Uric acid is a byproduct of the breakdown of purines in the body. When uric acid levels in the blood increase, urate crystals can settle in the joints, causing pain and inflammation - a characteristic of gout.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, many factors affect uric acid, including the habit of eating late at night, especially consuming red meat, seafood or alcohol right before bed.
Eating foods rich in purines at night causes the body to not be able to metabolize them in time, causing uric acid to accumulate. In particular, the evening is the time when metabolism slows down, the kidneys are more active, so the excretion of uric acid through urine is also reduced in effectiveness. This is the reason why many people experience gout joint pain in the midnight or early morning.
In addition, drinking less water before bed is also a silent mistake that increases the risk of urate crystallization. The body lacks water during 7-8 hours of sleep, causing uric acid levels to be high, easily accumulating in joints or kidneys.
Another habit that worries the problem is drinking alcoholic beverages in the evening. Alcohol not only reduces the kidney's uricodexcretion function but also increases uric acid production in the liver.
Experts recommend eating dinner before 7pm, limit animal sluggishness, drink enough water and get enough sleep to stabilize purine metabolism. For people with a history of gout or increased uric acid, it is necessary to absolutely abstain from alcohol and not eat at night.
