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
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.
"This was the best and most straight forward info on the net yet. I asked a question and got an answer that made sense. Thank you so much!" - Linderlinder
FINALLY!!! I have been wondering about this for years with no 'solid' answer. This is exactly what I've been wanting to know! Thank you for this share..." by Andy
"Thank you for the information, Nancy. I appreciate it. Your article and findings are very helpful, referring to dehydration." - Carolyn
"Lemon water is one drink both my wife and I can't drink. It upsets our stomachs. We are in our sixties and in very good health—well, better health now that we drink about 2 liters plus of water each day. It has made so much difference to our digestive systems and recovery every day. Thank you for your website and effort." - Rod