Protective role of lignans and whole grain foods against gout

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Created On: 11/11/2025

Plant-based dietary patterns have been associated with a reduced risk of gout, but it remains uncertain which specific components drive this relationship.

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Key take away

Higher intake of specific lignans (matairesinol, secoisolariciresinol) and certain whole grain foods (cold cereals, oatmeal, bran) are significantly linked with reduced likelihood of gout.

Background

Plant-based dietary patterns have been associated with a reduced risk of gout, but it remains uncertain which specific components drive this relationship. Lignans, a prominent class of phytoestrogens widely present in plant-derived foods, are converted by gut microbiota into active metabolites that may influence gout development. Therefore, this study assessed the connection between dietary lignan consumption, intake of certain lignan-rich whole grains, and the occurrence of gout.

Method

Investigators evaluated data from 122,680 volunteers in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study. Utilizing a validated food frequency questionnaire, dietary intake was assessed every 2–4 years. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to determine associations between lignan intake, whole grain food intake, and physician-confirmed gout.

Result

Greater consumption of matairesinol (hazard ratio [HR] for highest vs. lowest quintile: 0.78) and secoisolariciresinol (HR: 0.78) was substantially linked with reduced gout risk, whereas pinoresinol and lariciresinol showed no significant association. Whole grain cold breakfast cereals (HR for ≥1 serving/day: 0.62), cooked oatmeal/oat bran (HR for ≥2 servings/week: 0.78), and added bran (HR for ≥2 servings/week: 0.84) were also inversely associated with gout, while dark breads and other cooked breakfast cereals were not.

Conclusion

Specific lignans and selected whole grain foods were strongly associated with lower chances of gout. These findings highlight the value of plant-based eating patterns and suggest that microbial metabolism of lignans may be a key mechanism in gout prevention.