Coffee consumption does not raise uric acid levels

Coffee drinkers do not appear to have elevated serum uric acid levels compared with nondrinkers, a study has found.

The study used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2016 and included 3,005 participants (61.67 percent female) who had serum uric acid level measurements and completed a coffee consumption survey. The amount of coffee consumption was examined via self‐reporting and categorized as none, <1 cup, 1–2 cups, 2–5 cups and ≥5 cups daily.

Men had a mean age of 42.86 years and mean serum uric acid level of 5.91 mg/dL. The corresponding values in women were 43.24 years and 4.29 mg/dL.

Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that serum uric acid levels were similar across the nondrinker and coffee‐drinking groups (<1 cup, 1–2 cups, 2–5 cups and ≥5 cups of coffee) in both men (p=0.569, p=0.258, p=0.466 and p=0.751, respectively) and women (p=0.185, p=0.520, p=0.116 and p=0.302, respectively).

According to the researchers, the null association between coffee intake and serum uric acid levels “reflects the overall lifestyle, including the social and cultural backgrounds, of coffee drinkers rather than the idea that certain components of coffee affect serum uric acid levels.”

Despite its strengths, this study had some limitations including its cross-sectional nature, use of a questionnaire to determine amount of coffee consumed and lack of data on drug use, some of which might affect uric acid levels (eg, diuretics).