A twelve year study of nearly 50,000 men found a strong association between sugar sweetened soft drinks, usually containing fructose, and gout. Consuming two servings a day of a sugary soft drink increased the risk of developing gout by 85%.
Some sufferers of gout already know to avoid sweetened drinks, thanks to a little-known publication of 1957, Rheumatism and Arthritis - The Conquest, in which author Charles de Coti-Marsh states that gout sufferers can alleviate the condition by drinking plenty of fresh fruit and vegetable juices every day.
“Charles de Coti-Marsh advocated drinking water, herbal teas and natural fruit juices. This new research demonstrates that his theories were in many respects sound,” said Bruce Hester of The Arthritic Association. “Although progress in the field of arthritis and nutrition is slow, we fully expect to see further justification of his theories as medical science progresses.”
