HEALTH TOPICS 
Did my diet cause my gout?
Ask the doctors
Q. I eat a lot of shellfish and recently developed gout in my knee. Did my diet cause the condition?
A. As you probably know, gout is a painful form of arthritis that occurs when high levels of a waste product called uric acid build up in the body. It can settle into joints, where it forms sharp crystals that can trigger inflammation, redness, and pain. Your diet may have aggravated the condition, but didn't cause it.
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