Health: beware of uric acid linked to animal proteins!

By Jean-François Tatard – Photos: Grook Da Oger / Pixabay / Creative Commons / DR

When you practice sports assiduously, it has many advantages. If you’re like me and you’re also a bon vivant, it allows you to have more than your share at the canteen. And without necessarily changing your weight on the scale. Especially if it’s animal protein. Do you know the reason for the success of the controversial Doctor Dukan with his (almost) exclusively protein-based plate? Because it seems easy and pleasant to follow at first glance. Nevertheless, be careful, eating without limits is not without risk… What are the consequences of this bad habit of consuming too much animal protein? What are the medium-term risks? Why is it so crucial to reduce meat in your diet?

The high-protein diet

We’ve all heard about it… The principle of the Dukan diet is based on a diet that favors proteins at the expense of carbohydrates and fats. It is therefore a high-protein and thus hypocaloric diet. The sharp reduction in carbohydrate and fat absorption forces the body to draw on its fat reserves to power the muscles. The body will thus produce energy bodies that will have to be filtered by the kidneys. Fat reserves will therefore melt and release fatty acids into the blood, which will make the liver and kidneys work harder. This diet therefore requires drinking much more than usual.

The threats

The state of ketosis sets in quickly. Following this diet is likely to quickly damage the kidneys and liver. And the biggest threat is that this diet does not provide for quantitative restrictions, but only qualitative restrictions. There is therefore no feeling of hunger. And that’s encouraging because weight loss can often be spectacular. I have seen cases where the individual lost one kg per day over a week in the first phase.

The biggest threat is that this diet does not provide for quantitative restrictions, but only qualitative restrictions. There is therefore no feeling of hunger.

Nevertheless, this type of diet can in some cases cause serious side effects due to the formation of urate crystals, particularly in the feet and hands. This results in “simple” joint pain up to an acute arthritis attack called gout.

Uric acid and its excesses

Gout is therefore a degenerative disease caused by an overload of uric acid. Have you ever read Honoré de Balzac’s book in La Comédie Humaine? Like Father Goriot, those most at risk are lovers of good food. It is important to know that uric acid comes from the digestion of purines present in animal proteins. The substance then passes into the blood and there it is all a question of concentration. Below 70 milligrams per liter, uric acid is mostly evacuated by urine. Above 70 mg/l, it forms small crystals that cause terrible inflammatory flare-ups. We speak of “gout attacks” for joint-type pain.

An impact on muscles

Joints are not the only ones to suffer. Muscles also suffer from an accumulation of uric acid. Excess uric acid is often the cause of muscle strains and tendinitis. And the worst to fear is the formation of kidney or urinary stones.

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And do you know who is most affected? It’s curious, but it’s often those you least expect. And especially marathon runners. Doctor Mazaud, former doctor of the Tour de France, reports that these famous stones are found five times more among marathon runners than in the general population.

Repeated short, intense efforts also push levels up.

If we can speak of a phenomenon, the explanation is to be found in the dehydration that often characterizes training or competition. Imagine that you are training indoors on a treadmill or indoor trainer. Blood uric acid concentrations increase phenomenally at that time. You don’t drink and yet you sweat spectacularly. Repeated short, intense efforts also push levels up.

For example, I’ll share my blood test results, which alarmed the doctor. The impressive surge in uric acid is explained by a combination of errors: lack of hydration, almost exclusive indoor training (on a treadmill or indoor trainer), high intensities, and a diet excessively rich in protein and far too poor in carbohydrates. Not to mention that most of my dishes are liberally seasoned with Viandox and Gerblé brewer’s yeast. Fortunately, I’m not an alcoholic, I would have hit the trifecta in order…

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Alcohol, the other enemy

Doctor Mazaud told me that there is another sport in which record uric acid levels are reached. Rugby. Even among pros. They accumulate errors in addition to a diet far too rich in protein and poor in carbohydrates, with third halves that are far too watered down. However, alcohol promotes dehydration. And finally, the last poison: the preventive intake of aspirin during exercise also contributes to an increase in uric acid levels.

The solutions

Well, it’s time to take control. All is not lost. There are still races to win and records to break. So, to remedy this situation:

1. It seems obvious, but we will first get back into the habit of drinking water regularly throughout the day. It’s cognitive, but three small 50 cl bottles are much easier to assimilate than one large 1.5 l bottle.

2. We will finish each training session with one or two glasses of Saint Yorre. Why? Well, because this water is much richer in bicarbonates compared to ordinary water. It would thus effectively combat acidosis and therefore prevent the increase of uric acid.

3. We will thus set up a diuresis cure and thus drink more than 2 liters/day (bicarbonated Vichy water like St Yorre but also still water: Evian, Vittel, Contrexeville, teas, herbal teas) in order to continue to eliminate a lot.

4. When it comes to drinking during training, we will also increase the amount of water. Especially in contexts that promote sweating.

5. We will squeeze two half lemons (one green and one yellow) every morning and homogenize them with lukewarm water. This will help to control acidity by partially neutralizing it.

6. Finally… We will take care of our diet. We will check which foods promote the increase of uric acid concentration in the blood and we will eliminate them or at least reduce them.

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Foods to avoid

Some foods, as you will have understood, contain purines. Here is a list of those to be wary of:

• red meat
• Offal
• cold cuts
• dried (or smoked) meats or fish;
• stock cubes (330 mg of purines per 10 g, equivalent to a portion of offal);
• hard liquors
• beer (even non-alcoholic: brewer’s yeast provides 300 mg of purine per 10 grams)
• sodas and fruit juices rich in fructose.

But be careful, some cuts of white meat can also have high levels of purines. Red meat and offal are particularly to be avoided, but in reality, you have to take into account the cut of meat to determine its purine richness. For example, pork tenderloin will show 146.2 mg of uric acid per 100 g, while shoulder will only contain 81.4 mg, explains Doctor Mazaud. Seafood products should also be monitored, especially shellfish and small fatty fish, such as canned mackerel and sardines.

To conclude

At any age, diet is a factor in fitness and balance. But from a certain age, we must pay even more attention to it. Especially since our needs and culinary desires evolve. If we have to summarize, it is not about eliminating everything that seems to threaten health. The key is balance! Balance and diversity above all else… Ideally, this dietary balance should be respected daily, but it can be respected weekly. Thus, if you happen to overindulge one day, and that is perfectly healthy, you can “catch up” by adapting your meals for the week… Because life is also about enjoying!

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