Does lemon water dissolve uric acid?

by Jiya
(Karachi)

QUESTION:

You write that lemon water is effective at dissolving uric acid. Are you sure about this??

ANSWER:

When writing the article The Health Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water, I paraphrased the research of Jethro Kloss, from his book Back to Eden.

Kloss writes: “The lemon is a wonderful stimulant to the liver and is a dissolvent of uric acid and other poisons, liquefies the bile, and is very good in cases of malaria. Sufferers of chronic rheumatism and gout will benefit by taking lemon juice, also those who have a tendency to bleed, uterine hemorrhages . . .rickets and tuberculosis.”

To answer your question to me, "Are you sure lemon water dissolves uric acid?" I would have to say, no, not really.

What I do know is that there is considerable research and documentation to validate that drinking lemon water does help to at least alleviate or reduce the amount of uric acid in the joints. But I cannot say for sure that it "dissolves" it.

If you do a simple online search for “uric acid and lemon,” you will find numerous reputable sites and authors who verify this.

For example, Dr. Ronald Hoffman, one of America's foremost complementary medicine practitioners, is also the founder and Medical Director of the Hoffman Center in New York City. His staff wrote an excellent article (see reference below) about the causes of joint pain and inflammation, specifically in relation to the arthritic condition called gout.

What the Hoffman staff wrote in regards to lemon juice and uric acid is this: “Uric acid crystallizes and forms stones in an acidic environment. One way to prevent this is by alkalinizing the urine or making it more basic.

"Lemon juice stimulates the formation of calcium carbonate, which neutralizes acids like uric acid.”

To summarize briefly, I have seen numerous reputable health professionals use various terms in relation to the effect of lemon juice on uric acid.

Kloss says lemon juice dissolves uric acid, Hoffman’s staff says it helps to neutralize it, and others say that lemon juices helps prevent the build up of uric acid in the joints.

So what is the correct terminology? I will leave it up to you to decide for yourself. For me, the bottom line is that I know from personal experience that lemon water has helped alleviate joint pain for some people.

Thank you for keeping me on my research toes!!


References

Back to Eden; Jethro Kloss; 1981.

DrHoffman.com: Gout: A Detailed Discussion

Return from Does Lemon Water Dissolve Uric Acid? to Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water

Uric acid problem and lemon water

by Sumeet Bhat
(Karnal-Haryana-India)

QUESTION: I am a patient with high blood pressure and have a uric acid problem. I am 34 yrs old. I am regularly taking three glasses of warm lemon water with one spoon of honey. Someone told me that lemon water with honey is not good for uric acid as it increases it. Is it correct or not? Please guide me.

ANSWER: Since you are asking about a specific health condition, it would be irresponsible for me to advise you without knowing more information about your health history.

However, I will say this much: I believe the advice you received about lemon water not being good for a uric acid problem is incorrect.

Many people believe that because lemon juice is citric acid that drinking it will make the body more acidic. But it does not work that way.

Lemon Juice Helps Neutralize Uric Acid

Some foods leave an acid residue in the body after being digested, others leave an alkaline residue. Lemons produce an alkaline effect on the body, based upon the residue that remains after the lemon juice is metabolized.

Dr. Ronald Hoffman, a leader in the field of complementary medicine, writes: “Uric acid crystallizes and forms stones in an acidic environment. One way to prevent this is by alkalinizing the urine or making it more basic. Lemon juice stimulates the formation of calcium carbonate, which neutralizes acids like uric acid. Therefore, drinking freshly squeezed lemon in a glass of water after meals can prevent a (uric acid)attack.”

I will also say that I believe you would get more benefit from the lemon juice if you do not add the honey. If you must add a sweetener, the only sweetener I can think of that would not diminish some of the therapeutic benefits of the lemon juice is a high-quality, natural stevia (not the processed ones).

Drinking a teaspoon of baking soda in filtered drinking water on an empty stomach can also help to alkalinize the urine temporarily. But I do NOT recommend using baking soda on a regular basis.

It is very easy to become too alkaline with baking soda, which can cause bladder infections and other issues. Also, it can be dangerous to drink baking soda in water on a full stomach.

Drinking Ionized Water Will Also Help with Uric Acid Problem

In addition to drinking lemon water, another way to safely and effectively alkalinize the body is by drinking water from a high-quality water ionizer system.

You can learn more here about the type of water ionizers I recommend.

It is also very important to stay well hydrated with uric acid problems. This prevents the uric acid from becoming too concentrated.

Hydration will keep the uric acid dilute and thus inhibit the crystallization of uric acid, which is what causes pain and inflammation. Learn the facts about drinking enough water in order to stay fully hydrated.

The type and quality of water you drink is very important.

The best drinking water is filtered of contaminants without removing the healthy, naturally occurring minerals in the water. These minerals are essential for nutrient absorption, health of the nervous system, pH balance in the body, and so many other functions.