Nutrition as adjuvant therapy in chronic polyarthritis

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Rheumatol. 1993 Sep-Oct;52(5):275-80.

[Nutrition as adjuvant therapy in chronic polyarthritis]

[Article in German]

Adam O.

Rheuma-Einheit der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat, Staatliche

Orthopadische Klinik, Munchen.

In the literature many casual observations report an arthritogenic

effect of individual nutrients. The discovery of eicosanoids derived from

arachidonic acid (AA) as most relevant mediators of joint inflammation

allowed to elaborate the basis for a dietary therapy of rheumatoid

arthritis. With an average intake of 18 g/d linoleic acid in western

societies, linoleic acid is not converted to AA, and plasma levels of AA

depend on its dietary intake with meat or meat products. The amount of AA

ingested with the diet correlates with the formation of proinflammatory

eicosanoids. Additionally, AA levels can be lowered by the ingestion of fish

oil fatty acids. In our experiment, we aimed to combine the effect of low AA

intake with the known anti-inflammatory effect of fish oil fatty acids. Our

results demonstrate that vegetarians have lower AA percentages in

erythrocyte lipids compared to the control group. The lower AA levels in

plasma lipids coincided with higher percentages of fish oil fatty acids

after supplementation, resulting in lower formation of mediators of

inflammation. Moreover, the vegetarian group experienced a more pronounced

decrease of AA in erythrocyte lipids after supplementation with fish oil

fatty acids. These effects are supposed to contribute to the more favorable

clinical course and laboratory findings in patients with rheumatoid

arthritis on a vegetarian diet.

Publication Types:

* Clinical Trial

* Randomized Controlled Trial

PMID: 8259718 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]