seen much on drinking high PH water. This will counter the acid based foods that you eat and set your system to be balanced and aid in reducing uric acid.
Hi Bill!
Do you have any studies that show this?
From my research it’s not a cure-all but does help.
I have not seen studies but if you review an acid alkaline food chart it is very difficult to eat a balanced diet and drinking high PH water will definitely help.
Another great use for high ph water is every two to four weeks a person can drink the water with lemon for about 4 hours in the morning without eating to cleanse the kidneys. I have tested my uric acid after this procedure and it drops considerably.
[…] water. Humble, reliable water. There is some evidence to suggest increasing your hydration can reduce gout attacks. Drink at […]
[…] Water helps dilute the uric acid and assist the kidneys in flushing it out. Make sure to drink at least 12 1-ounce glasses of water every day. […]
This is great info!
I’m afraid of getting gout when I’m older. My family hasn’t had any problems with gout but I’m young and I do drink a lot. Weekends and occasionally after work I’ll have a few. I’m 27. I’ve heard of another individuals getting gout drinking about the same rate I do.
But I always drink plenty of water and my urine is clear most days of the week. Except early morning of course.
My question is Does keeping hydrated everyday keep gout away? Even when drinking often.
I also drink beer. I know that’s pretty bad for gout.
Hi Dev!
Yes drinking water helps flush out excess uric acid up to a certain point, so it is recommended you drink at least 12 cups a day but we recommend about 16 cups a day. Limit the alcohol best you can.
[…] it would be prudent to have a look at some of the core ingredients in tomatoes. To begin with, tomatoes are 90% water, and water is very important in reducing the effects of gout. Secondly, tomatoes are considered as […]
[…] it would be prudent to have a look at some of the core ingredients in tomatoes. To begin with, tomatoes are 90% water, and water is very important in reducing the effects of gout. Secondly, tomatoes are considered as […]
Hi! I had gout only once is it possible to never get it again?
Everything is possible Mike!
I am drinking Dasani Water which has a ph of 4. What should be the h of the water we drink?
Preferably over 7. Anything below 7 is considered acidic. Dasani is at 7.2 and considered alkaline.
I got treated gout attack a few months back now it’s here again and giving me much pain .I am using ice cubes for the pain & a pain killer and Feburic pill.I am drinking loads if water as well.I need to know is this enough to ward off or do I need to go through the whole procedure of curing it again ?Please help.
Hi Mohammed!
No water alone probably won’t be enough. Please read this post on most popular natural home remedies
Great site, thank you for all of the useful info. I was diagnosed with gout 20 years ago after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on my ankle. During these 20 years I’ve been on allopurinol 100 mg and have only experienced 4-5 gout outbursts, nothing debilitating thus far. Last month I had a flare-up of the elbow followwed immediately by a flare-up of my big toe (first time). My joint is stiff but the pain is bearable. I have no problem taking Colchicine as it does not adversely affect me. What should be my policy re colchicine? Do I take it even if I have no pain but just stiffness? If so, I’ve seen a ton of contradictory info on how to take colchicine. Do I take along with allopurinol? When should stop taking it? What dosage should I take? Thank you
Hi Asi!
I am not a doctor, so I can’t prescribe you medication, you should consult your doctor since I don’t know how serious your gout is and what your uric acid leves are. Usually, someone takes colchicine when suffering from a gout attack, so colchicine is mostly prescribed as a short term therapy for gout. Allopurinol on the other hand is prescribed as a long term therapy for gout, to help keep uric acid levels normal. Hope this helps.
I have just had a gout attack in my knee. It came from nowhere and literally left me thinking “Amputation….thats the answer!!” I have never known a pain like it in my life, so I’m on the research for why it occured. The only thing that I can think of, is I did eat a lot more tomatoes last week. Do you think this could have been the issue? I’m now on Colchicine tablets, and after three days the pain is going but is still there.
Could be David!
Had flare ups couple years back eating too many Greek salads with tomatoes from my mother’s garden since they taste so great. So yeah, I cut them out since then eating them very rarely.
[…] body. Staying hydrated is one effective way of limiting gout flares. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day but if you can, why not strive for 12?! Make sure a water bottle is with you everywhere you […]
[…] The water will help dilute the uric acid and flush it out from the kidneys. Drinking lots of water will also help avoid having water retention a common symptom during pregnancy, plus it will promote […]
[…] lots of water, by drinking more water it will stabilize your uric acid levels, flushing the excess. Make sure to read my post on water to understand its many benefits for us gout sufferers. Aim for 8 to 16 cups of water daily. Watch what you eat, that means avoiding all of the forbidden […]
Interestingly, using the watercures.org protocol (copious amounts of water and unrefined, whole Sea/Pink salt (not lethal, toxic, everyday table salt) will lower blood pressure too and can be used to treat gout is the claim.
Do you yourself still drink coffee every day? I find it very difficult to break away from coffee (I also put a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses in each cup), I’m torn on this as it doesn’t seem that coffee can actually improve one’s uric acid situation/excretion.
Yes I do drink coffee daily and I like to sprinkle some cinnamon on it.
Read my post on Gout and Coffee to learn more.
As for the salts you present, I’m going to have to research more on the subject.
Do you know of any studies that prove this claim that I can look at?
Regardless keep me posted on your experiment, it sounds interesting.
I came across your goutandyou.com website after I recently experienced my first full blown gout attack that gave me a purple right big toe/ball of foot, couldn’t walk or put work boot on.
I brought this on myself from drinking too much beer (Guinness Stout) every day and eating big breakfasts of those sausage, egg and cheese sandwiches you buy at the convenience store.
Your site is by far the most sensible and informative of the many I’ve visited. I find myself visiting often.
I’m interested in your take on using natural salt as part of the water cures protocol in treating gout, http://www.watercures.org/water-cures-protocol.html
I tried this using Real Salt, mined in Utah, and Selina Naturally Grey Sea Salt and it did seem to help.
The salt along with copious amounts of good water are supposed to flush uric acid from the body, lower blood pressure and provide numerous other benefits of being correctly hydrated.
Made sense to me so I’m trying it out. My blood pressure actually went down when I was checked at my doctor for the gout symptoms.
On your site you state not to use too much salt.
I’m new to the gout scene and was wondering what your opinion might be.
Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure so not too much of course. You don’t want to fix one health problem and start another.
Keep me posted on any progress.
[…] in the blood. Dehydration can also be a cause of gout, so make sure to always drink plenty of water and stay hydrated during hot days or when physically […]
[…] well hydrated you can trigger a gout attack if you’re not careful. I’ve said this many times, make sure to drink plenty of water, not gatorade but plain water! Try and exercise at least a minimum of 30 minutes a day for at least […]
[…] actually cause gout attacks. This is simply not true if you closely examine the ingredients. Tomatoes are 90% water and water is important for us gout sufferers. Next, tomatoes are a low purine food and all of my […]
[…] Drink a lot of water while suffering from an attack at least 12 glasses in a day in order to stabilize uric acid levels to a normal level. Some folks will add apple cider vinegar or even baking soda in water to lower uric acid levels a little quicker. Other gout patients have also experienced pain relief by eating a lot of cherries. […]
[…] Drink plenty of water, as a gout sufferer try and drink at least 12 glasses of water a day. […]
[…] acids like uric acid. [1] Many gout sufferers drink freshly squeezed lemon in a glass of water after meals to prevent a gouty attack. It definitely improves the digestive system and did you know […]
[…] 4. Drink plenty of water. […]
[…] amino acids, folic acid and fiber. Also note that more than 90 percent of strawberries are water since gout sufferers need plenty of water in their diet to get rid of urate crystals in the body. […]
[…] Drinking water to relieve gout […]
[…] How much water you should be drinking […]
[…] Discover how water helps relieve your gout […]
[…] How do I use celery seed? Celery seed can be taken naturally as fresh or as dried seeds but it is not recommended to eat the seeds themselves as they tend to be bitter and can be hard to swallow. They are also available as tablets and the recommended dosage is 500 mg (standardized to 450 mg of celery seed extract) 2 times daily. Furthermore, it can be taken in capsules filled with celery seed oil and finally you can also take it as an extract which works best. Since celery seed is a diuretic, it is important to drink plenty of water. […]
[…] caffeine is a diuretic and you will need to adjust your water intake accordingly by drinking more water. Drinking green tea can also trigger more frequent urination, which can help remove excess uric […]
[…] How drinking plain water can relieve gout […]