A pair of new studies has found drinking water and skim milk may help gout sufferers prevent the painful attacks.
In the first study, researchers at Boston University School of Medicine discovered that the more water sufferers drank, the lower their risk of recurrent attacks was, according to WebMD.
“This suggests that dehydration may indeed be an important trigger for gout attacks, and that drinking water may be a simple intervention to help reduce the risk of recurrent attacks,” said the studys author Dr. Tuhina Neogi.
In the other study, researchers at the University of Auckland in New Zealand found that drinking skim milk can prevent attacks as well.
Participants who drank skim milk experienced a 10 percent drop in uric acid levels. When elevated, these levels are known to raise the risk of gout.
WebMD defines gout as a type of arthritis that is caused by a buildup of uric acid and needle-like crystals in the joints. It occurs most frequently in overweight, middle-aged men.
According to Health911.com, among the supplements available to help reduce episodes of gout are vitamins B, C and E as well as fish oil, magnesium citrate and shark cartilage.