What are Purines?

To put it simply, purines are one of the basic building blocks of the organism: Animals, plants, and we humans cannot do without purines, because the components of the nucleic acids are involved in vital functions in our cells, such as the construction of DNA strands. Our body doesn’t actually need to ingest purines from food because it produces the organic compound itself. However, since almost every food contains purines, the body is still faced with the task of metabolizing them. This process produces uric acid as a waste product that has to be broken down again by the kidneys. The kidneys have more work to do with uric acid than with most other metabolites because it is hardly soluble in water and quickly forms crystals. These can become lodged in the tissue and can be a cause of kidney stones, among other things.

When can purines cause problems?

However, purines and the uric acid they produce do not pose a problem for a healthy organism. People with impaired kidneys – for example, due to kidney weakness that is congenital or caused by medication or alcohol – must be careful not to take in too many purines with food. This is because your body often cannot produce the enzyme that is responsible for breaking down uric acid in sufficient quantities. This also applies to people suffering from gout: a low-purine diet is therefore indispensable for them too.

Where are purines found and how much purine per day is okay?

Purines are found in almost all foods. Unlike those with lactose intolerance or celiac disease, people who have to pay attention to a low-purine diet cannot simply avoid certain food groups – they have to do the math instead. If you are one of these people, your doctor will have discussed with you how many purines you can consume per day so as not to overwhelm your kidneys with too much uric acid. In the case of gout, around 300 mg of uric acid per day is often recommended as the load limit for the kidneys. The formula for converting purines into urea is: 1 mg of purines produces 2.4 mg of uric acid. You can get tables from your doctor or from medical portals on the Internet showing the proportion of purines in which foods. Alcohol and fructose promote the triggering of a gout attack, so that alcoholic beverages, fruit juice drinks, or soft drinks should be avoided in the case of gout.

What are purine foods?

Basically, it can be said that foods that are particularly rich in purines include meat and fish with skin and fatty tissue as well as crustaceans and offal – you should therefore avoid these as a gout patient. Milk and yogurt, on the other hand, contain almost no purines, so you can consume them without hesitation. When it comes to vegetables, researchers and physicians do not agree on how critical the purine content should be: Some experts now look at the whole package and compare the vitamins, minerals, and vegetable proteins against the relatively high purine content of spinach, asparagus or legumes, for example. that strengthen the immune system. Some studies also show that vegetables do not trigger gout attacks if eaten in moderation. In any case, also seek the advice of your doctor to create an appropriate meal plan for your low-purine diet.

Nutrition tip: Did you know that not only vitamin-rich foods such as folic acid foods are good for your immune system, but that bitter substances in food can also have a positive effect on your well-being?