Effect of sugar‐sweetened soft drinks on serum uric acid and associated metabolic risk factors.

Excess dietary fructose can lead to elevated serum uric acid (SUA) concentrations which could in turn increase the risk of metabolic syndrome. An important source of fructose worldwide is sugar or high fructose corn syrup sweetened beverages (SSBs). SSB intakes have increased in parallel with obesity and type 2 diabetes, and may have displaced milk beverages. Fruit juice, despite containing similar amounts of fructose has not been shown to elevate SUA, while milk may reduce SUA concentrations. The aim of our 8 week, randomised controlled trial was to determine the effects on SUA and metabolic syndrome risk factors of replacing SSBs with non‐sugar sweetened beverages including diet soft drink, orange juice, or low‐fat milk in a relatively insulin resistant population with high habitual SSB intakes (≥500ml/d). Blood and anthropometric data were collected at week 0, 4, and 8. Dietary data and 24‐hour urine samples were collected at week 0 and 8. There were significant reductions in serum uric acid levels in the diet soft drinks, orange juice, and milk groups compared to SSBs (39, 44, & 44μmol/L; p<0.01). C‐reactive protein concentrations were significantly reduced in the juice group but not in the others (−1.8mg/L; p=0.025). No significant differences were found between interventions for fasting glucose, TAG, or HDL cholesterol concentrations, weight, BMI, blood pressure, or waist circumference. Our findings indicate that reducing SSB intakes by exchanging SSBs for non‐sugar sweetened beverages lowers serum uric acid concentrations, and improves some features of the metabolic syndrome independently of changes in adiposity.