Sugar Sweetened Beverage Consumption is Significantly Associated with High Serum Uric Acid Levels in Men

by | Aug 21, 2024 | 2024, Kidney Health, Men's Health, Recent Articles, Sweeteners

Written by Chrystal Moulton, Science Writer. Men who consumed 1 to 3 cups of sugar sweetened beverages daily were 1.403 times more likely to have high serum uric acid levels even after adjusting for all confounders (Model 3: OR = 1.403 P = 0.001).

man drinking a sodaHyperuricemia is the over production of uric acid in some cases caused by impaired kidney function1. In patients with gout, hyperuricemia is a contributor to prolonged systemic inflammation and is also linked to chronic kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity2,3.  Sugars, such as fructose, acts as a precursor for uric acid production and in some studies as shown to be significantly associated with increased serum uric acid levels4-6. In the current study, researchers investigated the association between sugar sweetened beverage intake and uric acid levels in adults7.

Researchers utilized the Data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [KNHANES], a cross-sectional nationwide survey conducted annually at the Korean Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers chose data from the 2016 KNHANES cycle, which included 8150 volunteers between the age 19-64 years old. In the KNHANES, the dietary questionnaire included sugar sweetened beverage frequency and intake. Participants were grouped into three categories based on average frequency and consumption of sugar sweetened beverages: twice or more per week, once or less per week, and almost never. Questionnaires also collected demographic data and lifestyle factors from each participant including smoking status, physical activity, alcohol consumption, income, health status, and education. Blood samples were collected after eight hours of fasting and analyzed within 24 hours. Serum uric acid concentration was analyzed as well as fasting blood glucose and cholesterol. Results were reported as odds ratios (OR) using regression analysis which analyzed the association between frequency of sugar sweetened beverage consumption and uric acid levels.

Baseline characteristics between female and male participants were significantly different across all categories accept age. When comparing baseline characteristics in men between those who have hyperuricemia and those who do not, researchers found that fasting serum glucose levels (P = 0.022), serum uric acid level (P < 0.001), and marital status (P = 0.008) was significantly different between the two groups. However, for women, baseline characteristics that were significantly different between those presenting with hyperuricemia versus those who did not were: systolic blood pressure (P = 0.030), diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001), serum uric acid levels (P < 0.001), personal income (P = 0.028), alcohol consumption (P = 0.022), smoking status (P = 0.013), and aerobic physical activity (P = 0.019). Logistical regression analysis analyzing the association between daily sugar sweet and beverage consumption and high serum uric acid levels showed that men who consumed 1 to 3 cups of sugar sweetened beverages daily were 1.403 times more likely to have high serum uric acid levels even after adjusting for all confounders (Model 3: OR = 1.403 P = 0.001). For men who consumed more than 3 cups of sugar sweetened beverages daily this association increased significantly (Model 3: OR = 1.921, P = 0.001). When assessed weekly, men who consumed more than two sugar sweetened beverages per week were 1.5 times likely to experience high serum uric acid levels (Model 3: OR = 1.551, P = 0.001). However, for women who consumed sugar sweetened beverages daily or weekly, researchers observed no statistical association between serum uric acid levels and sugar sweetened beverage consumption in all adjustment models.

Results from this analysis showed an association between high serum uric acid levels and sugar sweetened beverage consumption in men while no relationship was observed in women. Further studies will be needed to understand factors that contribute to hyperuricemia in women versus men.

Source:  Lee, Su Min, Sang Yeoup Lee, Eun Ju Park, Young In Lee, Jung In Choi, Sae Rom Lee, Ryuk Jun Kwon et al. “Association between Uric Acid Levels and the Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Carbonated Beverages in the Korean Population: The 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.” Nutrients 16, no. 13 (2024): 2167.

© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
4.0/).

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Posted August 21, 2024

Chrystal Moulton BA, PMP, is a 2008 graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago. She graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology with a focus on premedical studies and is a licensed project manager. She currently resides in Indianapolis, IN.

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