Heart & metabolic

Uric acid test

Uric acid is a waste product that can build up in your blood and joints when your body makes too much or clears too little.

Included in every $199 draw

Key benefits of uric acid testing

Flags gout risk before the first painful flare.
Adds an early signal for insulin resistance and high blood pressure.
Shows how alcohol, sugary drinks and diet affect you.
Adds context on kidney stone risk.
Reads best with kidney and metabolic markers, which Insyght includes.

What is uric acid?

Uric acid forms when your body breaks down purines, found in your own cells and in foods like red meat, organ meats, shellfish and beer. Your kidneys clear most of it into urine.

Why uric acid matters

When uric acid runs high, it can form sharp crystals in joints, causing gout, or in the kidneys, causing stones. High levels are also linked to high blood pressure, fatty liver and insulin resistance, often years before symptoms.

What your uric acid results mean

Low: uncommon and usually harmless. Rarely, it points to a kidney or liver condition.
In range: your body is making and clearing uric acid in balance.
High: raises gout and kidney stone risk, and often travels with insulin resistance or high blood pressure.
Context matters: dehydration, a heavy meal, alcohol, intense exercise and some medications such as diuretics can raise a single reading.

Standard vs. optimal range

	Men	Women
Standard lab range	About 3.4 to 7.0 mg/dL (varies by lab)	About 2.4 to 6.0 mg/dL (varies by lab)
Insyght optimal range	Set by the Insyght medical team	Set by the Insyght medical team

LowHigh

Lab reference rangeYour optimal range

A value can read normal on a standard panel and still sit outside optimal. Insyght flags it.

Do I need a uric acid test?

Ever had a hot, swollen big toe at night? Drink beer or sugary sodas often, or have high blood pressure? Uric acid shows a risk most physicals don’t check.

See uric acid in context

Insyght tests uric acid with fasting insulin, triglycerides, kidney function and the uric acid/HDL ratio, reviewed by a physician. $199 a year.

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Similar biomarkers

Uric acid/HDL ratioFasting insulin TriglyceridesCreatinineeGFR

Frequently asked questions

Does high uric acid mean I have gout?

No. Many people with high uric acid never get gout. But the higher it runs, the higher your chance of a flare.

What foods raise uric acid?

Beer, spirits, sugary drinks with fructose, red meat, organ meats and some shellfish raise it most.

How can I lower uric acid?

Drinking more water, cutting alcohol and sugary drinks and losing weight if needed all help. Medication is usually reserved for people who have had gout or kidney stones, or whose levels run very high.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Rishi Panchal, DO, FACC, Board-certified cardiologist, Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. Last updated October 21, 2026.