Uric acid blood test
In short
A typical adult uric acid result is 3 to 7 mg/dL. A high uric acid is common, and most people with a high level never get gout. Levels run higher in men and after menopause. Always read your result against the range printed on your own report.
A waste product from breaking down purines, found in cells and foods.
Your body makes uric acid when it breaks down purines, natural substances in cells and many foods. The kidneys pass most of it out in urine. High levels can form crystals, causing gout (painful joint swelling) or kidney stones.
Is my Uric acid high or low?
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Typical range
| For | Range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | 3–7 | mg/dL |
| Adults | 178–416 | µmol/L |
Typical ranges for adults. Labs differ a little, so the range printed next to your result is the one to go by.
If your Uric acid is high
A high uric acid is common, and most people with a high level never get gout. Levels run higher in men and after menopause.
Common reasons
- Alcohol, especially beer and spirits
- A diet rich in red meat, organ meats or shellfish
- Sugary drinks sweetened with fructose, a type of sugar
- Extra body weight
- Water pills (diuretics) and some other medicines
- Kidneys that clear less uric acid
- Less often: fast cell turnover, as with some blood disorders or cancer treatment
If your Uric acid is low
A low uric acid is uncommon and usually harmless on its own.
Common reasons
- Gout medicines that lower uric acid
- Some cholesterol and blood pressure medicines
- A diet low in purines
- Less often: a rare kidney or inherited condition that drains uric acid
What can throw it off
Alcohol, a large meat or seafood meal, hard exercise or not drinking enough can raise it for a while.
Questions to take to your appointment
- 1Is this high enough to matter if I've never had gout?
- 2Could my diet, drinks or medicines be raising it?
- 3Should my kidney tests or blood sugar be checked too?
Read together with
Doctors rarely read Uric acid alone. These usually sit next to it.
Quick answers
What is the uric acid blood test?
Uric acid: A waste product from breaking down purines, found in cells and foods. Your body makes uric acid when it breaks down purines, natural substances in cells and many foods. The kidneys pass most of it out in urine. High levels can form crystals, causing gout (painful joint swelling) or kidney stones.
What is a normal uric acid level?
For most adults, uric acid is typically 3 to 7 mg/dL. Some countries print it in µmol/L, so check the unit first. Labs differ a little, so the range printed next to your result is the one to go by.
What does a high uric acid mean?
A high uric acid is common, and most people with a high level never get gout. Levels run higher in men and after menopause. Common reasons include alcohol, especially beer and spirits; a diet rich in red meat, organ meats or shellfish; sugary drinks sweetened with fructose, a type of sugar; and extra body weight. A doctor reads it together with your other results and how you feel.
What does a low uric acid mean?
A low uric acid is uncommon and usually harmless on its own. Common reasons include gout medicines that lower uric acid; some cholesterol and blood pressure medicines; a diet low in purines; and less often: a rare kidney or inherited condition that drains uric acid.
What can affect my uric acid result?
Alcohol, a large meat or seafood meal, hard exercise or not drinking enough can raise it for a while.
What should I ask my doctor about my uric acid?
Questions worth taking to the appointment: Is this high enough to matter if I've never had gout? Could my diet, drinks or medicines be raising it? Should my kidney tests or blood sugar be checked too?
What this page can’t do
It reads each number on its own.
Doctors read results together — ALT with AST, ferritin with hemoglobin, TSH with free T4. A pattern says more than any single flag.
It doesn't know you.
Your age, your medicines, how you feel and your last result all change what a number means.
It doesn't remember.
Close this page and your results are gone. That's on purpose: nothing was ever sent to us.
We also make Vita: Health Coach, an app for those parts. It reads your whole report with your medicines and history in mind, answers follow-up questions in plain words, and keeps your reports in one place — for you and for the people you look after.
Vita: Health Coach on the App StoreSources
- ABIM Laboratory Test Reference Ranges (January 2026)
- MedlinePlus — Uric acid test
- MedlinePlus — Uric acid blood test
Stuck on a word? See the medical words. How we choose our sources. More about Vita Health Coach.