Read all a gout it
Gout, a disease traditionally associated with over-indulgent aristocrats, is hitting a newgeneration of binge-drinking Britons, according to a medical expert.
Cheap drinks promotions have contributed to a doubling of incurable gout cases in the UK over the last 20 years, says Dr Michael Snaith, a consultant rheumatologist in Derbyshire.
"Cases of gout continue to rise as a direct result of excessive drinking," he said.
"It is no longer the case that only the rich can afford to consume too much."
The arthritic disease is caused by a build-up of uric acid in the blood.
The kidneys are unable to remove the dangerous toxin, which leads to a swelling of the joints causing excruciating pain.
Sufferers develop an inflamed big toe and are advised to cut out consumption of red meats and alcohol.
But, certain beverages are more liable to cause gout than others, warned Snaith.
"Real ales contain high levels of purines.
These chemicals are broken down into uric acid in the body.
If you drink large amounts of real ale you are at greater risk of the disease," he said.
High levels of obesity, an irresponsible attitude to alcohol and crash dieting have contributed to the current 155,000 cases of gout in the UK, according to the UK Gout Society.
However, Camra spokesman Mike Benner dismissed the health doubt over real ales.
"At the end of the day, real ales are very natural drinks and free from the carbonation that iscarried out at breweries," he stressed.
