Know the effects of having too much uric acid in the body

The Mayo Clinic explains that high uric acid levels usually happen when your kidneys aren't working properly to eliminate uric acid efficiently. But there are factors that can cause your kidneys to be overworked:

- Diuretic medications, like water pills
- High alcohol consumption
- Genetics
- Hypothyroidism
- Drugs that suppress the immune system
- Niacin, or vitamin B-3
- Obesity
- Psoriasis
- Purine-rich diet, including liver, game meat, anchovies, sardines, gravy, dried beans and peas and mushrooms
- Renal insufficiency: kidneys can't filter waste
- Tumor lysis syndrome: a rapid release of cells into the blood caused by some cancers or by chemotherapy for those cancers
- Chemotherapy or radiation

A high uric acid level is not a disease, and for some people it's a condition that doesn't need to be treated at all. Sometimes there are no symptoms, but if you have a flare of gout or a certain type of kidney stone, consult your doctor about doing a uric acid test.

Some medications can also increase uric acid levels, so ask your doctor to perform a uric acid test if you're concerned your medications may be affecting your levels. By no means should you stop taking your medication. If you think it could be increasing your uric acid levels, always consult your doctor before stopping medications.