Uric acid is produced when purines are broken down in the body. Purines occur naturally in our cells and in many foods. If the level of uric acid in the blood is permanently high, uric acid crystals can build up in the joints and trigger painful gout attacks.
While previous studies had already suggested that a regular consumption of orange juice might be linked to lower uric acid levels*, it was largely unknown until now which components might be responsible for this. The current study therefore focused on the effect of various beverages on blood uric acid levels.
Around 40 adults with increased uric acid levels took part in the so-called “HesperidrinC Study”. In the randomized, controlled, double-blind study, participants consumed 200 milliliters of one of four orange-flavored beverages daily over a two-week period. The beverages were rich in vitamin C or hesperidin (a phytochemical found in orange juice) or a combination of both.
After just one week, participants who had received a drink containing vitamin C showed, on average, lower blood uric acid levels than at the start of the study, and their blood vitamin C levels had increased. Those with higher uric acid levels benefited the most. In contrast, beverages containing only hesperidin did not have any effect.
As the study used enriched beverages containing vitamin C and hesperidin, the results are primarily linked to these combinations. Nevertheless, they provide valuable evidence that other foods containing similar ingredients may also have positive effects.
The results show that vitamin C played a pivotal role in controlling uric acid levels, whereas hesperidin had no effect. Citrus fruit juices are naturally rich in vitamin C – 100 ml of orange juice, for example, contains approximately 40 mg of vitamin C, whereas 100 ml of grapefruit juice contains 30 mg.
The results have been published in the “European Journal of Nutrition”**.
Source: Association of the German Fruit Juice Industry (Verband der deutschen Fruchtsaft-Industrie e. V.)
About the Association of the German Fruit Juice Industry
The Association of the German Fruit Juice Industry (Verband der deutschen Fruchtsaft-Industrie e. V.) based in Bonn was founded in 1951. It represents the common interests of around 300 German fruit juice/nectar and vegetable juice/nectar producers both nationally and internationally.
* Büsing F, Hägele FA, Nas A et al (2019) High intake of orange juice and cola differently affects metabolic risk in healthy subjects. Clin Nutr 38:812–819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2018.02.028
** Enderle, J., Dörner, R., Tondar, D. et al. Effect of vitamin C and hesperidin on serum uric acid concentrations in healthy adults with high uric acid levels: the randomized controlled ‘HesperidrinC trial’. Eur J Nutr 65, 67 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-026-03905-z
