Prebiotics and the Management of Hyperuricemia

Hyperuricemia is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases. Recently, dysbiosis of gut microbiota has been reported to play an important role in the pathogenesis of hyperuricemia. Animal studies have demonstrated that administration of prebiotics help delay the progression of hyperuricemia through several mechanisms such as reduction in endotoxemia, and enhanced production of short-chain fatty acids and hippuric acid.

However, whether administration of prebiotics also has a protective effect in subjects with hyperuricemia remain under-explored. Moreover, whether the original gut microbiota will influence the protective effect of prebiotics remains largely unknown.

Inclusion criteria

• Local residents aged between 18-80 years old;

• Stable weight (<5% weight change over the past 3 months);
• Fsating uric acid > 420 umol/L for male and > 360 umol/L for female on two different days;
• Not taking uric acid lowering drugs or have stopped taking uric acid lowering drugs for over 4 weeks at the time of recruitment;
• Absence of any diet or medication that might interfere with uric acid metabolims or gut microbiota, especially antibiotics, prebiotics or probiotics at the least 4 weeks before recruitment

Exclusion criteria

• Acute illness or evidence of any acute or chronic inflammatroy of infective diseases;

• Participation in regular diet program more than 2 times per week in the lastest 3 months prior to recruitment;
• Mental illness rendering them unable to understand the nature, scope, and possible consequences of the study;
• Women of childbearing age who are pregant, breast-feeding or preparing for pregnancy; patients who had surgey within the past 6 months or planned surgery during the trial period.