Can people with gout eat shrimp?

Patients with gout are advised to avoid consuming shrimp—and indeed, all shellfish (including crab and mollusks), seafood, and various types of fish—especially during acute gout flares. These foods are exceptionally high in purines; therefore, eating shrimp can significantly elevate serum uric acid levels and may trigger an acute gouty arthritis attack or exacerbate existing disease. Gout is a metabolic rheumatic disorder fundamentally caused by disordered purine metabolism, leading to hyperuricemia (elevated blood uric acid levels) and a spectrum of associated clinical manifestations. Chronically elevated uric acid levels result in urate crystal deposition in joints and surrounding tissues, causing gouty arthritis and damage to internal organs.