Research Summary

Can Dietary Lignans, Whole Grains Help Prevent Gout in Adults?

Anthony Calabro, MA

Key Highlights

  • Higher intake of lignans matairesinol and secoisolariciresinol was linked to a more than 20% lower risk of developing gout.
  • Whole grain cold cereals, oatmeal, and added bran were significantly protective against gout.
  • No associations were found for pinoresinol, lariciresinol, dark breads, or other cooked cereals.

In a prospective analysis of more than 122,000 individuals from two major US cohort studies, higher dietary intake of specific lignans and certain whole grain foods was associated with a significantly reduced risk of incident gout.

Among the lignans studied, matairesinol and secoisolariciresinol were each independently linked to lower gout risk, while other lignans such as pinoresinol and lariciresinol showed no association. The consumption of whole grain cold breakfast cereals, cooked oatmeal or oat bran, and added bran also correlated with a significantly decreased gout risk.

The study authors set out to determine which ingredients associated with plant-based diets could potentially contribute to their protective effects against gout. Prior research had shown inverse associations between plant-based eating patterns and gout risk, yet the role of individual dietary components—particularly lignans, a class of phytoestrogens metabolized by gut microflora—had not been well-defined.

For their study, Sharan K. Rai, PhD, and colleagues obtained data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study, encompassing 122,680 participants. Food frequency questionnaires were administered every 2 to 4 years to assess intake. Associations between dietary lignans, whole grain foods, and confirmed incident gout were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models.

Results showed that participants in the highest quintiles of matairesinol and secoisolariciresinol intake had hazard ratios (HRs) of 0.78 (95% CI, 0.69–0.90) and 0.78 (95% CI, 0.68–0.89), respectively, compared with those in the lowest quintiles. Among whole grain foods, consuming at least one serving per day of whole grain cold breakfast cereals was associated with a 38% lower risk of gout (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.53–0.73).

Similarly, consuming oatmeal or oat bran at least twice weekly was linked to a 22% reduced risk (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.70–0.86), and added bran twice weekly was linked to a 16% reduced risk (HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.74–0.95). No significant associations were observed for dark breads or other cooked breakfast cereals.

“Higher intakes of matairesinol and secoisolariciresinol, as well as whole grain cold breakfast cereals, oatmeal, and added bran, were each significantly associated with lower gout risk,” the authors concluded. “These findings support adherence to healthful plant-based diets for gout and suggest a potential role of the gut microbiome in gout pathogenesis.”

Reference
Rai SK, Hu Y, Ding M, et al. Long-term lignan intake, whole grain foods, and the risk of gout: results from two prospective cohort studies. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Published online July 7, 2025. doi:10.1002/acr.25596