Diets, Dietary Supplements, and Nutritional Therapies

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Diets, Dietary Supplements, and Nutritional Therapies

Dietary interventions and over-the-counter agents, including dietary

supplements and the use of vitamins and minerals, indicate a significant

portion of alternative therapy use. As more research is done on these

issues, evidence is being gathered on the safety and effectiveness of such

treatment.

Because food and nutrition are essential to life, many therapies have been

centered on developing a diet and nutrients to address most health problems.

Food and diets could affect the course of rheumatic disease through two

possible methods. Nutritional factors could alter immune or inflammatory

responses, which in turn could modify symptoms. Certain foods could also

cause hypersensitivity that would trigger symptoms.

Rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases remain illnesses of

unknown causes, in which current therapy may not affect. This leads patients

to seek out other methods of treatment that could be questionable or involve

dietary modifications. Studies that link diet to arthritis offer the chance

of identifying new approaches to treatment as well as the cause.

Dietary therapy used to treat rheumatologic conditions remains experimental.

More information is needed to understand if patients truly benefit from

dietary modifications.