Safely Lower Uric Acid Levels

Up to 20% of adults have elevated uric acid levels.¹

High uric acid levels are associated with gout, kidney stones and kidney disorders.² Uric acid levels have been shown to gradually rise with increasing age.^3-6

An extract from a plant called Terminalia bellerica was found in a clinical trial to help most participants achieve targeted uric acid levels without prescription medication.⁷

T. bellerica supplementation offers a leap forward in safely lowering high uric acid levels.

Elevated Uric Acid Can Occur in Many Serious Conditions

Elevated levels of uric acid are associated with gout, an often-excruciating form of arthritis. But people with cardiovascular and metabolic risks can also have high uric acid levels.

These conditions include metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, elevated blood pressure,⁸ atrial fibrillation,⁹ chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease.⁶

Many people discover they have elevated uric acid when their doctor orders routine blood work, even when they are asymptomatic.

Symptomatic gout manifests as pain, inflammation, and/or kidney complications from too much uric acid in the bloodstream. It can begin at any time.

Safely Lower Uric Acid

Researchers have identified an extract called Terminalia bellerica that can safely lower uric acid levels.

In one randomized controlled trial, people with elevated uric acid who took 500 mg of T. bellerica twice daily reduced their uric acid by an average of 28.4% after 24 weeks.⁷ This decrease in uric acid levels enabled 89% of the participants who took the extract to achieve targeted uric acid serum levels.

In another trial, scientists evaluated the effectiveness of T. bellerica in people with chronic kidney disease who had elevated uric acid levels.¹⁰

After 24 weeks, those taking 500 mg of T. bellerica twice a day lowered their uric acid by 20%.

They also experienced improved kidney function. This was demonstrated by several markers, including:

• Increased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), a measure of kidney function that indicates how efficiently the kidneys are able to filter blood.¹¹
• An 11.5% decrease in creatinine level, a waste product from protein metabolism that is a common marker of kidney function.¹²

Additional benefits included lowered CRP (C-reactive protein), a marker of systemic inflammation) and improved endothelial function (a sign of blood vessel health).

These results indicate the potential benefits of T. bellerica for those with kidney disease and high uric acid levels.

Summary

Levels of uric acid rise with age.

Elevated uric acid levels have long been known to cause gout, the painful arthritic condition.

They are also a risk factor for kidney stones and other kidney conditions. There is increasing awareness that life-shortening conditions like kidney disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and a wide range of cardiovascular disorders are often accompanied by high uric acid levels.

Extracts of T. bellerica have been shown to reduce uric acid levels.

Many people have elevated uric acid without knowing it, making it essential to have levels tested yearly.

Life Extension and many physicians consider a blood uric acid level of less than 6.0 as optimal. A uric acid level greater than 8.0 has been used to indicate the need for evaluation and treatment.⁶

If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension Wellness Specialist at 1-866-864-3027.

References

1. Chen-Xu M, Yokose C, Rai SK, et al. Contemporary Prevalence of Gout and Hyperuricemia in the United States and Decadal Trends: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-2016. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2019;71(6):991-9.
2. Available at: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/uric-acid-kidney-diseases. Accessed June 12, 2024.
3. Zitt E, Fischer A, Lhotta K, et al. Sex- and age-specific variations, temporal trends and metabolic determinants of serum uric acid concentrations in a large population-based Austrian cohort. Scientific Reports. 2020;10(1):7578.
4. Dai C, Wang C, Xia F, et al. Age and Gender-Specific Reference Intervals for Uric Acid Level in Children Aged 5-14 Years in Southeast Zhejiang Province of China: Hyperuricemia in Children May Need Redefinition. Front Pediatr. 2021;9:560720.
5. Kuzuya M, Ando F, Iguchi A, Shimokata H. Effect of Aging on Serum Uric Acid Levels: Longitudinal Changes in a Large Japanese Population Group. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A. 2002;57(10):M660-M4.
6. Available at: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/asymptomatic-hyperuricemia. Accessed November 21, 2023.
7. Usharani P, Nutalapati C, Pokuri VK, et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-, and positive-controlled clinical pilot study to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of standardized aqueous extracts of Terminalia chebula and Terminalia bellerica in subjects with hyperuricemia. Clin Pharmacol. 2016;8:51-9.
8. Borghi C, Agnoletti D, Cicero AFG, et al. Uric Acid and Hypertension: a Review of Evidence and Future Perspectives for the Management of Cardiovascular Risk. Hypertension. 2022;79(9):1927-36.
9. Ding M, Viet NN, Gigante B, et al. Elevated Uric Acid Is Associated With New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation: Results From the Swedish AMORIS Cohort. J Am Heart Assoc. 2023;12(3):e027089.
10. Pingali U, Nutalapati C, Koilagundla N, Taduri G. A randomized, double-blind, positive-controlled, prospective, dose-response clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of an aqueous extract of Terminalia bellerica in lowering uric acid and creatinine levels in chronic kidney disease subjects with hyperuricemia. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2020;20(1):281.
11. Available at: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/gfr. Accessed June 13, 2024.
12. Available at: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/serum-blood-creatinine. Accessed June 13, 2024.