Benefits of a vegan diet for rheumatoid arthritis
Dietary manipulation helps people regain a sense of control over their disease.
In addition, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden report changes that might be beneficial.
First, the details.
- 66 adults with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were randomly assigned to a vegan diet free of gluten or a well-balanced non-vegan diet for 1 year.
- 30 out of 38 patients in the vegan group completed more than 3 months on the diet regimen.
- Data and blood samples were obtained at the start of the study, and after 3 and 12 months.
And, the results with gluten-free vegan diet.
- Significantly induced lower body mass index (BMI) and LDL (bad) cholesterol.
- Significantly higher anti-PC IgM levels.
- Decreases in anti-Pc IgM occur during tissue damage.
- BMI, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and total cholesterol significantly decreased after 3 and 12 months.
- Low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) decreased after 3 months.
- oxLDL is an atherogenic agent (capable of producing atheromatous plaques in arteries).
- Triglycerides and HDL (good) cholesterol did not change.
- IgA anti-PC levels increased significantly after 3 months.
In the control diet group
- IgM anti-PC levels significantly decreased after 3 and 12 months.
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.
The bottom line?
The authors concluded, “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.”
An earlier study of a very low-fat, vegan diet in people with RA reported that patients with moderate-to-severe RA who switch to a very low-fat, vegan diet can experience significant reductions in RA symptoms.
Others who have looked for associations between diet (lacto-vegetarian, vegan, or Mediterranean diets) and RA concluded that the benefits are not simply related to weight reduction.
3/20/08 22:16 JR