Dietary vitamin C intake and gout in American adults
What it found
In a large survey of American adults, people who ate more vitamin C from food were less likely to have gout.
The link was stronger in women than in men.
What they found
Studies in people
Gout less common
Gout was found in 5.40% of people in the lowest vitamin C intake group and 4.60% in the highest group. The authors say this shows an inverse relationship between vitamin C intake and gout.
Highest intake group
Compared with the lowest intake group, people in the highest vitamin C intake group were less likely to have gout. The authors report this as a significant link after adjusting for other factors.
Uric acid link
Higher vitamin C intake was also linked to lower chances of having high uric acid levels. The authors say vitamin C was negatively associated with hyperuricemia.
Supplements no link
Taking vitamin C supplements was not linked to gout in this study. The authors found no association between supplemental vitamin C and gout.
Stronger in women
The link between dietary vitamin C and gout was stronger in women than in men. The authors say this may be due to differences in hormones, diet, or lifestyle.
What the authors conclude
“The population-based data indicate that dietary vitamin C intake is inversely associated with gout.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that dietary vitamin C intake is inversely associated with gout in American adults.
- They say their findings support the potential role of vitamin C in preventing gout.
- They advise that these results should not be seen as a reason to neglect urate-lowering therapies in adults who have had gout.
How it was done
Gout is a common inflammatory arthritis, and vitamin C is an antioxidant that may help lower uric acid. The authors wanted to see whether vitamin C intake is linked to gout.
They looked at survey data from 12,589 American adults aged over 20 who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2013 and 2018. Vitamin C intake from food and drinks was estimated from two 24-hour diet recalls, and gout was based on whether a doctor had ever told them they had it.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a cross-sectional study, so it can show a link but cannot prove that vitamin C prevents gout.
- The findings may not apply to other populations because of cultural and dietary differences.
- The study relied on people remembering what they ate, which can be inaccurate.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Peking University International Hospital, China; Peking University People's Hospital, China
The paper
- Title
- Association between dietary vitamin C intake and gout among American adults
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Zou Y, Liu Y, Li S (2024). Association between dietary vitamin C intake and gout among American adults. Frontiers in immunology. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2024.1431323Free full textPubMed 39346908DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error