Normal Blood Uric Acid Levels: Age Table for Women and Men

Uric acid is a leftover from the breakdown of purines: compounds that the body produces itself and obtains from food and drinks. As long as production and excretion through the kidneys are balanced, the number on the form remains within the normal range. When the balance shifts, the acid behaves like sugar in cooling tea.

What a uric acid test shows

The test measures the concentration of uric acid in the blood—the end product of purine metabolism. Purines are constantly formed in the body and also come from liver, anchovies, mackerel, red meat, shellfish, dried beans, and beer. Most of the acid dissolves in the blood, reaches the kidneys, and is excreted in urine. If the body produces too much or excretes too little, hyperuricemia develops.

Imagine sugar being added to a glass of tea: up to a certain point it dissolves, and beyond that it settles on the walls. The same story with uric acid—for a time it circulates in solution, and the excess turns into crystals of urates, its salts. The pain is caused not by the numbers on the form but by crystals around the joint.

High values occur with acidosis, alcohol, chemotherapy, dehydration, excess fructose, hypothyroidism, lead poisoning, diuretics, a purine-rich diet, and renal failure. Low values occur with HIV infection, metabolic diseases, a purine-poor diet, and certain medications.

Normal uric acid in women by age: table

For adult women, the reference is 3.0–7.1 milligrams per deciliter; the upper limit in micromoles is no more than 360 µmol/L. There is no separate “after 55” line in reference books: the interval for adults is the same, so the age table boils down to a single range of values. Age affects it differently—menopause is included in the list of factors that increase the likelihood of gout.

Normal uric acid in men by age: table

For adult men, the reference is 4.0–8.6 milligrams per deciliter; the upper limit in micromoles is discussed as no more than 420 µmol/L. Reference books do not distinguish age bands: the interval is wider than in women and remains so at any adult age. Gout is more common in men, especially with age—what matters is not the “normal for a 60-year-old” but the sum of risk factors.

Units of measurement: mmol/L and µmol/L

Laboratories may report the result in different units: in µmol/L, mmol/L, or milligrams per deciliter. Between the first two, the conversion is simple: 1 mmol/L equals 1000 µmol/L, so 360 µmol/L is 0.36 mmol/L, and 420 µmol/L is 0.42 mmol/L.

The milligram-per-deciliter scale is different, so the reference is the interval printed on your form.

Uric acid level in gout

Gout is the deposition of sodium urate crystals in joints against a background of excess uric acid. Symptoms: sudden severe joint pain—most often in the big toe, but also in the foot, ankle, hands, wrists, elbows, knees; hot, swollen, and reddened skin over the joint, although redness is harder to notice on dark skin. Without treatment, an attack lasts 1–2 weeks.

Complications of long-term untreated gout include joint damage, tophi (firm nodules under the skin, usually on the ears, fingers, or elbows), kidney stones, and rarely chronic arthritis. For those already being treated for gout, the doctor may set a lower target—less than 6 or 5 milligrams per deciliter depending on clinical factors. High numbers do not always mean gout: sometimes they lead to it and to kidney disease.

How the test is taken and when to see a doctor

Blood is drawn from a vein—usually in the antecubital area or on the back of the hand. For 4 hours before the draw, you must not eat or drink unless the doctor says otherwise.

• Many medications distort the result; the doctor says whether anything needs to be changed.
• You must not stop or change medications on your own.
• The interval depends on the laboratory, so the number is discussed with the person who ordered the test.

See a doctor if gout symptoms appear for the first time or the usual treatment stops helping. The doctor will ask about diet and alcohol and, if necessary, refer you to a rheumatologist, for analysis of joint fluid with a thin needle, or for imaging.

High uric acid by itself is not a reason to call an ambulance. Call 103 or 112 if sudden pain and swelling in a joint are accompanied by worsening pain, very high fever or chills, as well as nausea or inability to eat: this may be how an infection inside the joint manifests.

This material is for reference and does not replace a doctor's consultation: a number gains meaning only alongside the medical history and other tests.

This content is for reference and does not replace a doctor's consultation. Medical disclaimer