Natural Options for Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Natural Options for Rheumatoid Arthritis JoAnn Guest

Oct 24, 2006 14:33 PDT

 

Natural Options for Rheumatoid Arthritis

 

http://www.raysahelian.com/rheumatoidarthritis.html

by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

 

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which joints,

usually those of the hands and feet, are symmetrically inflamed,

resulting in swelling, pain, and often the eventual destruction of

the joint's interior. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common

inflammatory joint disease and a major cause of disability,

morbidity, and mortality. It occurs worldwide, affecting

approximately one per cent of adults. Rheumatoid arthritis may be

accompanied by fatigue, weight loss, anxiety, and depression. In

rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks the tissue that

lines and cushions joints (certain immune cells, perhaps mast cells,

attack the carbohydrate molecules, known as glycosaminoglycans, in

the joints).

Eventually, the cartilage, bone, and ligaments of the

joint erode, causing scars to form within the joint. The joints

deteriorate at a highly variable rate.

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet

A regular, healthy diet is generally appropriate. Some people have

flare-ups after eating certain foods. A diet rich in cold water fish

has beneficial effects on inflammation. Eating a relatively large

amount of red meat every day appears to increase the risk of

inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Research has

linked smoking and drinking a lot of coffee to rheumatoid arthritis,

while suggesting that eating lots of fish and vegetables may protect

people from the condition.

 

Natural options for Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

I will update this page as more studies become available regarding

the natural approach to rheumatoid arthritis. In the meantime, I

have come across some studies regarding natural supplements that I

wish to share with you. You may decide to discuss with your doctor

to see whether these herbs and supplements are appropriate for you.

At this time I am not aware of a rheumatoid arthritis cure.

 

Fish oils are certainly one of the first supplements to try for

rheumatoid arthritis since they reduce inflammation.

Cat's claw a small study showed a reduction in pain in rheumatoid

arthritis patients given Cat's claw extract.

Green tea extract

Curcumin has antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Curcumin

is derived from turmeric.

Guggul has anti-inflammatory activity and may be helpful in

rheumatoid arthritis

Lyprinol, a green mussel extract, has been found to be helpful for

rheumatoid arthritis, (see study below).

Folic acid (see below) for rheumatoid arthritis patients on

methotrexate

Stop smoking

Go for a low fat diet with plenty of fish and fish oils

Gluten free diet may be tried

Yoga improves hand grip strength in normal persons and in patients

with rheumatoid arthritis, though the magnitude of improvement

varies with factors such as gender and age.

Tai Chi is helpful

Rheumatoid arthritis exercise -- For people with extensive damage in

large joints from rheumatoid arthritis, high-intensity, weight-

bearing exercise accelerates the progression of joint damage.

However, intensive exercise appears to be safe for arthritis

patients with little or no joint damage. Mild to moderate exercise

programs to improve muscle strength and aerobic capacity are

beneficial for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis can also produce a variety of symptoms

throughout the body. The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis isn't

known, but many different factors, including genetic predisposition,

may influence the autoimmune reaction. Rheumatoid arthritis develops

in about 1 percent of the population, affecting women two to three

times more often than men. Usually, rheumatoid arthritis first

appears between 25 and 50 years of age, but it may occur at any age.

In some people, the disease resolves spontaneously, and treatment

relieves symptoms in three out of four people; however, at least 1

out of 10 people eventually becomes disabled. is different than

rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Traditional treatment of rheumatoid arthritis ranges from simple,

conservative measures such as rest and adequate nutrition to drugs

and surgery. Treatment starts with the least aggressive measures,

moving to more aggressive ones if needed. A basic principle of

rheumatoid arthritis treatment is to rest the affected joints,

because using them aggravates the inflammation. Regular rest periods

often help relieve pain, and sometimes a short period of total bed

rest helps relieve a severe flare-up in its most active, painful

stage. Splints can be used to immobilize and rest one or several

joints, but some systematic movement of the joints is needed to

prevent stiffening.

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment - Drugs - Rheumatoid Arthritis

Medication

The main categories of drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis are

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), slow-acting drugs,

corticosteroids, and immunosuppressive drugs. Generally, the

stronger the drug, the more severe its potential side effects, so

that closer monitoring is needed.

Although jewelry may be the first thing that springs to mind

when someone says " gold " , injecting a liquid form of the metal can

help people with rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, gold therapy has

been around for a while, and now new research shows it can be

effective when combined with another treatment. In the study,

reported in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, gold therapy reduced

the severity of arthritis in patients who had a poor response with

methotrexate, the standard drug used to treat the disease.

Even if an initial course of methotrexate for the treatment of

rheumatoid arthritis gives disappointing results, persistence may

pay off. A second course may be more successful. Many patients

continue to have active disease in spite of intensive therapy with

disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

 

Steroid Use in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are treated with low-dose of

the steroid prednisone have an increased risk of coming down with

pneumonia. Most other drugs used to treat arthritis don't have this

drawback. Prednisone, a steroid, tends suppresses the immune system

and at high enough doses this could increase the chances of

infection. Even though prednisone is commonly used to treat

arthritis patients, there have been no studies looking at it's

effect on the risk of pneumonia -- which is one of the major causes

of death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The most common

treatments for rheumatoid arthritis are methotrexate, prednisone,

Remicade, hydroxychloroquine and Enbrel. There appears to be no

significantly increased risk associated with so-called TNF-blockers -

- Remicade, Enbrel or Humira -- or with methotrexate,

hydroxychloroquine or sulfasalazine. Prednisone use is common in

rheumatoid arthritis and is therefore a potentially important health

risk. Arthritis & Rheumatism, February 2006.

 

Rheumatoid arthritis symptom

Rheumatoid arthritis early symptom. Common symptom for rheumatoid

arthritis include fatigue, weight loss and anemia. Affects about 2

million Americans, three times more women than men. Symptoms of

rheumatoid arthritis are different than symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis sets a body at war with itself, as white

blood cells attack healthy tissue in the joints. The cost of that

war may be greater than previously thought: people with rheumatoid

arthritis are twice as likely to die of heart disease.

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Exercise

Progressive resistance training can help patients with rheumatoid

arthritis who experience muscle wasting. Generalized muscle wasting

in rheumatoid arthritis is common although often masked by a

concomitant increase in fat mass. Progressive resistance training is

an effective treatment for this metabolic complication of rheumatoid

arthritis.

 

Types of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

 

Rheumatoid arthritis Research Update

Newer drugs like Enbrel and Remicade have been a boon to many

rheumatoid arthritis sufferers, but researchers now report that such

drugs may lead to the development of an inflammatory disorder of

blood vessels, usually affecting the skin. The rheumatoid arthritis

drugs, called TNF blockers, have been linked to a condition called

leukocytoclastic vasculitis, or LCV, according to an article in the

Journal of Rheumatology. With LCV, bleeding of small blood vessels

under the skin causes purplish raised areas to appear, usually on

the legs.

 

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with the potent TNF-alpha blocking

drugs -- such as Enbrel and Remicade, for example -- is linked to an

increase in dermatological conditions. The skin conditions included

infections and eczema, both of which might logically be related to

the way TNF blockers work, by interfering with the immune system.

The investigators also documented drug-related skin ulcers and

malignant tumors, as well as a list of less common problems.

 

Systemic inflammation increases the risk of dying from

cardiovascular disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, a new

study shows, even after factoring in the effects of traditional

cardiovascular risk factors and other illnesses. The rate of illness

and death from cardiovascular disease is higher among rheumatoid

arthritis patients, and there is increasing evidence that

inflammation plays a key role in the development of atherosclerosis,

also known as hardening of the arteries.

 

A Johnson & Johnson promotion for rheumatoid arthritis drug Remicade

is misleading because it makes unsupported claims about the drug's

effectiveness and omits important information about risks.

 

Efficacy and tolerability of a combination of Lyprinol and high

concentrations of EPA and DHA in inflammatory rheumatoid disorders.

Adv Ther. 2004 May-Jun;21(3):197-201.

This 12-week drug-monitoring study was conducted to evaluate the

efficacy of Sanhelios Mussel Lyprinol Lipid Complex on 50 adult men

and women with inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis. A total of 34

patients required drug therapy before and during the study. By the

end of the Lyprinol study, 21 (62%) patients were able to reduce

their dosage and 13 were able to terminate drug therapy. At the end

of the Lyprinol treatment period, 38% were regarded symptom free,

and the number of patients with severe pain decreased significantly

from 60% at baseline to 25% at the completion of the trial. A

significant effect was observed for each investigated parameter. The

special combination of Lyprinol and omega-3 fatty acids was

generally very well tolerated. This dietary supplement with Lyprinol

may therefore be considered an effective and well-tolerated

component of treatment regimens for inflammatory rheumatoid

arthritis.

 

Effects of n-3 fatty acids on serum interleukin-6, tumour necrosis

factor-alpha and soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor p55 in

active rheumatoid arthritis.

J Int Med Res. 2004 Sep-Oct;32(5):443-54.

We investigated the effects of a low n-6 fatty acid (FA) diet

supplemented with fish oil on serum pro-inflammatory cytokine

concentrations and clinical variables in patients with active

rheumatoid arthritis (Rheumatoid arthritis). Sixty patients were

randomly assigned to receive a diet low in n-6 FAs and n-3 FAs

supplement (fish oil group), a diet low in n-6 FAs and placebo

(placebo group), or no special diet or intervention (control group).

Serum cytokines and clinical and biochemical variables were

evaluated at baseline and various timepoints. At week 18 the fish

oil group had significant reductions in linoleic acid, C-reactive

protein (CRP) and soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor p55 (sTNF-

R p55), and significant elevations in eicosapentaenoic acid and

docosahexaenoic acid compared with baseline. There were no

significant differences in the clinical variables between the three

groups. At week 24 there were significant reductions in interleukin-

6 and TNF-alpha in the fish oil and placebo groups. Supplementation

with n-3 FA and a low n-6 FA intake decreased serum sTNF-R p55 and

CRP levels in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Folate, homocysteine, and methylcobalamin status in patients with

rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate, and the effect of

low dose folic acid supplement.

J Rheumatol. 2004 Dec;31(12):2374-81.

To investigate the effect of methotrexate (MTX) treatment of

rheumatoid arthritis on folate metabolism, and to determine the

effect of low dose folic acid on toxicity, efficacy, and folate

status. METHODS: A 52-week prospective study of 81 patients with

rheumatoid arthritis treated with MTX and self-administered low

dose folic acid; 38 rheumatoid arthritis patients were included

prior to MTX therapy, 33 rheumatoid arthritis patients continued

established MTX therapy, and 10 rheumatoid arthritis patients were

excluded. Drug efficacy and side effects were monitored with

biochemical and clinical indicators. RESULTS: MTX treatment resulted

in decreased concentrations of red blood cell (RBC) folate and a

rise in plasma homocysteine. Intracellular concentrations of MTX

were inversely correlated to RBC folate levels after treatment for a

longer period (mean 41 months). Supplement with low dose folic acid

prevented or diminished the influence of MTX on folate status and

had a protective effect on MTX induced liver toxicity without

changing the efficacy of MTX. CONCLUSION: MTX interferes with folate

and homocysteine metabolism. Our results indicate low dose folic

acid supplementation has a beneficial effect on MTX toxicity in

rheumatoid arthritis patients.

 

Measuring levels of antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptide

(CCP) help predict future disease activity in patients with early

rheumatoid arthritis, The anti-CCP antibody test is as sensitive as

rheumatoid factor but a more specific diagnostic marker for recent

onset rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Increased blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker for

inflammation, are seen long before symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

appear.

 

Recently developed drugs called TNF-blockers have brought relief to

many people with inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid

arthritis or the intestinal disorder, Crohn's disease. However, the

drugs do carry a risk. Federal health officials at the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta point out that patients

taking TNF-alpha antagonists, such as Remicade (infliximab), Enbrel

(etanercept), and Humira (adalimumab) have an increased risk of

tuberculosis.

 

Does diet have a role in the etiology of rheumatoid arthritis?

Proc Nutr Soc. 2004 Feb;63(1):137-43.

Although dietary factors have been extensively studied in many

chronic diseases, the role of diet in the epidemiology of rheumatoid

arthritis has received little attention. Fruit and vegetables and

dietary antioxidants are thought to play a protective role in the

pathogenesis of heart disease and some cancers, but few studies have

investigated these dietary components in the etiology of rheumatoid

arthritis. Fish oil supplementation has consistently been shown to

have a beneficial effect on the symptoms of established rheumatoid

arthritis, but it is not known whether the fish oils can reduce the

risk of developing the disease. There is evidence that rheumatoid

arthritis is less severe in the southern Mediterranean countries,

such as Italy and Greece, where oil-rich fish, fruit, vegetables and

olive oil are consumed in greater amounts than in many other

countries. Overall, the evidence for a role of diet in the etiology

of rheumatoid arthritis is limited to a small number of

observational studies of very different designs. Recently, it was

demonstrated that lower intakes of fruit and vegetables and dietary

vitamin C are associated with an increased risk of developing

inflammatory polyarthritis in a free-living population in Norfolk,

UK. These findings provide further evidence for a role of diet in

the development of inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis, although the

mechanisms involved are uncertain.

 

Randomized double blind trial of an extract from the pentacyclic

alkaloid-chemotype of uncaria tomentosa (Cat's Claw) for the

treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

J Rheumatol. 2002 Apr;29(4):678-81.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate safety and clinical efficacy of a plant

extract from the pentacyclic chemotype of Uncaria tomentosa (cat's

claw) in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. Forty patients

undergoing sulfasalazine or hydroxychloroquine treatment were

enrolled in a randomized 52 week, 2 phase study. During the first

phase (24 weeks, double blind, placebo controlled), Rheumatoid

arthritis patients were treated with UT extract or placebo. In the

second phase (28 weeks) all patients received the plant extract.

RESULTS: Twenty-four weeks of treatment with the UT extract resulted

in a reduction of the number of painful joints compared to placebo

(by 53% vs 24%). Rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving the UT

extract only during the second phase experienced a reduction in the

number of painful and swollen joints compared to the values after 24

weeks of placebo. Only minor side effects were observed. CONCLUSION:

This small preliminary study demonstrates relative safety and modest

benefit to the tender joint count of a highly purified extract from

the pentacyclic chemotype of cats claw in patients with active

Rheumatoid arthritis taking sulfasalazine or hydroxychloroquine.

 

Tai chi for treating rheumatoid arthritis.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;(3):CD004849.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory autoimmune

disease that results in the destruction of the musculoskeletal

system. Tai Chi, interchangeably known as Tai Chi Chuan, is an

ancient Chinese health-promoting martial art form that has been

recognized in China as an effective arthritis therapy for centuries.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of Tai Chi as a

treatment for people with Rheumatoid arthritis. Studies reviewed.

CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest Tai Chi does not exacerbate

symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, Tai Chi has

statistically significant benefits on lower extremity range of

motion, in particular ankle range of motion, for people with

Rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Epidemiology of rheumatoid arthritis: determinants of onset,

persistence and outcome.

University of Manchester Medical School, Oxford Road, Manchester UK.

Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2002 Dec;16(5):707-22.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common chronic inflammatory joint

disease. There is some evidence that Rheumatoid arthritis may have

been brought from North America to Europe during the 18th century.

Its arrival in rural parts of the developing world is still more

recent. The incidence and prevalence of Rheumatoid arthritisvappear

to have fallen in Europe, North America and Japan in the last 50

years. During this time the peak age of onset has risen. Risk

factors for the development of Rheumatoid arthritis include genetic

factors, an adverse pregnancy outcome, smoking, obesity and recent

infections. The oral contraceptive pill and some dietary

constituents may be protective. Older age and female gender are risk

factors both for the development of Rheumatoid arthritis and for a

worse outcome. This risk factor profile offers some opportunities

for primary and secondary prevention. However, treatment is the

greatest determinant of Rheumatoid arthritis outcome.

 

Some patients with Rheumatoid arthritiswho take the anti-rheumatic

drug Arava (leflunomide) develop peripheral neuropathy, a nerve

problem that involves numbness, tingling or pain in the hands or

feet.

 

Blocking the activity of a natural protein involved in inflammation

may be a new approach to treating rheumatoid arthritis. Japanese

researchers have shown that a synthetic antibody targeting the

receptor for a hormone-like protein called interleukin 6 (IL-6)

significantly reduces disease activity in patients with difficult-to-

treat rheumatoid arthritis. IL-6 regulates the immune response,

inflammation, and bone metabolism, the team explains in the medical

journal Arthritis & Rheumatism. Overproduction of IL-6 is thought to

play a role in rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Folate supplementation and methotrexate treatment in rheumatoid

arthritis: a review.

Rheumatology (Oxford). 2004 Jan 6

The folate antagonist methotrexate (MTX) has become established as

the most commonly used disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD)

in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis but is commonly

discontinued due to adverse effects. Adverse effects are thought to

be mediated via folate antagonism. In this paper we summarize the

current data on the use of folates as a supplement to MTX use in

rheumatoid arthritis for the prevention of adverse effects and as a

potential modulator of cardiovascular risk, and propose guidelines

for standard practice. METHODS: A Medline search was performed using

the search terms 'methotrexate', 'folic acid', 'folinic

acid', 'folate' and 'homocysteine'. Literature relevant to the use

of folates as a supplement to MTX in the treatment of rheumatoid

arthritis was reviewed and other papers referred to as references

were explored. RESULTS: The use of supplemental folates, including

folic and folinic acid, in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated

with MTX has been shown to improve continuation rates by reducing

the incidence of liver function test abnormalities and

gastrointestinal intolerance. Folate supplements do not appear to

significantly reduce the effectiveness of MTX in the treatment of

rheumatoid arthritis. Furthermore, supplemental folic acid offsets

the elevation in plasma homocysteine associated with the use of MTX.

This may in turn reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, which is

over-represented amongst patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and for

which hyperhomocysteinaemia is now recognized as an independent risk

factor. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that folic acid supplements be

prescribed routinely to all patients receiving MTX for the treatment

of rheumatoid arthritis. We recommend a pragmatic dosing schedule of

5 mg of oral folic acid given on the morning following the day of

MTX administration.

 

Influence of co-administrated sinomenine on pharmacokinetic fate of

paeoniflorin in unrestrained conscious rats.

J Ethnopharmacol. 2005 May 13;99(1):61-7.

Paeonia lactiflora Pall. (Ranunculaceae) root( Chinese Peony ) and

Sinomenium acutum Rehder and Wilson (Menispermaceae) stem are two

herbs widely used in Chinese medicine to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

 

serrapeptase

5-htp

coq10

vinpocetine

nattokinase

vinpocetine

lipoic

 

Citrus, zinc may cut rheumatoid arthritis risk: study

Zinc and an antioxidant found in citrus fruit may lower the risk

for rheumatoid arthritis a new study suggests, but the researchers

say the findings are preliminary and there are still no well-defined

risk factors for the disease. The researchers looked at nearly

30,000 women from the Iowa Women's Health Study. All had answered a

food questionnaire in 1986 that assessed how much and how often they

ate certain foods as well as their vitamin and supplement intake.

Years later, there were 158 cases of rheumatoid arthritis among the

women. The diets of those women were compared with those of study

participants who remained free of the illness. The doctors found

that women getting less than 40 micrograms of beta-cryptoxanthin,

which is found in citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit, were at

a slightly higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis than women

who consumed more than that amount. When they looked at the amount

of zinc in each woman's diet, they found that those who took zinc

supplements had a lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis. But getting an

equivalent amount of zinc from food was not associated with

decreased risk. Their results are published in the February issue of

the American Journal of Epidemiology. SOURCE: American Journal of

Epidemiology 2003;157:345-354.

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis emails

Q. I am a 38 year old woman who has been dealing with Rhematoid

Arthritis since my child bearing years. I started seeing an

rheumatoid arthritis doctor about 7 years ago and had been using a

Naproxen prescription since then for pain, inflammation, morning and

night stiffness. Not wanting to continue taking Naproxen for recent

concerns about its safety. I started taking MSM advised by my mother

who recently was diagnosed with RA. I have been taking 3 grams of

MSM in the morning and night for the past 3 months with no need for

addition pain medications. I am truley amazed at the results I've

had. If anyone has had cronic pain from arthritis like I have had it

is worth trying MSM.

 

Q. I have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis multiple joint

failure since 2001. While I was in the USA, I was taking

prescription medicine namely Arava. I was only getting relief from

it with many side effects. I decided to go to Vietnam. I have been

living here since 2 years ago. Since I first came, I started taking

natural traditional herbal medicine made up of roots, barks, leaves,

insects, snake skin, etc. This medicine helped me get my feet back

on the ground. However, I always had the need to continue taking

pharmaceuticals every other day, like Vioxx and later Mobic. Since I

began taking turmeric as a juice mixed with other fruits, I have no

longer the need to take Mobic. That was a month ago. Thank you.

A. We appreciate you sharing this with us, please keep us

updated on your progress.

 

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets