What Causes High Uric Acid Levels

Gout is caused by high amounts of uric acid in the blood. Your uric acid levels are the result of how much your body makes minus how much it excretes. Only 10 percent of people with gout produce too much uric acid; a full 90 percent don’t excrete enough. When that happens, the acid crystalizes in the blood, accumulates in the joints, and causes intense discomfort.