I
decided to take a look at rheumatoid arthritis and how fish oil supplementation
affects the disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that has an
effect on many areas of the body. There are four stages in RA (Rheumatoid
arthritis). By stage four individuals need help and often become bed bound or
house bound, meaning that they cannot leave either their bed or house. Left
untreated RA can cause deformity. I plan to follow the research of omega-3
supplementation and its effects on RA as well as the potential side effects.
Rheumatoid
arthritis is an autoimmune disease. What that means is that you’re over-active
immune system is essentially attacking itself. Over activity of the immune
system signals to the body for inflammation which is the precursor to healing
but when the healing never occurs chronic inflammation occurs which results in
pain signals. These pain signals are the body’s attempt to communicate that
something is wrong. As individuals we want to be able to deal with pain, as a
society we could be much more productive without the strain of pain from
arthritis.
When
you stub your toe running down the street barefoot, your body doesn’t know, how
the trauma occurred, just that trauma exists and that it needs to react. The
pain of a stubbed toe goes away quickly because the body is able to heal the
superficial damage easily. The pain signal is turned off as your toe heals from
the impact wound. RA is different because the cause of the pain isn’t direct physical
trauma.
RA
can affect many areas of the body. The most commonly effected limbs are the flexible
joints such as the fingers and toes. RA results in chronic systemic
inflammatory disorder which in turn causes many of the symptoms. For the
individual battling RA this means that in order to stop the pain you need to
target the RA. In order to target the RA many doctors prescribe medicines that shut
down the immune system which gets rid of the over active immune system problem
and reduces the pain and inflammation but the problem is now you don’t have an
active immune system that is necessary for combating the viruses and bacteria
we encounter in our daily lives. As an individual these choices can be very
difficult. Essentially one is forced to choose between having a comprised
immune system or pain and disfigurement due to the RA. I think these choices
should only be for those in the furthest stages of the disorder when one cannot
leave the bed or cannot leave the house due to the difficulty. Ignoring such a
disease is also not an option.
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Inflammatory for many.
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Anti Inflammatory for many
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Fish
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Transfats
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Whole grains
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Sugar
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Dark leafy greens
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White bread
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Nuts
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Cheeseburgers
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Raw soy
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Alcolhol
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Peppers
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Omega-6 over balance
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Tomatoes
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Milk
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Beets
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Msg
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Ginger
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Gluten
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Turmeric
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Saturated fat
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Garlic
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Fake sugar producs
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Olive oil
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Berries
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Cherries
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A
complementary route of treatment that can be combined with most other treatment
plans is to eat a healthy diet. By strengthening the body’s ability to heal
itself you can target RA from a different angle. Certain foods can cause
inflammation in the body and should be avoided in RA patients. Which foods
cause inflammation in the body can be more individually based. There are
certain foods that cause inflammation in most people and can generally be
avoided. Any allergy or intolerance to foods can cause inflammation as well
which complicates the equation of what you should eat. Eating nothing can be
worse than eating the wrong food. There are different anti-inflammatory diets
one can follow such as the Dr. Weil's Anti-Inflammatory Diet (DrWeil
Anti-Inflammatory) or the University of Wisconsin Anti-Inflammatory Diet (UW
Anti-Inflammatory).
Inflammation is complex response from the
immune system. Signs of acute inflammations are pain, heat, redness, swelling,
and loss of function. Inflammation is an attempt to initiate the healing
process. None of us want to be in pain, yet we often do little to try and
change what we do to remove pain. Many people with RA take NSAID pain killers
to help remove the pain. These can cause stomach bleeding at high continuous
dosages.
I
chose an approach to RA that doesn’t include the necessary component of
exercise and stretching, by excluding these factors I will be able to look
exclusively at the diet and effect on RA. I advise everyone to exercise and to
stretch. Yoga is accessible and easy way to relive stress and inflammation,
free apps or YouTube videos make it so anyone can do it. Exercise plans should
be just as much a part of your daily routine as eating.
In
1987 RA and fish oil trails were underway (Leukotrienes Study) the objective of
the study was to determine the efficacy of fish-oil dietary supplements in
rheumatoid arthritis patients and their effect on neutrophil leukotriene levels.
Leukotrienes are used to regulate immune responses. What they found was that fish-oil
ingestion results in subjective alleviation of active rheumatoid arthritis and
reduction in neutrophil leukotriene B4 production. It also reduced time to
onset of fatigue by 156 minutes and reduced the average number of tender joints
by 3.5. Many scientific journals support fish oil supplementation for RA the
healthiest amount that I read about was 2.6 grams of omega 3 oils. It reduced
the amount of time the individuals felt pain in after waking and reduced time
felt tired or fatigued.
“Abstract:
Objective: To study the long-term
effects of supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids (ω3) in patients with
active rheumatoid arthritis. Methods. Ninety patients were enrolled in a
12-month, double-blind, randomized study comparing daily supplementations with
either 2.6 gm of ω3, or 1.3 gm of ω3 + 3 gm of olive oil, or 6 gm of olive oil.
Results: Significant improvement in
the patient's global evaluation and in the physician's assessment of pain was
observed only in those taking 2.6 gm/day of ω3. The proportions of patients who
improved and of those who were able to reduce their concomitant antirheumatic
medications were significantly greater with 2.6 gm/day of ω3.
Conclusion: Daily supplementation
with 2.6 gm of ω3 results in significant clinical benefit and may reduce the
need for concomitant antirheumatic medication.”
(Omega 3 1994)
A
rheumatologist is a specialist doctor devoted to diagnosis and therapy of
rheumatic diseases. Rheumatism or rheumatic diseases are a non-specific term
for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of,
and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology. As a
society we devote many resources towards treatment and research of RA.
Individuals
may have to leave their jobs if the RA becomes too severe. This is to be
avoided in most circumstance but could potentially affect both the individual
and the society. Women between the ages of thirty and fifty are the most at
risk for RA although it can occur in children. For children the process is
different due to the growing bones. The inflammation can cause many problems in
children that do not occur in adults. Although skeptical even WebMD supports
that certain foods can help alleviate RA.
Kerin
O’Dea, the nutrition researcher who designed the experiment, accompanied the
group to monitor and record its dietary intake and keep tabs on the members’
health…
…While
on the coast, their diet consisted mainly of seafood, supplemented by birds,
kangaroo, and witchetty grubs, the fatty larvae of a local insect…Hoping to
find more plant foods, the group moved inland after two weeks, settling at a
riverside location. Here, in addition to freshwater fish and shellfish, the
diet expanded to include turtle, crocodile, birds, kangaroo, yams, figs, and
bush honey…O’Dea reports that prior to the experiment “the main dietary
components in the urban setting were flour, sugar, rice, carbonated drinks,
alcoholic beverages (beer and port), powdered milk, cheap fatty meat, potatoes,
onions, and variable contributions of other fresh fruits and vegetables”— the
local version of the Western diet…After seven weeks in the bush, O’Dea drew
blood Aborigines and found striking improvements in virtually every measure of
their health. All had lost weight (an average of 17.9 pounds) and seen their
blood pressure drop. Their triglyceride levels had fallen into the normal
range. The proportion of omega-3 fatty acids in their tissues had increased
dramatically. “In summary,” O’Dea concluded, “all of the metabolic
abnormalities of type II diabetes were either greatly improved (glucose
tolerance, insulin response to glucose) or completely normalized (plasma
lipids) in a group of diabetic Aborigines by a relatively short (seven week) reversion
to traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle.”
Pollan,
Michael (2008-01-01). In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto (p. 87). Penguin
Group US. Kindle Edition.
This
study shown in the book In Defense of
Food is an example of how our “Western diet” is causes health problems. We
need to learn how to stay away from the crap we have always eaten. Eating fifty
percent fruits and vegetables throughout each two day period is an easy way to
simplify things. Working towards understanding ones food intolerances is
pivotal for RA patients because eating food you are intolerant (allergic) to
can cause RA flare ups. Preparing food when you are in a good state is one way
to avoid processed junk food. Elimination diets are one way to find out your
food intolerances. Essentially stop eating a certain thing like milk and see if
you feel any different. Stop eating or drinking the food for a month and then
reintroduce the food or drink and see if you have a reaction in the next two
days. Our digestive system takes up to forty eight hours to process things.
Supplementation
is one way to get your omega-3 acids that help with RA. Eating a balanced
healthy diet is another way to improve the balance of omega-3 acids in the
muscles and blood stream as shown with the Kerin O’Dea study. Creating an
environment inside of your body that is prone to healing can help with many
health issues including RA. Eat fifty percent fruits and vegetables and avoid
inflammatory food. Make lifestyle changes instead of doing short cleanse diets.
Understand your body and how different foods affect you. Prepare when you have
the time and energy for the times when you don’t have time or energy.
According to Michael T. Murray,
N.D.
Diet has been strongly implicated
in RA for many years, in regard to both cause and cure. The major focus in
dietary therapy is to eliminate food allergies, increase the intake of
antioxidant nutrients, follow a vegetarian diet, and alter the intake of
dietary fats and oils. A long-term study conducted in Norway at the Oslo
Rheumatism Hospital showed that following these dietary principles can be
“curative” in some individuals with RA, and significantly reduce symptoms in
others. The first step is a therapeutic fast or an elimination diet (see Food
Allergy), followed by careful reintroduction of foods to detect allergens.
(Rheumatoid Arthritis)
References
Automatic
Bibliography Maker. (n.d.). BibMe: Fast & Easy Bibliography Maker.
Retrieved December 12, 2013, from
DrWeil
Anti-Inflammatory
Anti-Inflammatory
Diet & Pyramid. (n.d.). Anti-Inflammatory Diet. Retrieved December
15, 2013, from
UW
Anti-Inflammatory
University of
Wisconsin Anti-Inflammatory Diet.. (n.d.). University of Wisconsin
Anti-Inflammatory Diet.. Retrieved December 11, 2013, from http://www.fammed.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/webfmuploads/documents/outreach/im/handout_ai_diet_patient.pdf
Leukotrienes
Study
Fish-Oil Fatty
Acid Supplementation in Active Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Double-Blinded,
Controlled, Crossover Study. (n.d.). Annals of Internal Medicine.
Retrieved December 10, 2013, from http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=701770
Omega 3 1994
Long-term effect
of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in active rheumatoid arthritis. (n.d.). -
Geusens. Retrieved December 15, 2013, from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/art.1780370608/abstract
Rheumatoid
Arthritis. (n.d.). Dr Michael Murray. Retrieved December 15, 2013, from
http://doctormurray.com/health-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/
Omega-3 Fatty
Acids Shown to Prevent or Slow Progression of Osteoarthritis. (2011, October
18). ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 5, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111017111600.htm
Omega-3 Fatty
Acids and Health. (n.d.). — Health Professional Fact Sheet. Retrieved
November
5, 2013, from
Omega-3
Supplements: An Introduction. (n.d.). National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine. Retrieved November 5, 2013, from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/omega3/introduction.htm
Omega-3 fatty
acids. (n.d.). University of Maryland Medical Center. Retrieved November 5,
2013, from
PubMed Dietary
Supplement Subset. (n.d.). PubMed Dietary Supplement Subset. Retrieved November
5, 2013, from http://ods.od.nih.gov/Research/PubMed_Dietary_Supplement_Subset.aspx
Related
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