What Can Lemon Juice Do For Your Gout?

Lemon is a citrus fruit with a distinct flavor and aroma that appeals to many people. The zest of a lemon has a richer flavor and aroma, whereas lemon juice is delightfully acidic. Both are unquestionably excellent flavor enhancers.

Lemons arouse your senses of taste and scent, making other foods more appealing. The citric acid in lemon juice, which is around 6%, is what gives it its sour flavor. Its pulp can also be used in baking and cooking.

It also serves as a key ingredient in many drinks and foods. That’s because the average lemon contains around 3 tablespoons of juice. Lemons, like citrus fruit, are naturally high in vitamin C and also have some vitamin B complex.

More importantly for us gout patients, lemons may be a highly effective natural treatment for gout symptoms.

Lemons are a versatile gift of nature

Lemon juice may be used as a natural remedy for many ailments. These include dizziness, headaches, bleeding gums, nose bleeds, throat pain, anemia, constipation, and hiccups. In fact, many women will inhale the aroma of lemons to help with their nausea and consume them for an easier childbirth.

Lemons are available throughout the year but are mostly in season from May to August. Like other fruits, lemons contain unique flavonoids that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties.

Studies have shown that citric acid in fruits like oranges, clementines, tangerine, and lemons can help dissolve uric acid in your blood. Thus, fruits high in citric acid, such as lemons, can help relieve gout symptoms.

How lemons really affect the body’s acidity

Lemons are also a liver stimulant, which strengthens the case for including them in your gout diet. Acidosis is defined as a person’s blood pH being less than 7. Furthermore, a blood pH below 7.0 for an extended length of time can be fatal.

The crystallization of uric acid causes gout. In more extreme cases, it can lead to kidney stones, which you definitely don’t want.

One way to improve the body’s acidity and remove it is by alkalinizing the urine. Lemon juice helps stimulate the formation of calcium carbonate, which neutralizes acids like uric acid. Many gout sufferers drink freshly squeezed lemon in a glass of water after meals to prevent a gouty attack.

Not only does this help improve the digestive system but it also helps reduce heat in your body. This is why lemon juice with water is given to you at restaurants in the summertime.

Is it possible to have too much lemon juice?

Adults treated with lemon juice had no negative side effects, according to medical studies. However, until your body digests lemon juice, it remains acidic. The natural (citric) acid in lemons can erode the enamel (outer layer) of your teeth.

Your tongue, throat, and stomach may also be irritated. Avoid consuming pure, undiluted lemon juice to avoid these negative effects. After drinking lemon water, rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth.

Gout is a painful and incurable form of arthritis

The fact that a medical condition can be both painful and incurable is terrifying. Yet, millions of people around the world suffer from gout. Indeed, gout is one of the most frequent types of inflammatory arthritis.

Gout was often thought to be caused by excessive consumption of food and alcohol, earning it the moniker “king’s disease.” However, scientists subsequently discovered that, while certain foods may aggravate the illness, they do not cause it.

Gout develops when uric acid (urate) levels in the blood rise, causing uric acid crystals to form in the joints, causing inflammation and severe pain. These findings led researchers to believe that gout is caused by a deficiency in the kidney’s ability to eliminate uric acid, a consequence of purine metabolism.

Gout is a condition that causes terrible pain in your joints, particularly the big toe. It is caused by an excess of uric acid in your blood. Sharp crystals can form over time as a result of this acid, which collects in the big toe and other joints.

Gout is more common in males than in women, according to specialists. Menopause, on the other hand, increases the danger of females. Apart from gender, there are numerous other risk factors for this type of arthritis.

Genes, kidney stones, heavy alcohol consumption, and obesity are among them.

The link between weight gain and gout

Excessive body weight has been linked in several studies to high amounts of uric acid, the gout cause. The harmful belly fat that surrounds the liver and other organs in the abdomen, known as visceral fat, puts you at risk for major health problems.

Metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes are among the most frequent conditions.

According to the findings of a recent study, research subjects with high amounts of belly fat had a 47.4 percent chance of experiencing a flare-up, or a sudden onset of discomfort. Those with a lean body, on the other hand, were 27.3 percent more vulnerable.

Maybe your beer belly isn’t actually beer belly

You might be wondering how we got our pot belly or beer belly to begin with. The most common responses are that you don’t exercise enough or that you eat too many fatty or sugary foods.

Other possible explanations include a lack of nutrients in your diet or genetics! It was passed on from your parents to you. To be fair, all of these points are valid.

On the other hand, several disorders, ailments, and conditions may be to blame for your belly fat. They are frequently unrelated to a lack of exercise or sufficient nutrition. The truth is that being overweight raises your risk of gout and the health issues that come with it.

When it comes to gout, though, where you put on weight is crucial.

With gout, where you gain weight is important

People with visceral fat, or abdominal fat, for example, are more likely to get gout. This is true even if they aren’t officially overweight. This could be due to the fact that abdominal fat creates more inflammatory chemicals that can cause the disease than subcutaneous fat, such as the fat on your thighs.

Gout sufferers are more likely to have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke than the general population. Inflammation, not gout, appears to be the common thread, according to research.

Obesity is also associated with a number of these comorbidities. Gout affects more than just the big toe; it also affects other organs, including the heart.

Keeping gout flare-ups in check with lemon juice

To treat sudden bouts of gout pain, doctors typically prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers, among other things. A simple kitchen ingredient like lemon, on the other hand, can help you manage this condition at home. Especially during a lockdown, when you have limited access to treatment and doctors.

According to research, drinking freshly squeezed lemon juice can lower your uric acid levels and help you avoid gout flare-ups. According to a six-week study published in Elsevier, a Dutch publishing and analytics company, drinking fresh lemon juice every day reduces uric acid levels in adults.

This study also tested lemon fruit extract on mice with high levels of this acid. There, too, the outcomes were favorable.

The data on lemon juice for gout just keeps piling up

Another clinical study examined the blood tests of 75 people who drank freshly squeezed lemonade every day for six weeks. The research included the following:

● people who suffer from gout.

● individuals with elevated uric acid levels but no gout symptoms.

● people who do not have gout or high uric acid levels.

The data confirmed that all groups had lower levels of uric acid at the end of the observation period.

The studies concluded that lemons and lemon juice, in conjunction with medications and other dietary changes, could be an effective treatment for gout. Lemon juice may also help people with high uric acid levels avoid gout.

Even those with normal uric acid levels may benefit from using lemon juice to balance blood acid.

How do I take lemon juice in my gout diet?

Adding lemon to your gout diet is very easy. Simply squeeze out the juice from 1 or 2 lemons and add them to a cool glass of water. You should do this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for maximum effect.

You can also combine lemon and baking soda to achieve a pH level of 7 in your body, which keeps it neutral. This could help restore equilibrium nearly instantly.

Simply add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and ½ a tablespoon of baking soda in a glass of water and mix it very well. You can mix it for about two minutes to make sure it doesn’t foam or fizz. Make sure it’s flat before drinking it!

Don’t add more or less with this recipe because it won’t be as effective. You can also infuse some slices of lemon inside a cup of hot drinking water twice daily. 100 g (3.5oz) lemon also includes 138 mg of potassium which is also very important for us gout sufferers.

It’s also a good idea to include as much potassium as possible in your gout diet. By the way, you can also try any of these recipes with lime as well. I personally use lemons in my diet. I like to add them to my green tea in the wintertime. During the summertime, I prefer them in my cool glasses of water. I also love to sprinkle it on my broccoli, swiss chard, rapini, spinach, and in my salads.

Throughout the day, drink lemon water!

A single glass of lemon water for gout can only reduce uric acid by a small amount. So, in addition to your morning glass of lemon water, you should drink lemon water throughout the day.

The simplest way to accomplish this is to make a pitcher of water with lemon juice and store it in the refrigerator.

When you go to the kitchen for a drink, you can easily help yourself to it. Having it ready-made increases the likelihood that you’ll reach for your lemon water instead of a soda.

Furthermore, if you’re trying to lose weight to help with your gout, the water will fill you up and suppress your appetite.

Before you eat, drink some lemon-infused water to avoid mistaking dehydration for hunger.

Changes in diet can help with gout

Purine-rich foods, such as alcoholic beverages, soda, and gluten, are considered to be major risk factors for the development of gout. Of course, these types of foods are normally seen as unhealthy anyways and tend to fall under the category of “junk foods”.

However, even meals that are thought to be healthful can increase the chance of a gout attack. Tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant are examples of them. They’re classic vegetables that are commonly seen in healthy foods.

They are, however, connected to a higher incidence of gout. This is due to the presence of a chemical known as solanine, which can cause joint pain in some people. Therefore, if you suffer from gout, you should minimize the intake of these types of foods.

Incorporating meals that help to alkalize your body’s pH level is also a good idea for long-term gout symptoms treatment. Lemon juice is one of these foods.

The fact that an acidic item like a lemon might help with gout treatment may seem counterintuitive. Despite this, numerous studies have discovered that lemon juice is useful in neutralizing acids in the body, such as uric acid.

How lemon juice can help combat gout

Lemon juice can aid with gout attacks in a variety of ways. Lemons have three major components that aid to minimize gout attacks: citric acid, vitamin C, and potassium.

1. Citric acid:
   Gout attacks occur when your body’s pH falls below 7, towards the acidic end of the scale. This is known as acidosis, and it refers to an excess of uric acid in the body in gout patients.
2. Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, clementines, and tangerines have been shown in studies to help dissolve uric acid. This is due to the citric acid they contain. This aids in the formation or increase of calcium carbonate in the body. This formation aids in lowering the amount of uric acid.
3. With a concentration of between 5% and 6%, lemon juice has the highest concentration of citric acid. Lemon juice is the clear winner when it comes to the best citrus fruit to help with gout.
4. Lemon juice contains citric acid, which acts as a liver stimulant and aids in the prevention of kidney stones. Gout is complicated further by kidney stones. Kidney stones are not only painful, but they can also cause other health problems.
5. Vitamin C:
   Lemon juice, in addition to citric acid, has a high level of vitamin C, with around 95 mg per cup.
6. According to medical studies, the more vitamin C men consumed, the less likely they were to develop gout. This is thought to be due to the fact that vitamin C protects against gout by lowering serum urate and assisting in its removal through the kidneys.
7. However, while vitamin C consumption has been linked to a lower risk of developing gout, there is less evidence that vitamin C helps people who already have gout. In another related study, vitamin C did not significantly reduce uric acid levels in gout patients.
8. Despite this, studies have shown that the vitamin C in lemon juice can help relieve gout pain. This is due to its ability to heal and maintain the health of blood vessels, tendons, and ligaments.
9. In fact, when used with your regular medication, lemon water may help to alleviate some of the symptoms of arthritis. For example, Vitamin C has been found to help promote collagen synthesis which can aid in repairing damage to tendons.
10. In addition, Vitamin C can play a key role in bolstering the immune system. This has been noticed in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system assaults healthy cells, resulting in joint inflammation.
11. Finally, Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage cells. In disorders like arthritis, free radicals are thought to have a beneficial role.
12. Potassium:
    Potassium is also present in lemon juice, with roughly 250 milligrams per cup. Studies have indicated that potassium citrate can help lower acidity in the body.
13. Because lemon juice contains organic salts like malate and citrate, it has a high potassium content. These salts help your body expel uric acid through urine, neutralizing it.
14. Potassium also prevents the formation of uric acid crystals and aids in the breakdown of those that have already formed. As a result, the kidneys will work more efficiently, and kidney stones will be less likely to form.

The nutritional properties of lemon

According to the USDA, a cup of lemon water containing one lemon’s juice includes 19 mg of Vitamin C, 11 calories, 10 micrograms of folate (a vitamin that helps prevent anemia), and around 49 mg of potassium.

Aside from pouring lemon juice in water, other parts of the fruit and various ways of using lemons are also beneficial for the treatment of gout.

● Lemon peel:
Vitamin C, calcium, and a little quantity of fiber are all found in the peel. You can add the zest of the lemon to your lemon water. Before using the peel, make sure the lemon has been thoroughly washed.

● Lemon extract:
Lemon extract has a lot of potential health benefits. The peel of the lemon is used to make lemon extract, while the center of the fruit is used to make lemon juice.

Citrus peel extract has shown encouraging results in animals with elevated cholesterol levels.

● Lemon Inhalation Aromatherapy:
Many people believe that using lemon essential oils for aromatherapy makes them feel more concentrated. It was proven to help lower anxiety after orthopedic surgery in a small 2016 research.

Another study from 2014 found that inhaling lemon essential oils can help prevent nausea and morning sickness during pregnancy.

Living a healthy lifestyle is key to fighting gout

It can be very easy to provide immediate relief from gout symptoms using over the counter or doctor-prescribed medicines. However, it’s more important to keep in mind that these are only temporary treatments, or short fixes.

The fact remains that there is no cure for gout. If you are going to keep overindulging in foods, even the healthy ones, you are likely to continue relying on gout medications for relief. Needless to say, this is not a healthy long-term approach to take.

The more effective (albeit more challenging) answer is to adopt a holistic approach to your lifestyle that will help prevent gout flare-ups.

In the case of gout, your diet is extremely important; certain foods are known to trigger attacks. However, simply avoiding purine-rich foods may not be sufficient. A better approach, according to doctors, is to adopt an all-around healthy diet, such as the DASH or Mediterranean diet.

Both restrict red meat, sugar, and processed foods while emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats such as olive oil. Exercise and weight loss also help to lower uric acid levels and prevent gout flare-ups. Patients who lost 16 pounds reduced their uric acid levels by 3 points in one small trial.

Benefits of Lemon Juice for Gout Patients

Whether you have arthritis or gout, it’s vital to stay hydrated, and the best way to do so is to drink plenty of water. Lemon water is a healthier alternative to sodas and sugary drinks, and it has arthritis-fighting properties.

Lemon water isn’t a panacea for arthritis, and it’s not meant to take the place of any medications or treatments you’re currently using. Vitamin C and water, on the other hand, are both necessary for healthy health, whether consumed in combination or separately.

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Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional for any health concerns.