High dietary nucleotide consumption for one week increases circulating uric acid concentrations but does not compromise metabolic health: A randomised controlled trial.

Background & Aims: Elevated circulating uric acid concentrations have been linked to various cardio-metabolic diseases. Bolus consumption of a nucleotide-rich dietary protein source increases postprandial serum uric acid concentrations. We assessed the impact of twice-daily nucleotide-rich mixed-meal consumption for one week on postabsorptive serum uric acid concentrations, insulin sensitivity (IS), glycaemic control and the plasma lipidome.

Methods: Twenty healthy adults participated in a randomised, controlled, parallel-group trial in which they consumed a 7 d fully-controlled eucaloric diet where lunch and dinner contained either nucleotide-depleted (LOW) or high-nucleotide (HIGH) mycoprotein. Postabsorptive blood samples were obtained pre, throughout and post-intervention, and oral glucose tolerance tests were performed pre- and post-intervention. Daily waking urine samples and 24 h continuous blood glucose measurements were collected throughout.

Results: Postabsorptive serum uric acid concentrations remained unchanged in LOW but increased throughout the intervention week in HIGH (from 295 ± 17 to 472 ± 29 μmol L by day 6; P < 0.05). Urinary uric acid did not change throughout the intervention in either group. The intervention did not affect indices of IS, 24 h glycaemic control, nor had a meaningful impact on the plasma lipidome.

Conclusions: One week of twice-daily consumption of nucleotide-rich mixed-meals increases postabsorptive serum uric acid concentrations above clinically acceptable thresholds but these changes are not associated with deleterious effects on IS, daily glycaemic control or plasma lipid composition.

Clinical Trial Registry: NCT02984358 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02984358).