Normal Uric Acid Level
A normal uric acid level in the body ranges between 3.0 and 7.0 mg/dL, according to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at PennState Hershey (see Resources). Anything lower or higher can cause sickness and may be due to an existing medical condition, a medication being used, or a diet that is high in purines.
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Uric Acid
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The body creates uric acid (a chemical) during the breakdown of a substance known as purines. These purines---formed from human body tissues as well as the result of ingesting certain foods and drinks---are not harmful to the body if they stay within a normal range (3.0 to 7.0 mg/dL).
Testing for Normal Uric Acid Level
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A simple blood test can be performed to determine if an individual has normal uric acid levels or if the level is lower or higher than normal. This test is usually not performed unless there is a reason to suspect the level is not in the normal range. Some health symptoms (like pain in the joints or stones in the body), or the use of some prescribed medications, might prompt a medical professional to perform this test.
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Purine Foods and Normal Uric Acid
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In moderation, a diet that includes purines is not normally a problem. But when more of these foods are consumed than the individual's body can eliminate through urine or the blood stream, the excess can form crystals that aggravate joints or create stones. Therefore, eating purine-containing foods like mackerel, anchovies, liver and dried peas or beans, should be done so with this in mind. Likewise, drinks that contain purines include beer and wine.
Normal Uric Acid and Medications
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Just as with certain foods and drinks, there are certain medications that can increase the uric acid level in the body, moving it out of the normal range. These medications include: Aspirin, Diazoxide, Diuretics, Epinephrine, Methyldopa, Nicotinic Acid, Phenothiazines and Theophylline. Other medications, like corticosteroids, can decrease uric acid levels. However, lower uric acid levels do not pose the same health concerns as higher levels do.
Medical Conditions That Affect Normal Levels
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Certain existing medical conditions can affect uric acid levels in the body too. Alcoholism, diabetes, gout and leukemia can all produce higher than normal uric acid levels in the body, while Wilson's disease and Fanconi syndrome produce lower levels.
Significance
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According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, uric acid is one of the salts carried by the urine out of the body. If there is not enough urine in the body to help dilute the salts being carried, these crystallizing salts can form into stones, especially if these salts sit in the urine for extended periods of time.
However, there are four substances that are also normally in urine that can aid in preventing uric acid stone formation when uric acid levels are above normal: magnesium, citrate, enzymes and pyrophosphate.
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