Normal levels of uric acid

Many people are just not aware of the complexity of our body and they cannot even imagine what happens inside of it. We usually take our body a little bit lightly not thinking about the complex processes that are constantly taking place inside. We provide our body with essential nutrients and oxygen though eating, drinking and breathing in order to give the body enough energy to sustain itself. However many metabolic processes occur every moment in the body and in these metabolic processes, many substances are produced.

Uric acid

One of the by-products of these processes is uric acid. It is a byproduct of the metabolism of purines, which are nitrogenous compounds that can be found in various foods, such as meat products, mushrooms and fish. The main ingredients of the uric acid are carbon and oxygen, as well as nitrogen and hydrogen. Uric acid is a compound with strong antioxidant properties.

Once the body produces uric acid, it enters the bloodstream reaching the kidneys, which then filter the blood and expel about 75% of uric acid through urination. This excretion of the uric acid is important; otherwise, the high amounts of uric acid in the body can lead to the occurrence of serious health problems.

Measuring of uric acid levels

The doctors usually order the measurement of the levels of uric acid if a patient comes with certain symptoms that indicate either some kidney disorder or joint pain. For the measuring of the uric acid levels, the patient should not consume anything four hours before the test, which involves taking of blood sample. Moreover, the patient is also warned by the doctor not to consume certain types of medications before the test because they influence the levels of the uric acid.

Normal levels of uric acid

It is considered that the normal levels of uric acid range from 3.0 to 7.0 milligrams per deciliter. While high level of uric acid in the bloodstream is quite a frequent incidence, low levels of uric acid in the blood rarely happen and they usually are indicators of the malfunction of the liver, some kidney disease or exposure to toxic chemicals. High levels of the uric acid in the bloodstream typically indicate either excessive production of the uric acid by the body, or improper exertion of this acid by the kidneys through the urine. The medical expression that is used for high uric acid levels is hyperuricemia.