Included in your membership
Uric Acid
All NiaHealth tests are processed in Canadian-certified labs, which are highly trusted by the medical community for their accuracy and reliability. Blood and urine samples are collected by licensed medical professionals and processed using state-of-the-art equipment. NiaHealth is SOC2 Type 2 certified.
What is it?
Uric acid is a waste product made when the body breaks down purines — substances found naturally in your cells and in foods like red meat and alcohol. It is normally cleared by the kidneys, so levels rise when production is high or kidney clearance is reduced.
Why it matters
Uric acid is best known for its role in gout, a painful joint condition caused by urate crystal build-up. Higher uric acid levels have also been linked to greater risk of heart disease and premature death in large population studies, though it is not yet clear whether uric acid directly causes these problems or mainly reflects other underlying issues like reduced kidney function, insulin resistance, or high blood pressure.
We include uric acid to add context to your overall metabolic and cardiovascular health picture — not to make treatment decisions on its own.
Reference ranges
There is no single universally agreed optimal level. The NiaHealth ranges take into account both gout risk, cardiovascular risk and gender differences. Levels at or above 357 µmol/L are associated with increased gout risk and, in some studies, higher cardiovascular and all-cause mortality for both males and females. Very low levels (below 119 µmol/L) have been linked to adverse outcomes in population studies and are often the result of a genetic mutation. Because the relationship between uric acid and health is not strictly linear, your result is best read alongside your other metabolic and kidney markers rather than in isolation.
Dalbeth, N., Gosling, A. L., Gaffo, A., & Abhishek, A. (2021). Gout. Lancet, 397(10287), 1843–1855. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00569-9
Johnson, R., Gruev, I., Yotov, Y., Jackuliak, P., Borghi, C., Domienik-Karłowicz, J., Tykarski, A., Filipiak, K. J., Jaguszewski, M. J., Narkiewicz, K., Barylski, M., Mamcarz, A., Wolf, J., Jarai, Z., Becer, D., Vrablik, M., Vinereanu, D., Wełnicki, M., Widecka, K., & Litwin, M. (2026). Expert consensus for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with hyperuricemia and high cardiovascular risk: 2025 update. European Journal of Internal Medicine, 146(106727), 106727. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2026.106727
Virdis, A., Masi, S., Casiglia, E., Tikhonoff, V., Cicero, A. F. G., Ungar, A., Rivasi, G., Salvetti, M., Barbagallo, C. M., Bombelli, M., Dell'Oro, R., Bruno, B., Lippa, L., D'Elia, L., Verdecchia, P., Mallamaci, F., Cirillo, M., Rattazzi, M., Cirillo, P., … from the Working Group on Uric Acid and Cardiovascular Risk of the Italian Society of Hypertension. (2020). Identification of the uric acid thresholds predicting an increased total and cardiovascular mortality over 20 years. Hypertension, 75(2), 302–308. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.119.13643
This information is educational and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Your results should be interpreted with a qualified healthcare professional in the context of your health history.
