NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

Sugary drinks linked to gout - study

Teuila Fuatai
By Teuila Fuatai
APNZ·
12 Sep, 2013 04:15 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Sugar-sweetened drinks raise chance of gout by 13 per cent - study. Photo / Thinkstock
Sugar-sweetened drinks raise chance of gout by 13 per cent - study. Photo / Thinkstock

Sugar-sweetened drinks raise chance of gout by 13 per cent - study. Photo / Thinkstock

Drinking sugary drinks raises the risk of developing gout, a new local study shows.

Research from Otago University, which examined blood samples from about 1600 New Zealanders between 2007 and 2012, revealed sugar-sweetened drinks reversed the effectiveness of a human gene variant designed to protect against gout.

Associate Professor Tony Merriman, from the university's Biochemistry Department, said the gene variant took on "Jekyll and Hyde" characteristics when people consumed sugary drinks.

Downing a 300ml serving of sugar-sweetened drink increased the chance of gout by 13 per cent, he said.

A standard can of soft drink was about 355ml.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Having two servings in a day would double the risk, Professor Merriman said.

Study findings showed when the variant of the gene behaved correctly, it assisted in the transport of uric acid out of the blood stream and facilitated its excretion through the kidney.

Sugary drinks reversed this action, causing uric acid to be transported back into the blood-stream.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Because gout was caused by a build up of uric acid in the blood, those who consumed sugary-drinks were more likely to develop it.

Professor Merriman referred to the interaction as "unpredictable."

"So, not only does sugar raise uric acid in the blood due to processing in the liver, but it also appears to directly interfere with secretion of uric acid from the kidney."

The study also showed consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks increased the risk of gout to all New Zealanders, including Maori and Pacific people, independent of their weight.

Discover more

Lifestyle

Are supermarkets fooling you?

29 Aug 03:20 AM
Lifestyle

Healthy options for eating out

01 Sep 10:30 PM
Lifestyle

Obesity epidemic: Toxic sugar?

06 Sep 11:00 PM
Opinion

Enjoy booze in a healthy way

24 Dec 01:00 AM

Previous US research has already proved people of European ancestry were more likely to develop gout from drinking high-fructose corn syrup soft drinks.

Study participants, who were mainly from Auckland and Christchurch, were also asked how much soft-drink and fruit juice they consumed.

Five per cent of participants of European heritage were drinking more than 1 litre of sugar-sweetened drink, compared to 14.4 per cent of Maori and 16.6 per cent of Pacific Island people.

Professor Merriman said gout attacks could be prevented by the prescribed daily use of the medicine allopurinol, which lowered the production of uric acid in the blood.

People suffering from gout should not drink any sugary drinks and take this medication, he advised.

The study was published in the international journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases today.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
Lifestyle

Society Insider: Rich Lister’s milestone year; Kiwi Bondi Rescue star’s move to real estate; model and entrepreneur’s very modern family

28 May 05:00 PM
Lifestyle

'Anything could be going on': Concerns over relaxed barber rules

28 May 07:53 AM
Premium
Lifestyle

Teens are sexting with AI - here’s what parents should know

28 May 06:00 AM

Sponsored: Cosy up to colour all year

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Netanyahu claims key Hamas leader killed
World

Netanyahu claims key Hamas leader killed

28 May 06:07 PM
From farm roots to vet career: New graduate's journey to change farmer perceptions
Hawkes Bay Today

From farm roots to vet career: New graduate's journey to change farmer perceptions

28 May 06:00 PM
'It's pumping': How a rural mother's catering venture became a community staple
Hawkes Bay Today

'It's pumping': How a rural mother's catering venture became a community staple

28 May 06:00 PM
'He's got to keep working': Warriors coach's sympathy for off-contract Te Maire Martin
Warriors

'He's got to keep working': Warriors coach's sympathy for off-contract Te Maire Martin

28 May 06:00 PM
'Huge impact': Subdivision residents concerned about traffic from development
Bay of Plenty Times

'Huge impact': Subdivision residents concerned about traffic from development

28 May 06:00 PM

Latest from Lifestyle

Premium
Society Insider: Rich Lister’s milestone year; Kiwi Bondi Rescue star’s move to real estate; model and entrepreneur’s very modern family

Society Insider: Rich Lister’s milestone year; Kiwi Bondi Rescue star’s move to real estate; model and entrepreneur’s very modern family

28 May 05:00 PM

Ricardo Simich has the latest society news.

'Anything could be going on': Concerns over relaxed barber rules

'Anything could be going on': Concerns over relaxed barber rules

28 May 07:53 AM
Premium
Teens are sexting with AI - here’s what parents should know

Teens are sexting with AI - here’s what parents should know

28 May 06:00 AM
Premium
13 reasons you might be losing your hair – and what to do about them

13 reasons you might be losing your hair – and what to do about them

28 May 12:00 AM
Sponsored: Into the woods - the new biophilic design
sponsored

Sponsored: Into the woods - the new biophilic design

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search