Uric Acid Levels Chart: What's Normal, High and Target?
Understanding Your Blood Test Result, in Both Units
A serum urate blood test comes back with one number, but that number means different things depending on why it was taken. This chart explains laboratory reference ranges, raised uric acid, and the treatment targets used in gout — and why they are not all the same thing.
The Quick Answer
Uric acid (serum urate) is measured in micromol per litre (µmol/L) in the UK, or milligrams per decilitre (mg/dL) in some other countries and older lab software. Use the chart below to see roughly where a result sits: within a typical laboratory range, raised, or at the levels used as treatment targets for people being treated for gout.
The single most important thing to understand is that your lab's "normal range" and the number your doctor is aiming for if you're being treated for gout are two different things, measuring two different questions. A result can sit inside a lab's reference range and still be higher than the level generally recommended for someone managing gout.
Uric Acid Levels Chart
Figures are rounded for readability and shown in both units, using the standard conversion of 1 mg/dL ≈ 59.5 µmol/L. This chart covers broad, guideline-based categories — it is not a diagnostic tool.
| Category | µmol/L | mg/dL | What It Means | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical laboratory range (example) | ~150–410men, one UK lab | ~2.5–6.9men, one UK lab | Example range from an NHS laboratory. Ranges differ by lab, method and sex — always check the figures printed on your own report. | |
| ~150–350women, one UK lab | ~2.5–5.9women, one UK lab | Same example lab's range for women. Reference ranges are typically a little lower for women than men. | ||
| Raised (hyperuricaemia) | Above your lab's stated range | Above your lab's stated range | Higher than the top of your own laboratory's reference range. Raises the chance of crystal formation over time, but is not itself a gout diagnosis. | |
| Usual gout treatment target | Below 360 | Below 6.0 | NICE's standard treat-to-target goal for most people prescribed urate-lowering therapy. | |
| Lower target (specific situations) | Below 300 | Below 5.0 | Considered by NICE for people with tophi, chronic gouty arthritis, or flares that keep happening despite reaching 360 µmol/L. | |
| Risk rises sharply (population pattern) | Above ~500 | Above ~8.4 | British Society for Rheumatology data: attack risk climbs steeply across groups above this level — not a personal cut-off for any one result. |
Sources: NICE guideline NG219 (2022, gout diagnosis and management); British Society for Rheumatology gout guideline; example laboratory range from South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Always check the reference range printed alongside your own blood-test result.
What Is a Normal Uric Acid Level?
"Normal" on a blood test report simply means the result fell inside the range that laboratory uses to flag results as unusual. That range is built from testing a large group of people without a particular condition, and it varies between laboratories depending on the equipment and method used, and is usually set separately for men and women because average levels differ slightly between the sexes.
This is why we can't print a single universal "normal range" that applies to every reader here. As a guide, one NHS laboratory (South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) publishes a reference range of roughly 150–410 µmol/L for men and 150–350 µmol/L for women — but your own lab may use different figures. The number that matters for interpreting your result is the one printed next to it on your own report.
Importantly, a result inside the "normal" range is not automatically the ideal level if you're being treated for gout. That distinction is covered in full below.
Reference ranges printed on UK blood tests can differ from the example figures on this page. If your result is flagged as high or low by your own lab, that flag is based on their specific range, not a generic one.
What Level of Uric Acid Causes Gout?
Uric acid (urate) can only stay dissolved in the blood up to a certain concentration. From around 360 µmol/L (6 mg/dL) upward, blood becomes saturated enough that urate is more likely to come out of solution and form the sharp, needle-like crystals that trigger a gout flare, typically in and around a joint. The British Society for Rheumatology guideline notes that the risk of an attack rises sharply at levels above roughly 500 µmol/L, based on patterns seen across large groups of people over time.
These are population-level patterns, not individual cut-offs. Plenty of people sit above 500 µmol/L for years without ever having a flare, and gout can develop in people whose urate has never been dramatically high. A single number, on its own, cannot tell you whether crystals have formed or whether a joint problem is gout — that needs your symptoms and, often, your clinician's assessment. Our What Causes Gout? guide covers the fuller picture of risk factors, from genetics to kidney clearance.
What Is the Target Uric Acid Level for Gout?
For people who go on to have urate-lowering treatment, NICE guideline NG219 recommends a "treat-to-target" approach: medication doses are adjusted against repeat blood tests until urate reaches a target low enough to let existing crystals gradually dissolve and stop new ones forming.
General Target
- Equivalent to below 6 mg/dL
- NICE's default goal for most people on urate-lowering therapy
- Guided by monthly serum urate checks while a dose is being adjusted
Lower Target
- Equivalent to below 5 mg/dL
- Considered for tophi, chronic gouty arthritis, or frequent flares despite reaching 360
- Not an automatic target for everyone — a decision made with your prescriber
Once someone reaches their target and stays on treatment, NICE recommends considering annual monitoring rather than the more frequent checks used during dose adjustment. This page explains what the numbers mean; it isn't about which medicine to take. Our Gout Treatment guide covers urate-lowering options such as allopurinol and febuxostat, and how flares themselves are treated.
Can You Have Gout With a Normal Uric Acid Result?
Yes — this catches a lot of people out. NICE guidance notes that serum urate can actually drop during an acute gout flare, sometimes into the "normal" range, even in someone who genuinely has gout. One theory is that the inflammatory response of the flare itself temporarily affects how urate is handled by the body. Whatever the mechanism, a normal-looking result taken in the middle of an attack does not rule gout out.
Because of this, if urate comes back below 360 µmol/L during a flare but gout is still strongly suspected, NICE recommends repeating the test at least two weeks after the flare has settled, once levels have had a chance to return to their usual baseline. If you've had this experience, it's a recognised pattern rather than a sign anything went wrong with the test.
A single blood test, taken at the wrong moment, can under-represent someone's usual urate level. See our Gout Symptoms guide and What to Do During a Gout Attack for what else clinicians look at alongside the blood result.
What Does a High Uric Acid Result Mean?
A high result means hyperuricaemia — more urate circulating than your laboratory's range considers typical. This increases the likelihood that crystals could form over time, but hyperuricaemia and gout are not the same diagnosis. Many people live with raised urate for years without a single flare, a pattern sometimes called asymptomatic hyperuricaemia. Current guidance generally does not recommend treating high urate that isn't causing symptoms.
If your result came back high without a gout diagnosis, that's worth a conversation with your GP about what it means for your particular health picture, rather than a decision made from a general guide like this one. Some other conditions and medicines can raise urate independently of gout risk, which your doctor can help place in context.
What Can Affect Your Uric Acid Level?
Several everyday and medical factors can push a result up or down. This is a brief overview — our What Causes Gout? guide covers the full picture.
- Kidney function — how efficiently the kidneys clear urate from blood
- Certain medicines, including some diuretics ("water tablets")
- Alcohol, particularly beer and spirits, and especially in larger amounts
- Diet, including purine-rich foods such as red meat and some seafood
- Body weight and metabolic factors, including type 2 diabetes
- Inherited (genetic) differences in how the body handles urate
- Acute illness or the flare itself, which can temporarily lower a reading
How Often Should Uric Acid Be Checked?
How often uric acid gets tested depends on why it's being measured, and there isn't one universal schedule that applies to everyone. NICE guidance points to a few distinct situations. When gout is first suspected, a test helps support diagnosis, with a repeat test at least two weeks after a flare if an initial result was below 360 µmol/L but gout still seems likely.
Once someone starts urate-lowering therapy, NICE recommends monthly serum urate checks while the dose is being adjusted upward, so treatment can be guided toward the target level. After the target is reached and treatment continues long-term, NICE suggests considering annual monitoring rather than monthly checks. Testing schedules outside of diagnosed gout — for example general health screening — are a decision for your own GP based on your wider health picture, not something this guide can generalise.
When to Speak to Your Doctor
This is a first suspected gout attack; a joint is hot, very swollen, or rapidly worsening; you have a fever alongside joint pain; your result is markedly high or low and you're unsure why; or you're wondering whether to start, stop or change a medicine. A number from this page cannot make that decision for you — only a clinician who knows your history can.
µmol/L ↔ mg/dL Quick Reference
The standard conversion is 1 mg/dL ≈ 59.5 µmol/L. Here are some commonly encountered values, rounded for readability.
| mg/dL | µmol/L |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | ~238 |
| 5.0 | ~300 (lower gout target) |
| 6.0 | ~360 (usual gout target) |
| 7.0 | ~417 |
| 8.0 | ~476 |
| 9.0 | ~536 |
| 10.0 | ~595 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a normal uric acid level?
It depends on your own laboratory's reference range, which varies by method and sex. As an example, one NHS trust states roughly 150–410 µmol/L for men and 150–350 µmol/L for women — but always check the figures printed on your own report.
Is 400 µmol/L uric acid high?
It may be inside or above "normal" depending on your lab's range and your sex, but it is above the usual 360 µmol/L gout treatment target. Whether it's a concern for you depends on your symptoms and history — that's a conversation for your GP.
What should uric acid be if you have gout?
NICE recommends a general treatment target below 360 µmol/L (6 mg/dL) for most people on urate-lowering therapy, with a lower target below 300 µmol/L (5 mg/dL) considered for those with tophi, chronic gouty arthritis, or ongoing frequent flares.
Can you have gout with normal uric acid?
Yes. Urate can dip during an acute flare, sometimes into the normal range, even when gout is the cause. NICE recommends repeating the test at least two weeks after the flare settles if gout is still strongly suspected.
What does 6 mg/dL mean in µmol/L?
Using the standard conversion of roughly 59.5 µmol/L per mg/dL, 6 mg/dL is about 357–360 µmol/L — which is also NICE's usual gout treatment target.
Can uric acid levels change during a gout attack?
Yes, levels can shift during a flare and sometimes read lower than a person's usual baseline. This is a recognised pattern, which is why clinicians may repeat testing after the flare has settled rather than relying on one in-attack result alone.
Does a high uric acid level always mean gout?
No. Many people have raised urate for years without ever developing gout (asymptomatic hyperuricaemia), and guidance generally doesn't recommend treating this if there are no symptoms. Diagnosis relies on your symptoms and clinical assessment, not a blood number alone.
How quickly can uric acid levels change?
Serum urate can shift over days, for example dipping during an acute flare or an acute illness. With urate-lowering treatment, NICE's monthly monitoring during dose titration reflects how levels can move meaningfully within weeks as a dose is adjusted.
This guide explains general reference ranges and treatment targets for educational purposes. It is not personal medical advice, cannot interpret your own blood-test result, and cannot tell you whether you have or don't have gout. Never start, stop or change a medicine based on this page. Always discuss your own results and treatment with your doctor.