Uric Acid
Raised uric acid causes gout and kidney stones, and tracks with metabolic syndrome
Also known as Urate, Gout test
₹129/-Free collection on orders above ₹500/-
- Reports within
- 8 hours
- Parameter included
- 01see list
- Sample
- 2 to choose from
- Fasting
- Not needed
- Measures
- Uric acid level in the blood
- Identifies
- Gout risk, kidney stone risk, high uric acid with metabolic syndrome
Collected at home
A trained phlebotomist visits at a time you pick, from the next hour
Sealed single-use kit
Opened in front of you, and carried to the lab under controlled conditions
Report within 8 hours
On WhatsApp and email, with any value outside the normal range highlighted
What is the Uric acid test?
Uric acid is what is left when the body breaks down purines, which come from your own cells and from foods such as red meat, organ meat, seafood, beer and sugary drinks. The kidneys clear most of it. A uric acid test measures the level in blood, in mg/dL.
When the level stays high, uric acid can crystallise in joints and cause gout, a sudden, very painful, red and swollen joint, classically the big toe. It can also form kidney stones. A high value on its own does not mean you have gout; many people run high for years without an attack. But it does travel with high blood pressure, high triglycerides, fatty liver and diabetes, so a raised result is a prompt to look at the whole metabolic picture. Once on treatment, the test is repeated to make sure the level has come down to target.
No fasting is needed. The sample is collected at home and the report arrives in 8 hours.
Uric acid parameters1 measured
Uric acid
3.5–7.2 mg/dL
A waste product from breaking down purines in food and cells, rising with red meat, alcohol or kidney trouble and linked to gout and kidney stones
Reference ranges are the lab's defaults for adults and are printed on the report beside every value
How to prepare
- No fasting is needed.
- Avoid alcohol and a large meat or seafood meal for 24 hours before the sample; both raise uric acid briefly.
- Take regular medicines as usual and tell the phlebotomist what you take.
- If you are in the middle of a gout attack, note it; the level can be misleadingly normal during an attack.
Who should take it
Anyone with a sudden, painful, swollen joint, especially the big toe, ankle or knee. People with a past gout attack or kidney stones. Anyone on allopurinol or febuxostat, to check the dose is working. People with high blood pressure, diabetes, fatty liver or high triglycerides, as part of a metabolic check. People on thiazide diuretics or low-dose aspirin. Patients starting chemotherapy. Men over 40 and women after menopause with a family history of gout. Heavy drinkers of beer or spirits.
Before the visit
Tell your doctor about diuretics, low-dose aspirin, anti-tuberculosis drugs (pyrazinamide, ethambutol), cyclosporine and vitamin C supplements. Uric acid can drop during an acute gout attack, so a normal value does not exclude gout.
Why take the Uric acid test?
- Sudden joint pain: A hot, swollen big toe, ankle or knee that came on overnight is gout until proven otherwise.
- Kidney stones: Uric acid stones form when the level is high and the urine is acidic.
- On gout medicine: Allopurinol or febuxostat doses are adjusted until uric acid reaches the target your doctor sets.
- Metabolic syndrome: High uric acid clusters with blood pressure, waist size and triglycerides, so it belongs in the same check.
- Chemotherapy or diuretics: Both push uric acid up and need monitoring.
Questions about the Uric acid test
What is a uric acid test used for?
It measures the waste product that causes gout and some kidney stones. Doctors use it to support a gout diagnosis, to set and check the dose of uric acid lowering tablets, and as part of a metabolic check in people with high blood pressure, diabetes or fatty liver.
Do I need to fast for a uric acid test?
No fasting is needed. Avoid alcohol and a large meat or seafood meal for 24 hours before the sample, as both push the level up for a short while.
What sample is taken and how does home collection work?
A small blood sample from the arm. A trained phlebotomist visits your home with a sealed single-use kit, draws the sample in a few minutes and carries it to the lab.
What is the normal range for uric acid?
3.5 to 7.2 mg/dL. For people being treated for gout, doctors usually aim lower, below 6 mg/dL, so the crystals in the joints dissolve.
What does a high uric acid mean?
Either you make too much, from diet or cell turnover, or the kidneys clear too little, often because of diuretics, kidney disease or genes. A high value raises the risk of gout and kidney stones but does not mean you have either. A low value is rarely a problem. Your doctor will decide whether to treat based on symptoms and other risks.
Who should get a uric acid test and how often?
Anyone with a sudden hot, swollen joint, a past gout attack or kidney stones. People on allopurinol or febuxostat every few months until the target is reached, then yearly. People with high blood pressure, diabetes or fatty liver as part of a yearly metabolic check.
How long does the uric acid report take?
8 hours from collection. The report arrives on WhatsApp and email. If you are adjusting a gout tablet dose, share the result with your doctor before changing anything yourself.
My uric acid is normal but my toe is swollen. Can it still be gout?
Yes. Uric acid often drops during an attack, so a normal value while the joint is hot does not rule gout out. Your doctor may repeat the test two to four weeks after the attack settles, or examine fluid from the joint for crystals.
Which foods raise uric acid?
Red meat, organ meats such as liver and kidney, shellfish and oily fish, beer and spirits, and drinks sweetened with sugar or fructose. Dal and other pulses raise it only slightly. Cutting these back, staying well hydrated and losing excess weight all help lower the level.
Commonly tested together
Often on the same prescription
What happens after you book
- A phlebotomist is assigned and reaches you in your chosen slot, as soon as the next hour
- The sample is collected with a sealed single-use kit and moved on a cold chain
- The report lands on WhatsApp and email within 8 hours