My joints hurt after drinking beer

In my spare time, calling one or two old friends, buying some snacks and drinking some beer has become a kind of fun in life. Nowadays, many people discuss matters or ask others to do things for them over a drink. Drinking seems to have become a norm for men. However, there are many disadvantages of drinking. Drinking is very harmful to the body. For example, it can cause three highs and gout. Many people experience joint pain after drinking beer. So what is going on?

There is a substance called purine in the human body. When its metabolism is disordered, the synthesis of uric acid (the oxidative metabolite of purine) increases or the excretion decreases, causing hyperuricemia. When the blood uric acid concentration is too high, uric acid is deposited in the joints, soft tissues, cartilage and kidneys in the form of sodium salt, causing foreign body inflammatory reaction in the tissue, which is called gout. The main foods containing high purines are: beans, soy products, alcohol, animal offal, etc. Eating them in large quantities will cause an increase in uric acid in the blood. Gout can be clinically divided into four stages: the first stage is the hyperuricemia stage, in which the patient does not show any clinical symptoms of gout except for increased blood uric acid; the second stage is the early stage of gout, in which blood uric acid continues to increase, leading to a sudden attack of acute gouty arthritis; the third stage is the middle stage of gout, which can cause joints throughout the body, such as the toe joints, fingers, toes, wrists, ankles, and knees; the fourth stage is the late stage of gout, in which uric acid crystals continue to deposit and slowly form stone-like "tophi" in the joints, tophi in the kidneys, and even decreased renal function. According to what you have reported, there is no external trauma, the joint pain is mainly caused by drinking. The possibility of gout is relatively high (it may be the first stage of gout: hyperuricemia stage). If you want to know whether you have gout, it is very simple. Just do a simple blood test and you will know the uric acid content in the blood. If it is gout, it is relatively mild. When it comes to treatment, pay attention to the following aspects:

1. Limit purine intake to less than 150 mg per day. During the 2-3 days of an acute attack, choose foods with little or no purine, and avoid foods with extremely high purine content. During the chronic stage, you should choose foods with very little or no purine for at least two days a week, and a low-purine diet can be used on the other days (choose one food with a low purine content and the others with basically no purine; or choose one food with a high purine content and the others with purine-free foods).

2. Limit daily total energy. Gout patients should control their weight. The total daily energy should be 10% to 15% lower than that of normal people. Do not eat too many snacks, and do not eat too much or too full at each meal. However, heat energy should be gradually reduced. Excessive weight loss can cause ketoacidosis, which can trigger an acute attack of gout. When the condition is more serious, plant protein should be the main source of energy, and carbohydrates should be the main source of energy.

3. Eat mainly alkaline foods. Uric acid is easily dissolved in an alkaline environment, so you should eat more alkaline foods such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, and milk. During the acute attack period, you can eat 1 to 1.5 kilograms of vegetables or an appropriate amount of fruit every day. You can adopt a cyclical plant-based diet, such as cucumber day, watermelon day, apple day, etc., twice a week with a gap of 3 days. The intake of vitamin B and vitamin C should also be increased. A large amount of vitamin B and vitamin C can promote the dissolution of globulins accumulated in tissues.

4. Drink water frequently and avoid drinking alcohol. Sufficient water is beneficial to the excretion of uric acid. It is recommended to drink more than 3000 ml of water every day, and pay attention to hydration at night. Alcohol can reduce the kidney's ability to excrete uric acid. Beer also contains a large amount of purine, so it should be banned. Other foods that can excite the nerves, such as strong tea, coffee and spicy condiments, should also be avoided.

5. To promote blood circulation, you can also take hot baths or soak your feet in hot water frequently to promote blood circulation and increase uric acid excretion. If the pain comes on suddenly, you can take appropriate painkillers and uric acid-lowering drugs, which can be prescribed by the hospital. I don't know much about traditional Chinese medicine. TCM can treat gout with acupuncture, massage, plaster therapy, etc., but I don't understand the details. In addition, personal advice: As an athlete, you must cherish your health and sports career, stay away from tobacco and alcohol, and pay attention to your diet.