Vitamin C, Coffee, Milk, and Alcohol: How Diet Impacts Gout Risk

Dr. Kumar’s Take

This review pulls together the strongest evidence on how everyday foods and drinks shape uric acid levels and gout risk. The key theme is balance: certain choices like low-fat dairy, vitamin C, and coffee lower risk, while alcohol, especially beer and spirits, consistently drives it up. Tea remains more uncertain, with mixed findings.

Key Takeaways

✔ Vitamin C (≥ 500 mg/day) lowers uric acid and reduces gout risk, though effect size is modest.
✔ Coffee (≥ 4 cups/day) is linked to lower uric acid and lower gout risk.
✔ Milk and yogurt consumption is consistently protective against gout.
✔ Beer and spirits significantly increase uric acid and gout risk; wine appears neutral in moderation.
✔ Tea shows mixed results, with no clear protective effect.

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Coffee and Uric Acid: How Your Morning Cup Impacts Gout Risk

Dr. Kumar’s Take

This study shows that coffee drinkers may have lower uric acid levels and reduced risk of hyperuricemia, a condition that often leads to gout. Interestingly, it was not caffeine but other compounds in coffee, like antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid, that seemed to drive the benefit. Tea and overall caffeine intake had no effect. For patients at risk of gout, adding coffee to the diet could be a safe, simple lifestyle change.

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