The effect of vitamin C intake on the risk of hyperuricemia and serum uric acid level in Korean Multi-Rural Communities Cohort

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association between vitamin C intake and risk ofhyperuricemia or serum uric acid levels in male and female subjects in the Korean Multi-Rural Commu-nities Prospective Cohort.Methods: This cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 9400 subjects enrolled in the Korean Multi-RuralCommunities Cohort Study. The risk of hyperuricemia was assessed in five quintiles (Q1 to Q5) accordingto dietary and total vitamin C intake using multivariate-adjusted logistic regression models. Relationshipsbetween serum uric acid levels and vitamin C intake were evaluated using linear regression analysis afteradjustment for covariates. Information about dietary components was collected using validated foodfrequency questionnaires.Results: Dietary vitamin C intake, but not total vitamin C intake, was significantly different betweenhyperuricemic and non-hyperuricemic subjects in males (P = 0.01) and females (P = 0.02). The risk ofhyperuricemia decreased with increased dietary vitamin C intake in male and female subjects after mul-tivariate adjustment (P for trend = 0.002 in males and P for trend = 0.02 in females). An effect of totalvitamin C intake on hyperuricemia risk was identified in females (P for trend = 0.04), but not males (Pfor trend = 0.06). Serum uric acid level was linearly associated with total vitamin C intake in females( = −0.0001, P = 0.01), but not with dietary vitamin C intake in either gender.Conclusion: This study showed that vitamin C intake might be in part responsible for hyperuricemia orserum uric acid level in the Korean Multi-Rural Communities Cohort.