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A low-purine diet is often prescribed for individuals with gout and Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome (a rare genetic disorder that occurs in about 1 out of every 100,000 people). Purines are compounds mainly found in animal protein and are metabolized to uric acid in the body. An effective diet is important to avoid or reduce complications and lessen the need for drug treatment.
The following foods have very high purine levels, and should be avoided completely: - Anchovies
- Bouillon, Brains, Broth
- Consommé
- Dried legumes
- Goose, Gravy
- Heart, Herring
- Kidneys
- Liver
- Mackerel, Meat extracts, Mincemeat, Mussels
- Partridge
- Roe
- Sardines, Scallops, Shrimp, Sweetbreads
- Yeast (baker’s and brewer’s), Yeast extracts (e.g., Marmite, Vegemite)
These foods have high purine levels:- Fish (including shellfish)
- Meat (except those with very high purine content, noted above, or those with moderately high purine levels, noted below)
- Poultry
These foods have moderately high purine levels:- Asparagus
- Cauliflower
- Legumes, Lentils
- Mushrooms
- Oatmeal
- Peas (dried)
- Soy, Spinach
- Tripe
- Wheat germ and bran, Whole grain breads
Low Purine Foods:- Butter, Breads and cereals (low-fiber, white flour, or refined grain types)
- Cheese (all kinds), Cocoa, Corn, Cornbread
- Eggs
- Fruit juices, Fruits
- Gelatin
- Ice cream
- Milk
- Noodles, Nuts
- Refined wheat flour
- Tapioca, Tea
- Vegetables (except those noted above)
- Vegetable soups without meat extract or broth
- White rice
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Low Purine Diet can help with the following: | | | | | Musculo-Skeletal |  Gout / Hyperuricemia | A low-purine diet is commonly used to treat gout. Some people need to follow the diet more closely than others to prevent symptoms. |
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KEY | | Highly recommended |
GLOSSARY
Gout
A disease characterized by an increased blood uric acid level and sudden onset of episodes of acute arthritis.
Kidneys (Kidney, Renal)
Bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located near the middle of the back, just below the rib cage. The kidneys are sophisticated reprocessing machines, each day handling about 50 gallons of blood to sift out about half a gallon of waste products and extra water. The waste and extra water become urine, which flows to the bladder through tubes called ureters. The actual filtering occurs in tiny units inside the kidneys called nephrons. Every kidney has about a million nephrons. In a nephron, a glomerulus -- which is a tiny blood vessel, or capillary -- intertwines with a tiny urine-collecting tube called a tubule. A complicated chemical exchange takes place, as waste materials and water leave your blood and enter your urinary system. The kidneys recycle chemicals such as sodium, phosphorus, and potassium and thus regulate their levels. Renal: Pertaining to the kidneys.
Liver (Hepatic)
The largest and one of the most complex organs of the body, the liver is responsible for much of the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It is the site of much of the body's detoxification. It is connected very closely with digestion and the regulation of blood sugar, among many other functions. Found behind the ribs on the right side of the abdomen, it has many important functions such as removing harmful material from the blood, making enzymes and bile that help digest food, and converting food into substances needed for life and growth. Hepatic: Pertaining to the liver.
Protein (Proteins)
Compounds composed of hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen present in the body and in foods that form complex combinations of amino acids. Protein is essential for life and is used for growth and repair. Foods that supply the body with protein include animal products, grains, legumes, and vegetables. Proteins from animal sources contain the essential amino acids. Proteins are changed to amino acids in the body.
Purines (Purine)
These are waste products or metabolites of nucleoproteins. They are not recycleable and are broken down further to the primary excretable form, uric acid. High purine presence in a tissue signifies a recent high turnover in nucleoproteins from injury or cell death, which is why some purines, such as allantoin, will stimulate cell regeneration. Many plants contain allantoin, most noticeably Comfrey. Some foods are heavy purine producers and can elevate serum uric acid levels. These include organ meats, seafood, legumes, and foods such as spirulina, chlorella, and bee pollen.
Syndrome
A medical condition characterized by a collection of related symptoms (what the patient feels) and signs (what a doctor can observe or measure).
Uric Acid (Hyperuricemia)
The final end product of certain native or dietary proteins, especially the nucleoproteins found in the nucleus of cells. Unlike the much smaller nitrogenous waste product urea, which is mostly recycled to form many amino acids, uric acid is an unrecycleable metabolite that must be excreted: nucleoprotein to purine to uric acid to the outside in the urine or the sweat. Hyperuricemia: Having elevated blood uric acid, either from a rapid rate of cell breakdown and synthesis (such as might occur from fasting, heavy training, trauma or any number of major diseases), a high consumption of organ meats, glandular supplements or spirulina, or the inability (usually hereditary) to excrete uric acid in the urine as fast as it is produced, even though production itself is not elevated.
Yeast
A single-cell organism that may cause infection in the mouth, vagina, gastrointestinal tract, and any or all bodily parts. Common yeast infections include candidiasis and thrush.
Last updated: Sep 28, 2008
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