RESEARCH - Gluten-free vegan diet induces decreased LDL levels and raises atheroprotective antibodies in RA

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Arthritis Research & Therapy 2008, 10:R34doi:10.1186/ar2388

Published: 18 March 2008

Gluten-free vegan diet induces decreased LDL and oxidized LDL levels

and raised atheroprotective natural antibodies against

phosphorylcholine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized

study

Ann-Charlotte Elkan , Beatrice Sjöberg , Björn Kolsrud , Bo Ringertz ,

Ingiäld Hafström and Johan Frostegård

Rheumatology Unit, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University

Hospital Huddinge, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of vegan diet

in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on blood lipids oxidized

low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and natural atheroprotective

antibodies against phosphorylcholine (anti-PCs).

Methods

Sixty-six patients with active RA were randomly assigned to either a

vegan diet free of gluten (38 patients) or a well-balanced non-vegan

diet (28 patients) for 1 year. Thirty patients in the vegan group

completed more than 3 months on the diet regimen. Blood lipids were

analyzed by routine methods, and oxLDL and anti-PCs were analyzed by

enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data and serum samples were

obtained at baseline and after 3 and 12 months.

Results

Mean ages were 50.0 years for the vegan group and 50.8 years for

controls. Gluten-free vegan diet induced lower body mass index (BMI)

and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and higher anti-PC IgM than control

diet (p < 0.005). In the vegan group, BMI, LDL, and cholesterol

decreased after both 3 and 12 months (p < 0.01) and oxLDL after 3

months (p = 0.021) and trendwise after 12 months (p = 0.090).

Triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein did not change. IgA anti-PC

levels increased after 3 months (p = 0.027) and IgM anti-PC levels

increased trendwise after 12 months (p = 0.057). There was no

difference in IgG anti-PC levels. In the control diet group, IgM

anti-PC levels decreased both after 3 and 12 months (p < 0.01). When

separating vegan patients into clinical responders and non-responders

at 12 months, the effects on oxLDL and anti-PC IgA were seen only in

responders (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

A gluten-free vegan diet in RA induces changes that are potentially

atheroprotective and anti-inflammatory, including decreased LDL and

oxLDL levels and raised anti-PC IgM and IgA levels.

http://arthritis-research.com/content/10/2/R34/abstract

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Not an MD