Uric Acid in Urine

Test Overview

The uric acid urine test measures the amount of uric acid in a sample of urine collected over 24 hours.

Uric acid is made from the natural breakdown of your body's cells. It's also made from the foods you eat. Your kidneys take uric acid out of your blood and put it into urine so that it can leave your body.

But if your body is making too much uric acid, the level in the urine can get too high. And if your kidneys aren't working the way they should, the level of uric acid in the urine can get too low.

High levels of uric acid can cause crystals to form in joints. This causes a painful problem called gout. If gout isn't treated, the crystals can build up and form hard lumpy deposits called tophi.

High uric acid levels can also cause kidney stones.