Dietary treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is primarily adjunctive,
as the disease cannot be managed by nutritional
changes alone.
Patients with RA must take a combination
of medications, usually a combination of
disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs),
to control pain, inflammation, and slow the progression
of the disease.
A well-balanced and healthful diet,
however, can help to offset the emotional depression
that often accompanies RA and to enable patients to
maintain a normal schedule of activities. It also helps
to prevent nutritional deficiencies in these patients
that may be caused by the use of prescription drugs
to control the disease.
DIETARY ALTERATIONS.
There is some indication
that patients with RA benefit from cutting back on
meat consumption or switching entirely to a vegetarian
or vegan diet. One follow-up study of RA patients
on a vegetarian diet showed that improvement continued
after one and two years on the diet.
Another dietary adjustment that appears to benefit
some people with RA is switching from cooking oils
that are high in omega-6 fatty acids (which increase
inflammation) to oils that are high in omega-3 fatty
acids (which reduce inflammation. This second group
includes olive oil, canola oil, and flaxseed oil.
DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS.
The most common dietary
supplements recommended for patients with RA are
as follows:
-Fish oil. The oils from cold-water fish have been
reported to reduce inflammation and relieve joint
pain in some patients with RA. The recommended
daily dose is 1 to 2 teaspoons.
-Plant oils that are high in gamma-linoleic acid
(GLA), which reduces inflammation in the joints.
These plant oils include evening primrose oil, borage
oil, and black current oil. The recommended daily
dose is 200 to 300 mg.
-Green tea. Drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea per day is
thought to benefit RA patients by reducing inflammation
in the joints.
The benefits of dietary adjustments or dietary
supplements for RA vary considerably from patient
to patient.Maintenance of a balanced diet, however, is
valuable in preventing the nutritional deficiencies that
sometimes occur in patients with RA as side effects of
high dosages of DMARDs and NSAIDs.
