BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhuanet) -- In the past, people at risk for gout were told by doctors to avoid coffee, but Canadian researchers on Friday said four or more cups a day may help ward off the painful joint disorder caused by a buildup of uric acid in the blood.

    Because there were no reliable studies on the affects of coffee, Dr. Hyon Choi of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and colleagues at Harvard Medical School in Boston wanted to see just what effect coffee might have on the condition. They analyzed data from a U.S. health and nutrition survey between 1988 and 1994.

    The study is based on a survey of about 50,000 men aged 40 to 75 with no history of gout. They filled out detailed questionnaires about dietary habits, including what they drank.

    Over the 12-year study, during which 757 men developed gout, the risk was lower for those who drank more coffee, Choi reported in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

    "We found that when they are drinking four to five cups of coffee, there was a 40 percent reduction. Drinking six or more cups resulted in a 50 to 60 percent reduction (in the risk for gout)," Choi explained.

    Men who drank decaffeinated coffee also benefited, Choi said, but tea appeared to have no effect.

    The researchers found significantly lower levels of uric acid in the blood of those who consumed large quantities of coffee. Uric acid is the compound that causes gout.

    Choi said the findings appear to suggest that something in the coffee other than caffeine -- such as a strong antioxidant -- may be helping to reduce uric acid levels.

    (Agencies)