Sugary Drinks Increase Risk Of Gout In Women

The incidence of gout – a painful and often disabling form of arthritis – is on the rise globally, and women who drink sugary beverages are at high risk for it, according to a U.S. study. Gout occurs when the kidneys can’t remove all of the waste product uric acid; the excess accumulates in the body, causing deposits of needle-like crystals in the joints. For the study, researchers examined data from 79,000 women over 22 years, finding 778 cases of gout. Participants who drank one serving of sugar-sweetened soft drinks a day had nearly double the risk of gout compared to those who drank less than one serving a month. Those who drank two servings a day had more than double the risk. Results were similar for those who drank orange juice.