Coffee decreases gout attacks

According to researchers from Boston University and Harvard Medical School, four cups of coffee per day can halve the chances of gout in women.

The latest findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The report comes after a long-term study that included almost 90,000 female nurses in the US for over a 26-year period during which researchers monitored their health and dietary habits.
Almost 900 nurses developed gout during that time.

While analyzing the beverage intake, researchers found that women who had consumed larger amounts of coffee during that period were at less risk.
Researchers did not know the reason of the positive effect of coffee however the theory is that it can reduce the insulin level in the blood.

“Long-term consumption of coffee is associated with a lower risk of gout in women”, researchers said.
Gout develops when uric acid, a natural byproduct, is not disposed properly by the body. And it is known that there is a link between higher insulin and higher uric acid.

Although there is a genetic predisposition to it, diet and excess in alcoholic drinks can also trigger the condition.
Gout attacks can produce unbearable pain and can last up to a week.
There are also studies that suggest that gout could be an early warning of heart disease.