Uric acid is a breakdown product of purines that are part of many foods.

Uric acid is the end product of urine breakdown; it is the major form in which metabolic nitrogen is excreted from the body. A waste product left over from normal chemical processes in the body and found in the urine and blood.

Abnormal buildup of uric acid in the body may cause a condition called gout. Increased levels of uric acid in the blood and urine can be a side effect of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

In gout, there are frequently, but not always, elevated levels of uric acid in the blood (hyperuricemia). Only a small portion of those with hyperuricemia will develop gout.