What does a low Uric Acid level mean?

I Was reading the 3 different types of CFS, and types 1 and 2 included low levels of Uric Acid. Can anyone explain what this is and what symptoms it contributes too, etc.... I don't know much about it, so any info would be great. The only thing I think I know is that a high Uric Acid level may be is associated with Gout, and that it is very painful from what I hear. My Uric Acid Levels are on the low end. Mine was 4.4 and the normal range is 4-8.

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Please discuss this test result with you physician in the mean time here is some general information.



Drugs that can decrease uric acid measurements include Allopurinol, high-dose Aspirin, Azathioprine, Clofibrate, Corticosteroids, Estrogens, Glucose infusion, Guaifenesin, Mannitol, Probenecid, and Warfarin.


Lower-than-normal levels of uric acid MAY indicate: [Please remember having a low normal test result does not mean you have any of the following conditions]

Fanconi's syndrome
Wilson's disease
SIADH
Low purine diet


Sorry not much help maybe someone else will contribute.

Thanks,

Karen

Wow, thanks for all the info guys!

What is Purine? I have never heard of this before.

Your uric acid level is just normal.
In human blood, uric acid concentrations between 3.6 mg/dL (~214µmol/L) and 8.3 mg/dL (~494µmol/L) (1mg/dL=59.48 µmol/L)[6] are considered normal by the American Medical Association,
You are still worried?

There is no positive correlation with CFS and Uric acid at all, otherwise you can have one of whole bunch of illness, but sure not CFS.

Low Uric acid can arise from malfunctioning urea cycle in your liver. There are 5 distinct genetic defects of Urea cycle, but that completely different story. More often alcoholic liver, strong intoxication, cirrhosis …

Look here for biochemical basics.
http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/633ureacycle.html
[This Message was Edited on 12/29/2006]

Thanks For All the Great Info!

The main reason I am wondering if Low Uric Acid levels are an indication of something is because I recently read the post "the three categories of CFS" and in it it says that many people in Groups 1 and 2 have low levels of Uric Acid. Here's the post...Any input is appreciated...

Three categories of CFS according to "scientists" 12/20/06 11:41 AM

Group Profiles

Group 1: (15 to 20 percent)

This group has high levels of LMW RNase L and elastase, low levels of protein kinase (PKR) and uric acid, and low to normal levels of nitric oxide. Spinal taps indicate elevated levels of lymphocytes and proteins in the spinal fluid, and there is increased pressure upon opening the lumbar puncture.


These patients have a chronic low-grade viral infection and inflammatory reaction in the brain. Many micro-organisms are associated with this profile. Heavy metals, pesticides, and other triggers may also be involved. Approximately 20 percent of this group has low-grade Herpes Virus 6A (HHV6A) encephalitis.


The prominent feature is neurocognitive problems such as confusion and impaired concentration and memory. Fatigue originates in the brain. Pain is not prominent. Patients exhibit symptoms that have some similarities to multiple sclerosis (MS).


Group 2: (10 to 15 percent)

These patients have very high levels of LMW RNase L and elastase, high protein kinase activity, severely low natural killer cell activity, and very low serum uric acid levels.


This group of severely ill patients has bacterial infections originating from animals such as pets, rodents, ticks, etc. These patients have severe bowel problems. The gut is an important part of the immune system because 70 percent of immune cells are in the digestive tract. When a patient has leaky gut syndrome, the gut has become permeable and foreign proteins enter the blood and tissues and inflammation results. Dr. De Meirleir tests for 12 pathogenic gut bacteria.


Group 3: (60 to 70 percent)

The majority of ME/CFS patients are in this group. This profile is basically similar to Group 2, but not as severe. Generalized pain originating from dysfunction in the pain processing areas of the brain and CNS is a prominent feature. These patients have gastrointestinal infections, and bacteria are in the blood.


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My husband is on a low purine diet to keep his gout from acting up, also takes probenicid to keep it low.
[This Message was Edited on 01/04/2007]

thank you for all the info!

Please forgive me, but I am still a little confused. So I should NOT lay down because it is gonna make me worse? or I am only suppose to lay down for 5 minutes at a time? what if I am really exhausted, shouldn't I lay down then? And what about drinking liquids? when should I drink them, in the morning or the evening. Am I suppose to lay down after drinking a lot of liquids? I always thought people with CFS should get lots of rest? are you saying that laying down is actually making some people worse? Then how can I rest if I am not laying down? So then should I try to recline instead of laying down completely. This is where I get confused on Dr. Cheney and your explanation. I really appreciate all the information, I am just very surprised about this not laying down thing.

Also about the Guai.? Do you have to be on a special diet for the Guaifenesin to work? I heard that you have to avoid salicylate foods while on Guaifenesin? Do you eat foods with salicylates in them?

I noticed that you said that you drink coffee, I can't drink coffee because the caffine is way too strong for me. I am wondering how many CFS people can actually drink coffee. Doesn't the caffine send you crashing after it wears off. The most I can tolerate is occassional green tea.

Any more info would be great, thanks Ya'll
[This Message was Edited on 01/04/2007]

Thank You so much for all the helpful information. Yes I know that your are not telling what to do, hehehe. I really just didn't understand if I should drink more in the evening or in the morning, depending on if laying down helped me or not. But I understand it a lot better now thanks to you.

Personally I think I get better when I am laying down, at least that is my first instinct when I am exhausted, have brain fog, cognitive dysfunction, achy muscles, etc.. I usually take a nap and I feel a little better. However, occassionally I have awoke from naps and felt worse than when I fell asleep.

Although when I think about it in detail, my headaches are always worse when I lay horizontal. My headaches painfully pound with each heartbeat.

I am wondering what you do when you are very exhausted during the day? Since laying down makes you worse, how do you rest? Do you just recline instead of being horizontal?

Hypothetically speaking, how does someone get rest if laying horizontal makes them feel worse?

Peace and Love, Sean

Hi carla, Yeah I am really starting to understand this more. I think I do mostly get better when I am horizontal, although there are occasionally times when I wake up and I do feel like I am a lead weight, especially in my head.

So I wonder if I would get even better If I drank most of my liquids in the early day, and then only rested sitting up or reclined instead of laying horizontal. I really need to experiment and see what helps me the most.

Yeah I am concerned about the heavy throbbing feeling in my head. I am juicing daily now with vegetable juice to help eliminate toxins. So hopefully it will help.

About your question, "Are you having the throbbing veins thing when you lie down IF you DO drink caffeine??" Um.. I will have to experiment and find out, but I think I DO have the throbbing veins thing when I lie down if I DO drink caffeine.

Just to make sure I completely understand you, Is the "throbbing veins thing" a heavy feeling all over your body with overwhelming exhaustion, are there more specific symptoms I should look for? I'm trying to understand just how you feel when you lay down so I can figure out if I have exactly what you're talking about.

Either way I will still try Dr. Cheney's suggestions and see how it helps me. I really appreciate all of your comments, thank you.

Peace and Love to you also )

Thanks Carla, Have a good night.

P.S. I was in The Netherlands (it was the starting and ending point of my European trip) in 1997 and I loved it. It is very beautiful!

and Yeah I'll take it easy on the caffine too, hehehe!

Yeah if I do the caffine thing then I'll do it with green tea. I wouldn't be able to handle all the caffine of coffee.

For the past few days I have been having these pounding headaches. Immediately after standing it feels like my head is going to explode. I get light headed and my head goes boom boom with my pulse and it aches, this lasts for a few moments then it lessens and goes back to just annoying and achy. It will also happen If I place my head lower than my heart.

Anyone else get these headaches, they have seem to be more often, last longer and are slighty worse since I started juicing daily. Could be a coincendence.