Gout on the Rise Among Young People: Causes and Risk Factors

YouTuber A, 31, who has been enjoying late-night snacks at home and doing “mukbang” live broadcasts on YouTube since the COVID-19 pandemic began three years ago, recently went to hospital due to of a sudden and severe pain in his toes and was diagnosed with “gout”.

Every year the number of patients suffering from “gout” increases, a serious inflammation caused by the accumulation of uric acid in the joints of the limbs and which causes pain even when the wind passes.

Increase in gout, 49% in 20-year-olds > 27% in 30-year-olds > 23% in 40-year-olds

In the past, it was famous as a representative disease of men in their 40s and 50s, but recently the number of young gout patients in the MZ generation in their 20s and 30s is rapidly increasing.

According to statistical data from the Health Insurance Review and Evaluation Service over the past five years (2018-2022), the total number of patients undergoing hospital treatment for gout in Korea increased by about 18.3%, from 430,953 in 2018 to 509,699 in 2022.

In particular, observing the rate of increase in gout patients by age group from 20 to 70 years in 2022 compared to 2018, 48.5% in 20 years, 26.7% in 30 years, 22.6% in 40 years, 17.1% in their 60s, 6.9% in their 50s, and 3.8% in their 70s. The rate of increase in gout patients in their 20s and 30s was high.

Gout is a disease in which the body accumulates too much uric acid in the blood, causing deposits of uric acid in the joints and surrounding soft tissues. Uric acid is an acidic substance that is excreted in the urine.

The amino acid purine, which is found abundantly in the meat and fish we enjoy, is used as energy in our bodies and is also a substance that comes out as waste through urine.

When uric acid residues are created in the body, they must be removed from the body through the kidneys. If the kidneys do not excrete this uric acid properly, the remaining uric acid builds up in the body.

This leftover uric acid forms uric acid crystals that travel in the blood and accumulate in the joints, kidneys, blood vessels, etc., when our body’s immune system, especially the white blood cells, mistakes this uric acid for bacteria or virus and attacks it, causing an inflammatory response in the body and causing gout. Happens.

In general, gout occurs most often in men in their 40s and 50s who eat foods high in fat or protein, drink a lot of alcohol, and are obese. However, recently, as the number of young people in their 20s and 30s has increased rapidly, the age group affected by gout is becoming increasingly younger.

Factors such as the popular mixed drinks of the MZ generation, snacks delivered late at night, high-protein, purine foods, etc.

The main factors appear to be changing eating habits, alcohol consumption, lifestyles and stress among young people.

This is due to the increase in obesity due to decreased physical activity and increased consumption of foods high in fat and protein, as people enjoy take-out food such as chicken and meat and “wheat beer,” chicken and beer,” “highball,” and “honsul” at home.

Among the foods to be delivered, chicken or meat snacks or night snacks contain a lot of an amino acid called “purine”. However, excessive accumulation of uric acid in our body causes gout, and alcoholic beverages, including beer, also contain a lot of purines, a precursor of uric acid.

Drinks rich in fructose, such as fruit juices or carbonated drinks, can also increase the concentration of uric acid in the blood, which if it increases excessively can cause gout attacks.

Mixed alcohol, which has recently become popular among young people in their 20s and 30s, may be a factor that can increase the risk of gout.

Alcohol already makes the body acidic and prevents the excretion of uric acid, but it also contains carbonic acid and fructose, which can excessively increase the concentration of uric acid in the blood, further increasing the risk of gout attacks.

Rapid fasting diets and strenuous exercise can cause gout.

Since the cause of gout is obesity caused by excessive alcohol and food consumption, it is important to maintain an adequate weight through regular exercise, but fast dieting or strenuous exercise can also cause gout attacks.

If you suddenly fast on a diet, even if the concentration of uric acid in the body decreases, the uric acid sticks to the joints and causes severe joint pain, or the concentration of uric acid in the blood does not remain constant and fluctuates rapidly.

Also, during diet through exercise, excessive intake of chicken breast, meat, fish, and high-protein foods and excessive exercise can lead to gout.

For adults, the amount of protein needed per day is approximately 0.8-1 g per kg of body weight, while for a 70 kg adult male it is sufficient to consume only approximately 56-70 g per day.

However, if you exercise to get fit, you may be eating more protein than recommended and not properly getting the nutrients you should be eating along with, which can cause gout by consuming large amounts of protein alone.

When proteins are digested, they create a lot of waste. If protein is consumed in excess, uric acid is produced in excess during the process of metabolizing this protein. When the concentration of uric acid in the blood increases, crystallized urate meets sodium and accumulates in joints and surrounding soft tissues. It accumulates and causes autoinflammatory reactions and pain.

Exercising that is too extreme and strenuous can cause many cells in the body to break down, causing an increase in uric acid in those cells, which can cause a gout attack. Therefore, it is better to avoid excessive exercise and switch to balanced exercise. diet by eating only foods with high protein content.

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