Vitamins & Nutritional Supplements for Gout

Large amounts of supplemental folic acid (up to 80 mg per day) have reduced uric acid levels in preliminary research. However, other studies have failed to confirm the effectiveness of folic acid in treating people with gout.

In one small study, people who took 4 grams of vitamin C (but not lower amounts) had an increase in urinary excretion of uric acid within a few hours, and those who took 8 grams of vitamin C per day for several days had a reduction in serum uric acid levels. Thus, supplemental vitamin C could, in theory, reduce the risk of gout attacks. However, the authors of this study warned that taking large amounts of vitamin C could also trigger an acute attack of gout by abruptly changing uric acid levels in the body. Another study showed that taking lower amounts of vitamin C (500 mg per day) for two months significantly reduced blood levels of uric acid, especially in people whose initial uric acid levels were elevated. For people with a history of gout attacks, it seems reasonable to begin vitamin C supplementation at 500 mg per day, and to increase the amount gradually if uric acid levels do not decrease.

In test tube studies, quercetin, a flavonoid, has inhibited an enzyme involved in the development of gout. However, it is not known whether taking quercetin by mouth can produce high enough quercetin concentrations in the body to achieve these effects. Although human research is lacking, some doctors recommend 150–250 mg of quercetin three times per day (taken between meals)...