3 Important Facts About Shiitake Mushrooms and Gout

Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in some people who have high levels of uric acid in the blood. Shiitake mushrooms have antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties which is why many people use them for herbal remedies and medicinal purposes. When considering this remedy many are taken by the fact that Shiitake mushrooms carry beta-glucans which is a type of carbohydrate found in Shiitake mushrooms and is a strong anti-inflammatory that helps protect you from gout. But there are many other factors to understand concerning shiitake mushrooms and gout.

Another important factor to know about shiitake mushrooms and gout is that they are an excellent source of potassium, zinc, manganese, riboflavin, vitamins B, selenium, copper, phosphorus, niacin, and ergothioneine which is a powerful antioxidant and many other vitamins and minerals that can improve your overall health. But there aren’t any studies conducted for shiitake mushrooms and gout specifically. There is one that was done with people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis with Reishi mushrooms also known as Ganoderma lucidum “the Mushroom of Immortality”.

The findings from a 2007 study published by the University of Hong Kong, the found that this mushroom helped regulate cells that influence the immune system, helping calm down overactive cells that affect autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Shiitake Mushrooms and Gout

1. Anti-Inflammatory

An outbreak of gout can occur quickly, often awakening you up in the middle of the night with the feeling that your big toe is burning. The affected joint is burning, swollen and so painful that even the weight of the sheet on it may seem unbearable. It’s vital that the swelling is prevented or brought down. A healthy diet with anti-inflammatory foods can help and that is one of the major benefits people use when considering shiitake mushrooms and gout.

2. Activated Immune System

A gout attack is triggered by uric acid crystallizing in the joints. The immune system distinguishes the crystals as a threat and launches an immune response on them. It is the resulting inflammation that causes swelling, reddening of the skin and debilitating pain. An important factor to consider on shiitake mushrooms on gout is that this mushroom activates the immune system. The shiitake mushroom is pretty potent when it comes to boosting the immune system. That’s why humans with autoimmune disorders like gout might want to be careful when consuming shiitakes: because they can actually cause symptoms to flare up.

3. Purine Levels

Purine levels is an important factor to consider with shiitake mushrooms and gout. Purine compounds, whether created in the body or from consuming high-purine foods, can increase uric acid levels. Excess uric acid can create uric acid crystals, which then build up in soft tissues and joints, creating the painful symptoms of gout. Dietary management focuses on decreasing the quantity of uric acid in the system and on managing the disorders that occur frequently among patients with gout. Shiitake mushrooms are high in purines, so patients with gout should not consume large amounts of these foods.

Shiitake Mushrooms and Gout – More Things to Consider

What’s Really Causing Your Gout?

While your diet can play an important role in gout, there are more things worth considering other than shiitake mushrooms and gout. Gout is the most prevalent form of inflammatory arthritis in men, and although it is more likely to affect men, women become more susceptive to it after menopause. There are many lifestyle factors that can help prevent or manage gout symptoms.

Diet: Red meats are also higher in purines than white meats and should be eaten only occasionally. Organ meats are especially high in purines, which can raise your uric acid levels and spur a gout attack.

Alcohol: Alcohol causes the kidneys to excrete alcohol instead of excreting uric acid. For many people, more than two liquor drinks or two beers a day can increase the risk of gout.

Sodas:  Drinking too much soda, orange juice, or other sugary drinks appears to increase the risk of developing gout. Artificially added fructose found in soda is linked to a higher risk of gout than naturally occurring sources of fructose like fruit.

Obesity: When people are overweight or obese, their bodies produce more insulin. “Higher levels of insulin circulating throughout the body inhibit uric acid elimination by the kidneys. This excess uric acid can lead to gout and gout attacks.

Bypass surgery: Increasing levels of uric acid are associated with poorer survival after coronary artery bypass grafting. Those who have undergone gastric bypass surgery have an increased risk of gout and gout attacks.

There are many lifestyle and dietary guidelines that can be tried to protect against flares or prevent gout from occurring, like maintaining a high fluid intake of around 2 to 4 liters a day can help prevent these symptoms.