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Uric acid
The end product of purine breakdown; high levels are linked to gout and kidney stones.
Other names: Uric acid, serum urateSection: Blood chemistry
Updated: August 29, 2026·MedProtect editorial team Reference information — not a diagnosis or a prescription
In shortCommon reference values are 3.0–7.1 mg/dL (178–422 µmol/L) for women and 4.0–8.6 mg/dL (238–511 µmol/L) for men.
Reference ranges
Group
Reference range
Women
3.0–7.1 mg/dL (178–422 µmol/L)
Men
4.0–8.6 mg/dL (238–511 µmol/L)
Target during gout treatment
Below 6 mg/dL (357 µmol/L), or below 5 mg/dL (297 µmol/L) depending on clinical factors
Normal value ranges vary slightly among laboratories, and some labs test different specimens. Use the range printed on your own report.
Check your value
Enter the number from your lab report — see how it compares with the typical range. Mind the units shown in the chosen row.
A rough comparison with a typical range, not a diagnosis. Reference ranges vary between laboratories — check the range on your own report and let a clinician interpret the result.
What this marker is
Uric acid is a chemical created when the body breaks down substances called purines. Purines are produced naturally in the body and also arrive with food and drink — liver, anchovies, mackerel, red meat, shellfish, dried beans and peas, and beer are all rich in them. Most uric acid dissolves in the blood, travels to the kidneys, and leaves the body in urine.
If the body produces too much uric acid or the kidneys remove too little, the blood level rises — a state called hyperuricemia. High levels can sometimes cause gout or kidney disease, which is what the blood test checks for. The test is also ordered around certain types of chemotherapy, because rapid destruction of cancer cells can flood the blood with uric acid.
A high result is common and does not automatically mean illness: many people have elevated uric acid without symptoms. For people being treated for gout, though, there is a defined target — a uric acid level below 6 mg/dL (357 µmol/L), or below 5 mg/dL (297 µmol/L) depending on clinical factors.
Preparation is simple but real: nothing to eat or drink for 4 hours before the test, unless your provider says otherwise. Many medicines can shift the result, so the provider needs the full list of what you take. Uric acid can also be measured in urine.
When it is high
Purine-rich diet and alcoholRed meat, organ meats, shellfish, anchovies, sardines, dried beans, beer, other alcohol, and fructose (including high-fructose corn syrup in soda and sweets) all raise uric acid.
Reduced kidney removalRenal failure and chronic kidney disease impair uric acid excretion; medullary cystic kidney disease does the same.
Rapid cell breakdownChemotherapy side effects, leukemia, polycythemia vera, and psoriasis release purines from destroyed cells.
Metabolic causesAcidosis, diabetic ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis, hyperparathyroidism, hypothyroidism, obesity, and dehydration are on the list, as are excessive exercise and vitamin B12 deficiency.
Certain medicinesCyclosporine, diuretics, nicotinic acid, low-dose salicylates, and tacrolimus can raise the level.
Other causesLead poisoning and toxemia of pregnancy also appear among the causes of hyperuricemia.
When it is low
Usually not a health problemLow blood uric acid is uncommon and usually causes no health problems; the conditions behind it are diagnosed with other tests.
Kidney handling problemsFanconi syndrome and SIADH increase uric acid loss, and hereditary metabolic diseases can lower production.
Certain medicinesAtorvastatin, captopril, enalapril, fenofibrate, losartan, probenecid, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole can lower uric acid. A low-purine diet and HIV infection are also listed causes.
What can skew the result
These factors can shift the value without any disease — worth considering before a retest:
Purine-rich foods and alcoholFructose in soda and sweetsExcessive exerciseCertain medicines (diuretics, low-dose salicylates, others)
How to prepare
Do not eat or drink anything for 4 hours before the test unless your provider tells you otherwise. Many medicines interfere with the result; do not stop any medicine without talking to your provider first.
When a retest makes sense
A high value is usually rechecked and, when gout or stones are suspected, complemented by a urine uric acid test. During gout treatment the level is followed against the target set by the provider.
Who usually reviews this result
A result outside the reference range is usually reviewed by: your GP or primary care doctor; a rheumatologist if gout is suspected, a nephrologist for kidney causes. Bring your lab report and any previous results to the appointment.
Names used on lab reports
Your report may use any of these names: Uric acidSerum urateUAUric acid blood test
Units and conversion
Measured in: mg/dL
mg/dL=µmol/L
mg/dL × 59.5 = µmol/L. Example: 6.0 mg/dL = 357 µmol/L. Results are rounded to 2 decimal places.
Several markers on your report?
See how MedProtect explains results in the app: the whole report, a check of the recognized values, and a clear breakdown.
No. Many people have high uric acid without any symptoms, and a high result does not always mean a condition that needs treatment. Gout, kidney disease, and kidney stones are possibilities the provider weighs with your symptoms and other tests.
Why is uric acid checked during chemotherapy?
Rapid destruction of cancer cells releases large amounts of purines, which convert to uric acid. The blood level can rise quickly, so it is monitored before and during certain treatments.
What target do doctors use in gout treatment?
For people being treated for gout, the goal is a uric acid level below 6 mg/dL (357 µmol/L), or below 5 mg/dL (297 µmol/L) depending on clinical factors — lower than the general reference range.
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