Arthritis cases have increased a lot around the world these days. According to the 2021 Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Network, more than 350 million people worldwide have arthritis. Especially cases of rheumatoid arthritis have increased a lot these days. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that often causes joint pain, swelling, and ultimately permanent joint damage. Recent studies have shown that a vegan diet is effective for rheumatoid arthritis. A vegan diet lowers scores for this disease (Vegetarian Diet for Rheumatoid Arthritis)let’s understand this in detail.
Vegan diets are gaining popularity
These days around the world Vegetarianism swing Yes. Expressing his love for animals, Thanks to increased cooperation on environmental protection and lactose intolerance, people now do not want to get their food from animals. In return, they get their food from plants.
This diet relies only on plants. A diet obtained from plants and trees is called a vegan diet.Rich in antioxidants, boosts the immune system do this diet many health problems It also prevents risks.
What the research says about this
Researchers from the American Board of Physicians for Responsible Medicine conducted a study in April 2022. In this regard, people with rheumatoid arthritis received a low-fat vegetarian diet. During this period, his caloric intake was also not restricted.
The study found that the participants not only improved joint pain, but also lost weight and improved cholesterol levels. The study was also published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.
For the study, 44 adults with rheumatoid arthritis were divided into two groups for 16 weeks. The first group followed a vegan diet for 4 weeks. No additional food was provided during this period.
low seen swollen joints
After the fourth week, some additional food was given in addition to the vegan diet. A few days later, he was vegan again. Beginning at week 9, again give a small amount of extra food. During this time, the participants also prepared their own food. The other group ate a variety of diets but was told to take placebo capsules daily.
In the study, it was found that while following a vegan diet, DS28 decreased by an average of 2 points, indicating a greater reduction in joint pain. In the placebo phase, it dropped by 0.3 percentage points. During the vegan diet phase, the average number of swollen joints decreased from 7.0 to 3.3, while during the placebo phase, this number actually increased from 4.7 to 5.
what is ds28 and placebo
Disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis was measured by DS (Disease Activity Score). Saying 28 here means that 28 joints were tested during the test. This is called a placebo capsule dummy treatment. This is a treatment that is given to patients with drugs, but in reality they are counterfeit drugs, which means they do not get the drugs.
In addition to reducing pain and inflammation, arthritis patients who followed a vegan diet lost an average of about 14 pounds. His bad cholesterol was also found to decrease.
Vegan Diet Prevents Inflammation
According to a study conducted at Zhejiang University in China, a vegan diet can prevent diseases caused by inflammation, such as arthritis. Additionally, vegetarians are less likely to be overweight or obese than non-vegetarians. They also had low blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Vegan diets also linked to nutrient deficiencies
According to a 2014 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people on a vegan diet may have lower blood levels of vitamin B-12, vitamin D, calcium and essential fatty acids.
These vitamins and minerals play an important role in bone health. Low fatty acid levels are also associated with several cardiovascular risk factors. People on a vegan diet may also have high homocysteine levels. It is an amino acid linked to heart disease.
The researchers warn that people with arthritis should consult their doctor first if they start a vegetarian diet.
