In animals given incomplete proteins or diets lacking any of the essential amino acids, the production of uric acid increases. Similarly, if separate amino acids are fed and too much of some and too little of others allowed, again the blood uric acid soars. The amino acids from the proteins we eat become the building blocks of which body tissues are made, but it now appears I that all ten of the amino acids the body cannot synthesize must be available at the same time and in roughly the proportion found in human tissues.

When the most common amino acid, glycine, is radio actively labeled and fed to animals or humans, it can be recovered from the blood and urine as uric acid. Further- more, persons with gout change labeled glycine into uric acid much more quickly than do normal individuals. This change appears to be the means by which the body rids itself of a waste product when many incomplete proteins have been eaten. Any person with gout, therefore, should be particularly careful to obtain complete proteins; and gelatin, which lacks several essential amino acids but supplies excessive amounts of glycine, should be strictly avoided.

During periods of quiescence, the body produces much smaller quantities of uric acid. At such times, however, large amounts of uric acid have been injected into gouty persons without bringing on an attack. One reason appears to be that normally much of the uric acid produced passes into the intestine and is utilized by bacteria, but the amount of uric acid disposed of in this manner depends on the bacterial growth. If the bacteria are destroyed by oral antibiotics, the amount of uric acid in the blood immediately increases.

Such a finding indicates that the individuals with gout should insure the growth of intestinal bacteria by the generous use of yogurt and/or acidophil us milk or culture.

Role of intestinal bacteria

During periods of quiescence, the body produces much smaller quantities of uric acid. At such times, however, large amounts of uric acid have been injected into gouty persons without bringing on an attack. One reason appears to be that normally much of the uric acid produced passes into the intestine and is utilized by bacteria, but the amount of uric acid disposed of in this manner depends on the bacterial growth. If the bacteria are destroyed by oral antibiotics, the amount of uric acid in the blood immediately increases.

Such a finding indicates that the individuals with gout should insure the growth of intestinal bacteria by the generous use of yogurt and/or acidophil us milk or culture.

Psychosomatic causes

Psychological stresses are far more frequently the cause of gout than is generally recognized. Unfortunately physicians frequently overlook psychosomatic diseases or lack knowledge of them.

Men are instinctively the fighters of the race and are often sufficiently angered to fight- sometimes unconsciously - but are in situations where they dare not. The gout is more prevalent in men than in women, and why, since fighting and kicking are done with hands and feet, it more often afflicts the extremities than other parts of the body. When such persons are angered, they should work out on a punching bag or hurriedly arrange to play football before the stress of their emotions has had time to cause the destruction of body proteins.

Diet for gout

Unfortunately, the diet customarily recommended for gout completely ignores the needs of stress. Its emphasis is on restricting purines, the substances in cell nuclei from which uric acid is formed; hence it is made up of foods which contain few cells. Because liver, yeast, wheat germ, and whole-grain breads and cereals are forbidden, such a diet is extremely deficient in B vitamins and almost devoid of vitamin E and pantothenic acid. Furthermore, medical investigators--though not practitioners--now agree that the tiny amount of uric acid in foods is insignificant; and that the uric acid which causes gout is formed in the body from the breakdown of tissue proteins and has never been proved to come from foods.

Not only do stress and the pain of gout quickly exhaust the adrenals, but also inflammation (caused by the uric-acid crystals) invariably indicates that too little cortisone is being produced. Giving cortisone for this disease "has proved to be of great value." The dietary approach, therefore, must be to help the adrenals produce cortisone by eating large amounts of liver, yeast, wheat germ, yogurt or acidophilus, and green leafy vegetables; and by taking the anti-stress formula around the clock during the acute stage. Usually such a diet brings marked improvement in two or three days. Persons fearful of deviating from a low-purine diet should at least obtain generous supplements of all vitamins, especially of vitamin E and the B group.

A urine made alkaline by a high intake of fruits, vegetables, and juices, particularly orange juice, helps to keep the uric-acid crystals in solution and to facilitate their excretion. During gout attacks 3 quarts of liquid daily are usually recommended to carry off the uric-acid crystals, but recovery is more rapid if juices and milk are drunk instead of water. Although any food can be eaten provided it builds health, incomplete proteins such as corn, dry beans, lentils, and cereals should be taken only with milk, eggs, cheese, and/or meats, to prevent an amino-acid imbalance.

If the person who has once had gout keeps his diet unusually adequate, further attacks can often be prevented. He should eliminate as much stress from his life as possible, but, like an individual subject to ulcers, he would probably be wise to keep vitamin C and pantothenic acid with him at all times and to take them with protein every two or three hours during periods when he is emotionally upset.