Treat your rheumatoid arthritis with antioxidants and fish oil

Treat your rheumatoid arthritis with antioxidants and fish oil


(NaturalNews) Antioxidants may be effective in relieving the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), research has found.

RA
is an autoimmune disease, meaning that for unknown reasons the body's
immune system begins to attack and destroy its own tissues. In RA, the
most damage occurs to the cartilage in the joints, typically in
identical joints on both sides of the body. These joints become red, hot
and swollen, resulting in difficulty moving and severe pain. Other
symptoms of RA can includes nodules or lumps under the skin,
inflammation of the eyes, and malaise. The disease typically manifests
between the ages of 35 and 60, and is more common in women.

Typical
pharmaceutical treatments for RA consist of two different drug classes:
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), designed to combat pain,
and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), many of them immune
suppressors, designed to slow the progression of the disease or even
send it into remission.

There is no cure for RA, and both NSAIDs
and DMARDs can carry severe side effects, particularly when used over
the long term. For that reason, many RA patients turn to alternative
remedies for help managing their symptoms.

Antioxidants

Numerous
alternative medicine advocates promote antioxidants as a treatment for
RA symptoms. In scientific studies, vitamin E has been shown to reduce
pain, although not inflammation.

Another study, conducted by researchers from VU Medical University Centre in Amsterdam and published in the journal Clinical Rheumatology
in 2008, had eight RA patients consume 20 grams of an antioxidant-rich
spread over the course of 10 weeks. All participants were nonsmoking
women who had been receiving either NSAIDs or "second line" RA drugs for
at least three months before the study began.

The
antioxidant-rich spread included 400 mg of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E),
10 mg of lycopene, 10 mg of lutein and five milligrams of palm oil
carotenoids, including alpha carotene (vitamin A). The participants were
also given a 200 mg daily dose of vitamin C.

The researchers
found that at the end of the study, participants had significantly fewer
swollen and painful joints than they had at the start of the study, and
their overall health had improved. Within four weeks after the end of
the intervention; however, their symptoms and health had begun to worsen
again - indicating that consistent, ongoing antioxidant treatment is
needed for long-term symptom relief.

Fish oil

By far, the
most well-proven natural RA symptom treatment is fish oil and omega-3
fatty acids. At least 13 separate double-blind, placebo-controlled
studies on more than 500 participants have shown that omega-3
supplements significantly reduce RA symptoms and actually enable
patients to lower their NSAID usage.

Some research suggests that fish oil
becomes even more effective when taken as part of a diet that is low in
omega-6s, such as a vegetarian diet, or when olive oil is also taken.

Because
severe joint damage occurs early in RA, and because no natural remedies
have yet been proven to effectively slow the progression of the
disease, it is important that RA patients continue to consult with
qualified health professionals even if taking antioxidants, fish oil or
other alternative treatments.

Source:-
http://www.naturalnews.com/039678_rheumatoid_arthritis_antioxidants_fish_oil.html