Supplements
vitamin C decreases serum uric acid
In plain terms: Does vitamin C lower uric acid or help gout?
Part of: 🧪 vitamin C
It nudges uric acid down slightly but does not reliably prevent gout attacks, so it's not a gout treatment.
📅 Last reviewed: 2026-07-15 ⓘ
Evidence ladder
How far up the ladder this claim has climbed. A high consensus on a low rung means "consistent so far," not "proven in people."
Top evidence so far: All trials, pooled (Meta-analysis)
How the studies fall
What the evidence shows
Vitamin C produces a small reduction in serum uric acid (pooled RCTs: roughly −0.35 mg/dL). However, this does not translate into fewer gout attacks or reliable clinical benefit: gout-focused Cochrane/SR evidence finds supplements insufficient, and Mendelian-randomization work does not support a protective causal effect on gout risk. Modest biomarker mover, not a gout therapy.
The evidence (6)
| Source | Grade | Stance | Quality | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pardali EC, Gkouvi A, Nasiou K, Cholevas C, Sergentanis TN, Kornarou E, Sarris IK, Goulis DG, Bogdanos DP, Vassilakou T, Grammatikopoulou MG 2025 · Mediterr J Rheumatol | observational | tested-null | low | SR of diet/supplements on gout outcomes: vitamin C among agents explored for lowering serum uric acid; clinical gout benefit not established. |
| Juraschek SP, Miller ER, Gelber AC 2011 · Arthritis Care Res | meta-analysis | supports | moderate | MA of RCTs: vitamin C supplementation significantly reduced serum uric acid (pooled ~-0.35 mg/dL). |
| Enderle J, Dörner R, Tondar D, Hasler M, Gilcher C, Steingass CB, Schweiggert R, Müller MJ, Bosy-Westphal A 2026 · European journal of nutrition | RCT | supports | moderate | RCT, n=40, 2wk crossover, 600mg VitC vs placebo (orange drinks). VitC & VitC+Hesp arms: SUA decreased significantly; no abstract-reported mg/dL delta/CI, magnitude not stated. |
| Qiu Y, Li C, Huang Y, Wu C, Li F, Zhang X, Xia D 2024 · Clin Nutr | observational | tested-null | low | Two-sample Mendelian randomization (abstract only; not open access): genetically predicted serum levels of 10 micronutrients incl. vitamin C vs serum urate (CKDGen, N=288,649, European ancestry) and gout (GBMI, N=1,069,839, 30,549 cases); IVW main analysis plus MR-Egger, weighted median, MR-PRESSO. Vitamin C falls under 'No clear associations were found between the other micronutrients and the urate levels, as well as the risk of gout' - a null on the claim's own object (urate), not a two-way result. The vitamin C estimate and interval are not in the abstract, so cannot-tell from available text whether it is a clean null or an underpowered trend toward lower urate. Exposure is lifelong genetically predicted serum vitamin C, not supplementation. |
| Andrés M, Sivera F, Falzon L, Buchbinder R, Carmona L 2014 · Cochrane Database Syst Rev | meta-analysis | mixed | moderate | Cochrane review of dietary supplements for chronic gout: evidence of benefit/safety limited or absent — no clear clinical gout benefit. |
| Stamp LK, O'Donnell JL, Frampton C, Drake JM, Zhang M, Chapman PT 2013 · Arthritis Rheum | RCT | contradicts | moderate | RCT in GOUT patients: vitamin C gave only a clinically insignificant serum-urate reduction — the modest biomarker effect does not extend to gout treatment. |
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