New analysis revealed in Arthritis & Rheumatology means that adults with low blood ranges of urate, a breakdown product of metabolism, could also be at greater danger of getting low skeletal muscle mass and energy and should face a better danger of early dying.

The research used 1999–2006 information from the Nationwide Well being and Diet Examination Survey. Amongst 13,979 individuals aged 20 years and older, low blood urate concentrations had been related to low lean mass, underweight physique mass index, and better charges of weight reduction. Low blood urate was related to a 61% greater danger of dying (via 2015) earlier than adjusting for physique composition, however danger was non-significant after adjusting for physique composition and weight reduction.

“These observations help what many have intuited, specifically that individuals with low serum urate ranges have greater mortality and worse outcomes not as a result of low urate is unhealthy for well being, however reasonably that low urate ranges are inclined to happen amongst sicker folks, who’ve misplaced weight and have opposed physique composition,” mentioned lead creator Joshua F. Baker, MD, MSCE, of the College of Pennsylvania. “Whereas this observational research would not disprove a causal affiliation, it does recommend that nice care is required in decoding epidemiologic associations between urate ranges and well being outcomes.”