diet findings for ra patients | Arthritis Information

Article in one of the UK papers today (The Mail) which claims scientific study in Sweden has
proven once and for all the benefits of a gluten-free, vegan diet for anyone with RA.

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Arthritis sufferers could protect themselves against heart attacks and strokes by eating a gluten-free, vegan diet, say researchers.

The specialised diet – which excludes all animal products – lowered levels of "bad" cholesterol which is linked to heart disease, a study found.

It also boosted levels of natural antibodies to fight compounds in the body that are implicated in rheumatoid arthritis.

The condition, which is distinct from the more common osteoarthritis, is a degenerative inflammatory disorder in which the body's immune system attacks joint tissues, leading to swelling, tenderness and increasing disability.

Nearly 400,000 Britons have rheumatoid arthritis, which puts them at higher risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Doctors at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm gave 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis a vegan an gluten-free diet and 28 a non-vegan diet for at least three months.

The vegan diet contained vegetables, root vegetables, nuts, fruits, buckwheat, millet, corn, rice and sunflower seeds and omitted gluten – which can be found in a wide range of products including cakes, biscuits, pasta, beer and bread. The non-vegan diet was made up from all food groups.

The result, published yesterday in the journal Arthritis Research and Therapy, showed a decrease in the total level of cholesterol and in levels of the "bad" cholesterol LDL among those on a vegan diet.

There was also an increase in levels of natural protective antibodies and a reduction in Body Mass Index. The diet in the control group did not significantly affect cholesterol.

anna_uk2008-03-18 06:49:48Actually, it's not a once and for all settled issue. There are a lot of issues that need to be sorted out...

"Frostegard and colleagues have now shown that diet could be used to improve the long-term health of people with rheumatoid arthritis. They concede that a bigger study group will be needed to discern which particular aspects of the diet help the most."

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who eat a gluten-free vegan diet could be better protected against heart attacks and stroke. RA is a major risk factor for these cardiovascular diseases, but a gluten-free vegan diet was shown to lower cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and oxidizedLDL (OxLDL), as well as raising the levels of natural antibodies against the damaging compounds in the body that cause symptoms of the chronic inflammatory disease rheumatoid arthritis, such as phosphorylcholine. These findings are reported in the open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy.

The idea that we can influence our health by changing our eating habits has become a fashionable idea among lifestyle and consumer magazines. There is evidence that dietary changes can bring about health benefits but specific results are not widespread.

Now, Johan Frostegard of the Rheumatology Unit at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm and colleagues divided sixty-six RA patients randomly into two groups. They randomly assigned 38 of the volunteers to eat a gluten-free vegan diet, and the other 28 a well-balanced but non-vegan diet for one year. They analysed the levels of fatty, lipid molecules in blood samples using routine analytical methods at regular periods. They also measured oxLDL and anti-phosphorylcholine (antiPC) factor at the beginning of the experiment, at 3 months and again at 12 months.

The researchers found that the gluten-free vegan diet not only reduced LDL and oxLDL levels and raised antiPC antibodies but lowered the body-mass index (BMI) of the volunteers in that group. Levels of other fatty molecules, including triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) stayed the same. In contrast, none of the indicators differed significantly for the control groups on the conventional healthy diet.

AntiPC antibodies are studied within CVDIMMUNE, an European consortium led by Dr Frostegard with the hypothesis that such antibodies can protect against cardiovascular disease and can be used as diagnostic and therapeutic factors.

Frostegard and colleagues have now shown that diet could be used to improve the long-term health of people with rheumatoid arthritis. They concede that a bigger study group will be needed to discern which particular aspects of the diet help the most.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/100932.phpLynn492008-03-18 07:03:23But NikkiLynn -

This is one of those double blind studies you so say is so lacking in 'alternative medicine'.

This also goes on to prove ancedotal evidence of people reporting their illnesses improve with dietary changes.

The key is lowering inflammation in the least destructive way possible for the body. This is a STRONG option for those without options anymore or who do not want to progress to the biologics and possibly blow thru them quickly.

Great post Anna,

Pip

It needs a bigger sample...but you probably already knew that...right?

They randomly assigned 38 of the volunteers to eat a gluten-free vegan diet, and the other 28 a well-balanced but non-vegan diet for one year. Lynn492008-03-18 08:02:31Lynn -

I'd happily start a bigger sample if I could get people to try this. The problem is, like you, most people want a 'magic little pill' to treat their RA. Most people are unwilling to do what they need to heal. The amazing thing with this study is somebody ACTUALLY went and looked at the bloodstream and checked what what happening in the body. The problem with the ancedotal evidence (ie people reporting symptom improvement with RA on the Internet) is that nobody is scientifically looking at what is happening to the body.

Think of this - cut inflammation - cut damage.

Cut inflammation and you may not need half the meds you're on for ancillary diagnoises like BP, cholesterol, etc.

Cut inflammation and you may retain the ability to stay on first line meds.

Pip

But people are lazy! Your right most just want to have someone give them a pill. You could also workout and reap all the same benefits and STILL eat animal and gluten products. [QUOTE=Pip!]But NikkiLynn - I have tried a similar, and try my best to keep to it. But I found what makes me hurt and I stay away from those things.Pip don't argue for the shear sake of arguing. Whether you like it or not Nicki is correct is saying that the study was not "once and for all" conclusive. What the study says is that they have promising information and that repeat studies with larger populations and over a greater time period than 3 months are needed. You'd freak out if a medication study only used 66 people. Even the conclusion of the study indicated the need for more study. The study also did not say what medications the patients were on at the time of the study and if they were able to adjust their medications by the end of the study.

Now no one would be hurt by following such a strict diet by its too early to draw any permanant conclusions

Pip,

You have no idea what I want concerning my treatment for RA. I would venture to guess that I take a lot less meds than most to control my RA.

I don't have high blood pressure or high cholesterol either. I was a vegetarian when I was diagnosed with RA and continued to be one for a little over two years after my diagnosis. It did absolutely nothing to help with my RA.

I follow the Mediterranean diet now and have always exercised. I think those are important components for my health. What they don't do, at least for me, is reduce any on the inflammtion from RA.

I'm happy that diet helps some people and I think eating healthy is very important....It just doesn't work that way for everyone.

Other than sample size, my other problem with this is that they did gluten-free AND vegan at the same time. As such, they cannot state which part of the diet was responsible for the improvement. Was it the elimination of gluten (which causes an intestinal inflammatory response in celiacs)? Or was it the elimination of all animal products (of which many are tied to increased chloresterol -- shrimp being a strong example)? Or, was it truely the elimination of both together?

To have an accurate conclusion they would have had to statistically significant samples where the groups were:

a) control group

b) gluten free

c) vegan

d) gluten free and vegan

I understand. Everyones body is different, very different! and Ra (JRA) comes in so many forms. I try to use diet but days like today I can hardly walk. I don't know, I think if you find something that works for you pass it on, but you can't assume it will be correct for everyone. I encourage people to try what I have done, and some look at me like I'm insane saying they couldn't do that, its too hard, (my dad for instance) and others try. I don't know.

I'm sorry it didn't work for you. It does some days for me, others nothing helps.

Buckeye - You know my complaint is we don't have nearly enough studies in large numbers for ANYTHING. This is a major improvement over some self reported study listed on some manufacturer's website. Frankly, some of the Mino studies were smaller, but I thought it more than enough to 'go for it'.

I do agree with Joy about which component is responible. This diet would be highly restrictive - but wouldn't you want to try this or something similar before moving on up the ladder?

Shaducky??? I think it was you, and I know Bubbagump has done similar - found triggers and removed them. Lynn - your inflammation would not improve unless you removed a trigger. Vegetarian - so what if lets say, you ate a lot of corn and corn was one of your triggers.

The problem is...most of us are not systematic with this...and most of us do not give it enough time. I tried gluten free when first diagnosed and was told that 2 weeks would let me know for sure. It wasn't until I learned more that I realized that I was NO WHERE NEAR gluten free and it takes about 2 months to rid your body of vestiges of the last things you ate. Yet all that time I thought I was gluten free.

If doesn't cost you anything to experiment with your diet. Just some time and a journal and really trying to learn about this stuff. How much does it cost you for meds each month?

Who said nothing was said about med? Yes, that's right - but I was thinking more long term. Like after 6 months or so and with a doc monitoring you.

Hugs,

Pip who is off to the mall for some serious Pre-Birthday fun at Build-a-Bear. I'm very excited.

Pip!2008-03-18 09:14:24have a nice bear time

I'm not saying it wasn't interesting...it just isn't conlusive and for some of the very reason Joy mentioned

I've gone vegetarian, gluton free and haven't noticed anything...but I will admit that I don'thave enough discipline to do a total elimination diet. Though I really haven't noticed any really correlation between diet and my RA activity. But thats me, I also can't identify a specific trigger for the original disease activity. So maybe I'm just weird

I'm going to try and keep most to this diet only because i know for a fact that dairy makes me a million times worse and that i get swellings if i eat beef.

So, I hope this works for me.

I have the same dairy and red meat, oy, I can't go near them, I'll swell like a balloon! I have been on my diet for two years. Sorry to be a heathen but there's no way I could give up the odd big juicy steak.

I lived in the med for 17 odd years and like Lyn we live on a meditrn. diet, I walk and go to pilates, dont smoke or drink (much) but that doesnt stop my liver producing horribly high levels of LDL. If you've got the will power to give it a go great. As far as meat elimination goes, I'm afraid I've got the breaking strain of a soggy kitkat So how would you know it was working before 2 years? And how would this work with the supposed ability to eventually heal the gut? So, instead of 6 months, you'd do 2 years and then try again? Do you know anything about that, please?

Pip

At my worst, I can be completely and I mean COMPLETELY bed ridden. At my worse i cannot roll over due to my hips and shoulders, elbows and hands, my husband pushes me up, he drags my legs on and off the bed, he lays me down and pushes me into a sitting position. I hold a spoon like a baby because i feel stupid letting someone else feed me.

By taking dairy out of my diet and lowering my wheat product intake, I learned that i can walk in some stores for a period of time and do almost everything but cook and clean. I even dress myself now, shoes and all.

I had a relapse where dairy was in my diet and i started eating whole grain cereal with wheat etc. and i relapsed and i won't do it again.

I got horribly bad last month and am finally getting better. What was the difference? I ate beef almost daily then, so i cut it out and within 48hrs am already getting better.

It takes a long time for foods to get out of your system, gluten etc. is up to 3 months (my dad has celiac disease). If you have that disease and a teeny teeny teeny teeny amount of gluten, you are right back where you started and it can be close to that for us which is why getting rid of it 90% may not make a difference, we don't know that yet.

All RA people are also different. Everyone responds differently to drugs, some can't eat this and others can't eat that. We have learned over the past 7 years that things are changing and more and more is getting known on this disease. Unfortunately, we are learning that all people are different so the actual cure may never exist but proper drugs and diets may be found for each type of RA.

I know what works for me and will stick with it. I would want to control this with food more than anything. Drugs usually give me symptoms.

Pip,
The minute you remove all gluten from a diet it has an impact - by that I mean removing, wheat, rye, oats and barley - and all dairy produce, it will have a big effect within days. My understanding is the immediate impact is in the gut ... I can assure you that things will start to flow more freely in an unbelievable way!!
With the peptides from wheat and dairy - the microscopic particles of wheat and dairy that
get into the bloodstream - the peptides from dairy are supposed to go within 3 days, but I've read the wheat can take up to two years.
It certainly doesn't take two years to have an effect, as the effect is almost immediate, but the longer you are on it, I suppose the better it is.

Anna

Hi All
If anyone decides to go the gluten free, vegan, route, just a few things I have learned.
+ cereals made from rice and corn are sometimes coated in barley to make them tasty. Read the label! You will probably have to buy these from healthfood shops.
+ even dark chocolate can contain dairy produce - make sure the dark chocolate you buy is suitable for vegans (NOT vegetarian which contains dairy)
+ ready made oven chips are often coated in wheat to make them crispy. The only ones I've found that are not coated in wheat are the McCain ones.
+ soya sauce contains gluten - buy a gluten free version.
+ use rice noodles instead of the other ones.
+ use a handful of rice in ministrone instead of pasta.
Anna
Wow! You all have me thinikin' why I don't have more swelling --- could it be my gluten-dairy free diet + all the anti-inflammatory foods I stuff in, along with the vit-C, fish oil, Bromalin, multivitamin and Super B's I take daily; or the fact that I have been playing a game with myself for the last few years, by trying to see how many days I can go vegan in a row before succumbing to bit of fish or chicken every once in a while. Could this explain why the rd is so reluctant to fully dx me because as he says "you don't have enough inflammation for it to be full blown RA, so we will call it 'undifferntiated polyarthritis' instead? Incred-i-burgable!! Actually, a gluten free diet is extremely difficut. You have to read every lable of every food product, vitamin, drug (hey, even some toothpastes have gluten), and every beverage that goes into your mouth. Did you know that most all processed french fries are dusted with wheat flour or cooked in resturants in a deep frier that is not dedicated to only gluten free foods -- no more Micky D french fries!!!! In fact, most processed and resturant foods are off limits since cross contamination is a constant worry when eating out. Salads are usually safe, minus the croutons and cheeze--but don't forget all you can dress it up with is olive oil with GF apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. (Can I please see the bottle that vinegar came in?) It is just soooooooo easy to get glutened. Thanks, Anna -

I'm going to check it out.

Pip

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