Anthony Anderson Says New Orleans Seafood Binge Gave Him Gout
Anthony Anderson is opening up about a painful health scare he experienced while working in New Orleans.
During an appearance on the April 28th episode of “Armchair Expert,” the “G-20” star told host Dax Shepard that he developed gout in his big toe after enjoying too much of the Crescent City’s famous cuisine.
“I was living in New Orleans for a while, shooting a show there,” the 54-year-old shared, likely referring to his 2007 crime drama “K-Ville.” “I was eating nothing but seafood and shellfish.”
“All the purine in the shellfish contributed to my buildup of uric acid and—I'll never forget—I was in the scene, and I went to kick a door in,” he explained. “And I hit it. And I said, 'I think I broke my toe.’”
According to Verywell Health, purines break down into uric acid, and when levels are too high, uric acid crystals can form in joints, causing gout, most commonly in the big toe. Anderson, who has type 2 diabetes, faced an even higher risk.
The outlet also notes that “eating large amounts of high-purine foods increases the risk of recurrent gout attacks by nearly five-fold,” and advises consuming scallops, crab, and other shellfish “moderately.”
Despite the pain, Anderson pushed through filming. “I finished the scene, then we moved locations,” he said. Later that night, while shooting a chase scene, he collapsed when he put pressure on his foot. “I was like, ‘Oh yeah, broke my toe.’ I went to the doctor the next day, limping.”
Initially convinced it was a fracture, Anderson recounted, “They're looking at it like, ‘I don't think you broke your toe.’ I said, ‘Yeah, no, I think I broke my toe.’ They're like, ‘You might have the gout.’ I was like, ‘No, ain't got the gout.’”
After an X-ray to “humor” him, doctors confirmed the unexpected diagnosis. “‘We got good news and bad news. Which one do you want first?’ ‘The good news.’ ‘All right, you didn't break your toe.’ ‘What's the bad news?’ ‘You got the gout.’”
“You motherf—ker,” Anderson quipped, adding, “If you look at it, it looks red hot. If you put your hand above it, you can feel the heat coming off of it.”
The CDC notes that treatment for gout typically involves anti-inflammatory medications, painkillers, and cutting back on high-purine foods.
