Question by Amelia: Why does lead poisoning cause uric acid to build up in the joints, or the disease known as gout?
I can’t find it anywhere. It’s needed for a bio research project…

Best answer:

Answer by Peter S
Gout occurs when urate crystals accumulate around your joint, causing the inflammation and intense pain of a gout attack. Urate crystals can form when you have high levels of uric acid in your blood. Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines, substances that are found naturally in your body, as well as in certain foods, such as organ meats, anchovies, herring, asparagus and mushrooms.

Normally, uric acid dissolves in your blood and passes through your kidneys into your urine. But sometimes your body either produces too much uric acid or your kidneys excrete too little uric acid. When this happens, uric acid can build up, forming sharp, needle-like urate crystals in a joint or surrounding tissue that cause pain, inflammation and swelling.

Potassium deficiency results in increased blood urate levels due to the effect of lead on aldosterone.

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