Arthritis Care Res

Lignan-rich whole grain diet linked to lower gout risk

July 18, 2025

Study details: A prospective analysis of 122,680 participants from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and Nurses' Health Study evaluated the relationship between long-term dietary lignan intake, whole grain foods, and incident gout. Dietary intake was assessed every 2 to 4 years using validated food frequency questionnaires, and incident gout was confirmed using standardized criteria.

Results: Higher intakes of the lignans matairesinol and secoisolariciresinol were each associated with a 22% lower risk of gout when comparing extreme quintiles (hazard ratio [HR], 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69–0.90 and HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.68–0.89, respectively). Whole grain cold breakfast cereals (≥1 serving/day: HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.53–0.73), cooked oatmeal/oat bran (≥2 servings/week: HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.70–0.86), and added bran (≥2 servings/week: HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.74–0.95) were each inversely associated with gout risk. No association was observed for other lignans or for dark breads and other cooked cereals.

Clinical impact: Higher intake of specific lignans and whole grain foods was associated with reduced gout risk, reinforcing recommendations to emphasize healthful plant-based diets for gout prevention.

Source:

Rai SK, et al. (2025, July 7). Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Long-term lignan intake, whole grain foods, and the risk of gout: results from two prospective cohort studies. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40621718/