NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Cherries may no longer be for just topping off ice cream sundaes; in a new study of people with gout, eating the fruit was linked with a 35 percent to 75 percent lower risk of having an attack. While adopting a cherry regimen sounds pleasant enough, the study’s lead author [...]

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Can a few cherries a day keep gout away?

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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Cherries may no longer be for just topping off ice cream sundaes; in a new study of people with gout, eating the fruit was linked with a 35 percent to 75 percent lower risk of having an attack.

While adopting a cherry regimen sounds pleasant enough, the study’s lead author warns that the new study does not prove cherries prevent gout attacks, and he said patients should stick with their current gout medications.

“They can go out and eat the cherries, but they shouldn’t abandon their medical treatment at all,” said Yuqing Zhang, a professor at the Boston University School of Medicine.

Gout arises when uric acid crystals build up in the joints. The body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines – substances found naturally in the body, but also in certain foods, like organ meats, anchovies, mushrooms and some seafood.
Anything that boosts the production of uric acid, or slows its clearance, also raises the risk of gout. Obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney disease are some examples.

The biggest risk reduction, however, came with eating fresh cherries while taking the anti-gout medication allopurinol (Lopurin, Zyloprim). That combination was linked to a 75 percent reduction in the risk of a gout attack.




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