Fructose-rich beverages, such as soda and orange juices sweetened with added sugar, can elevate risks of recurring acute inflammatory arthritis known as gout among women, a new study has found.

Sugary drinks may cause gnarly joints

Fructose-rich beverages, such as soda and orange juices sweetened with added sugar, can elevate risks of recurring acute inflammatory arthritis known as gout among women, a new study has found.

Results from the 22-year-long study monitoring soda and fruit juice consumption by roughly 80,000 nurses from 1984-2006 were published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) last week. The research was conducted by the Boston University School of Medicine.

Findings from the study concluded that women who drink at least one serving of sugar-sweetened soda per day were at a 74 percent higher risk of suffering from gout compared with those who drank less than one serving per month.More specifically, orange juice intake was also associated with risk of gout, and was the highest contributor of fructose intake among fruit juices.

Risk significantly increased in correlation to increased intake of fructose, which was determined as the main ingredient behind increased risk.

Diet sodas and other fruit juices were not associated with increased risk of gout.

A spokesman for Arthritis Research UK, which funds gout-related research, welcomed the findings of the study on the organization's Web site, but cautioned that "we know that other dietary factors, such as drinking red wine and beer, can increase the risk of gout, but other factors such as obesity and genetics are also important contributors."

Gout, also known as podagra when involving the big toe, predominantly affects men, but is found in women over the age of 70. The condition is caused when uric acid accumulates around the joints, resulting in red, hot and painfully swollen joints.

High fructose corn syrup is commonly used in lieu of sugar in many processed foods, including Coca Cola, the global per capita consumption of which hit 680 ounces in 2009, according to company data. Each 8-ounce (240 mL) can of coke has a whopping 39 grams of sugar. A comparable serving of Pepsi holds 28 grams of sugar.

A simple way to monitor fructose is to bypass soda for diet, and read labels.

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