What is Uric acid?

Uric acid (urate in its ionised form) is the final product of purine metabolism in humans. Because humans lack the enzyme uricase, uric acid is not further converted in most mammals — so it remains as the end-product and is excreted via the kidneys (and partly via the gut).

Why does it matter for long-term health and wellbeing?

Uric acid acts both as an antioxidant in the blood and, under certain conditions, as a pro-oxidant within cells. Elevated levels have been associated with greater oxidative stress, decreased renal clearance and metabolic load.

For someone focused on metabolic performance, longevity and energy, uric acid provides a window into how well your waste-clearance mechanisms and metabolic turnover are operating, helping you tune your diet, lifestyle and recovery to maintain internal balance.

What’s an optimal level of Uric acid?

• Reference lab ranges in Australia:
  
  • Females: low ~0.15 mmol/L; high ~0.40 mmol/L
  • Males: low ~0.20 mmol/L; high ~0.45 mmol/L
    
• At Vively, the target optimal range is: ~0.20 mmol/L up to less than ~0.30 mmol/L for both sexes.

What influences Uric acid levels?

Many factors:

• Dietary intake of purines (e.g., meat, seafood, certain plant foods) and fructose can increase production.
• Rate of kidney (and gut) excretion of uric acid.
• Hydration status, kidney workload and function.
• Metabolic rate, cell breakdown, muscle turnover and recovery from intense exercise or fasting states.
• Alcohol intake and sugary beverages (especially fructose-rich) can elevate levels.
• Sleep quality, stress, inflammation and oxidative burden may impact how your body handles uric acid.
• Medications, ketosis, extended fasts or extreme exercise can also influence uric acid.

These patterns align with the literature showing uric acid as a marker of production vs clearance and oxidative stress.

What does it mean if Uric acid is outside the optimal range?

If your uric acid is above the optimal range (but still within lab reference), it could suggest your body is producing more purine waste or your excretory/filtration mechanisms are under load — a signal to review your metabolic, hydration and recovery strategies. If it is above the lab high, it shows a stronger deviation from internal balance.

If uric acid is below the lower bound of the optimal range, this is rare but may reflect very low production or altered metabolism; it may warrant review of nutritional status, recovery, hormonal status or kidney clearance — though in otherwise healthy people it is less common.

In both cases, tracking trends over time is more meaningful than a single reading: is the value creeping up, stable, or improving? That pattern tells you whether your lifestyle shifts are helping or not.

How can I support healthy Uric acid levels?

• Maintain good hydration and kidney support (aim for pale-yellow urine, regular clear output).
• Monitor protein and purine intake: moderate high-purine foods and adjust according to your metabolic load.
• Keep sugar (especially fructose) and alcohol intake in check, as they can increase uric acid production and reduce clearance.
• Ensure regular, quality sleep and recovery — poor sleep and high stress increase metabolic turnover and oxidative burden.
• Support metabolic health via regular movement (including resistance training) but avoid excessive extremes without recovery, as intense or prolonged ketosis/fasting or extreme exercise may push uric acid up.
• Use wearables and regular blood-test tracking to spot upward drift of uric acid and intervene early rather than waiting for threshold values.

By treating uric acid as one of your “performance-wellness” biomarkers you gain a proactive lever to optimise your energy, metabolism and internal housekeeping.

This information is provided for general health and wellness purposes only and does not replace medical advice.

References

1. Gherghina, M. E., et al. (2022). Uric Acid and Oxidative Stress—Relationship with Cardiovascular and Renal Impairment. International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
2. Liu, N., et al. (2021). The Role of Oxidative Stress in Hyperuricemia and Xanthine Oxidoreductase Activity. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity.
3. Dalbeth, N., et al. (2022). Effects of Elevated Serum Urate on Cardiometabolic and Kidney Outcomes: A Mendelian Randomisation and Meta-Analysis Study. Scientific Reports.
4. Giordano, C., et al. (2015). Uric Acid as a Marker of Kidney Disease: Evidence from Clinical Studies. Kidney International Reports.