Dietary Lignans and Whole Grains: Potential Preventive Measures for Gout

Recent research has identified a significant relationship between the consumption of dietary lignans and whole grain foods and a reduced risk of developing gout. A study led by Dr. Sharan K. Rai at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, published in the July 2025 issue of Arthritis Care & Research, analyzed data from two large cohorts of health professionals in the United States. The study involved 43,703 male health professionals and 78,977 female registered nurses, with an average age range of 49.4 to 54.1 years, who completed detailed food frequency questionnaires assessing their dietary intake.

The study focused on four specific lignans—matairesinol, secoisolariciresinol, pinoresinol, and lariciresinol—and five lignan-rich foods: dark breads, whole grain breakfast cereals, cooked oatmeal or oat bran, other cooked cereals, and added bran. The analysis categorized lignan intake into quintiles and the frequency of whole grain food intake into distinct categories. Over a follow-up period of 2,704,899 person-years, 2,709 incident cases of gout were documented.

Findings indicated that higher intakes of matairesinol and secoisolariciresinol were each associated with a significantly reduced risk for gout, with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 0.78 for both (p for trend = .002). Furthermore, individuals consuming at least one serving of whole-grain cold breakfast cereal daily exhibited a 38% lower risk for gout compared to those consuming less than one serving per month (aHR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.53-0.73). Similarly, consuming at least two servings per week of cooked oatmeal or oat bran (aHR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.70-0.86) or added bran (aHR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.74-0.95) also correlated with a lowered gout risk.

The implications of this research suggest that dietary choices, particularly the inclusion of lignan-rich plant foods and whole grains, may play a crucial role in the prevention of gout. The authors emphasized the importance of adhering to a healthful plant-based diet, which may not only mitigate gout risk but also highlight the potential role of the gut microbiome in the pathogenesis of the condition.

While the findings are promising, there are limitations to consider. The inclusion of flaxseeds—one of the primary sources of secoisolariciresinol—in the dietary questionnaire occurred later in the follow-up period, likely leading to an underestimation of total secoisolariciresinol levels during the early years of the study. Additionally, as the study population primarily consisted of US-based health professionals, the generalizability of the results may be limited. The influence of enterolignans, which were not explored, could also provide further insights into the relationship between diet and gout risk.

In conclusion, the correlation between dietary lignans and whole grain consumption with reduced gout risk underscores the importance of dietary factors in managing health conditions. Future research may further elucidate the specific mechanisms at play and expand upon these findings to inform public health recommendations.