This test measures the amount of uric acid in your blood or urine. Uric acid is made by your body when it breaks down purines. Purines are found in foods and drinks and are produced when cells die.

Your kidneys filter the uric acid out of your blood. It is then removed in the urine. Needle-shaped crystals form in and around your joints if uric acid builds up in the body. This condition is called gout, a form of arthritis that causes painful joint swelling.

Read more about the Uric blood test.