The Role of Uric Acid
Painful gout attacks result from inflammation caused by deposits of needle-like crystals in connective tissue and/or in the fluid that cushions the joint (the synovial fluid). The crystals are made up of uric acid, a waste product produced during the natural breakdown of purines. Purines are part of all our body's cells as well as many foods we eat.
Uric acid is carried through the bloodstream to the kidneys. Your kidneys eliminate it from the body mostly through urine. However, if the body produces too much uric acid or if the kidneys don't eliminate enough of it, uric acid will build up in the blood. This condition is called hyperuricemia. Most people with hyperuricemia (high levels of uric acid in the blood) never get gout. But, if uric acid crystals form, a painful gout attack can occur at any time.
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