What are the causes of gout?
• Genetics may play a role in determining a person’s risk, since up to 18% of people with gout have a family history of the disease. • Gender and age are related to the risk of developing gout; it is more common in men than in women and more common in adults than in children.ein • Being overweight increases the risk of gout because there is more tissue available for turnover or breakdown, which leads to excess uric acid production. • Drinking too much alcohol can lead to hyperuricemia because it interferes with the removal of uric acid from the body. • Eating too many foods rich in purines can cause or aggravate gout in some people. • An enzyme defect that interferes with the way the body breaks down purines causes gout in a small number of people, many of whom have a family history of gout. • Some people who take certain medicines or have certain conditions are at risk for having high levels of uric acid in their body fluids.
