A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and niacinamide may help arthritis

Better Nutrition, Oct, 1996 by Patricia Andersen-Parrado

Planting some flowers. Going for a walk. Holding your grandchild in your arms.

After a lifetime of working full-time and/or raising a family, one of the nicest things about growing older is having some free time to devote to pleasures such as these.

Unfortunately, the crippling effects of arthritis can make such simple dreams difficult or impossible to explore.

In his book, Long Life Now, Lee Hitchcox, D.C. says "Arthritis accounts for more disability among middle-aged and older adults than any other affliction."

Although not considered a life-threatening disease, arthritis certainly affects one's quality of life and is severe enough to cause many sufferers to seek medical help. In fact, Hitchcox reports, "Doctors write over 70 million prescriptions each year for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as arthritis strength, aspirin." The effectiveness, and side effects, of such drugs vary from individual to individual.

How does arthritis affect us physically?

Arthritis is inflammation of the joints and surrounding tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. While there are many different types of arthritis, the three most common forms are rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and gout.

* Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own tissue; * Osteoarthritis is a condition in which there is cartilage erosion and the development of bone spurs; and * Gout is a condition caused by excessive uric acid levels in the blood which cause the development of needle-like crystals in the joint tissues.

The impact of diet on arthritis

There is still much to be learned about the cause of arthritis; however, evidence shows that diet is likely to be a, factor. In particular, the inclusion of essential fatty acids (EFAs) can help. Donald Rudin, M.D., and Clara Felix, authors of Omega 3 Oils: Why You Can't Afford to Live Without Essential Oils, report that one group of EFAs, omega-3 fatty acids, are seriously deficient in most American diets today, and that this deficiency can be linked to an array of health problems, including arthritis.

The authors explain that the omega-3s are described as "essential" because the human body cannot manufacture them on its own, thus our bodies must get them from the foods we eat or through supplementation.

Essential fatty acids may help reduce

medication needs

The results of a 12-month, double-blind, controlled study, performed by Belgian researchers, on 90 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, which was reported in the June 1994 issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism, found that daily supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids resulted in significant clinical benefit, and that omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the need for medication.

Another study on the benefits of EFAs in relieving arthritis pain was noted in Helen Franks, book, Breaking the Age Barrier. Franks reports on a 15-month study that was performed in Scotland which showed that A patients with rheumatoid arthritis were able to reduce the amount of painkillers they took by 50 percent after adding fish oil to their daily diets.

The patients felt this relief in less than three months and retained it for the duration of the trial. Franks says that these results back up earlier findings of decreased joint pain with a daily intake of 15 to 20 grams of cod liver oil.

EFAs, such as omega-3 fatty acids, can be found in seafoods, such as mackerel, salmon, herring, sardine, tuna, cod, and haddock. There are also omega-3 fatty acid supplements available at natural health food stores.

How do EFAs help arthritis?

According to Neal Barnard, M.D, in his book, Strong Bones and Healthy Joints, EFAs alter the balance of certain chemicals in the body, known as prostaglandins, which are involved in inflammation. While it may take several weeks for any relief to be felt, EFAs do reduce inflammation.

Conversely, Barnard reports that Animal fats and frying oils should be eliminated since they can aggravate inflammation. In his book, Free Radicals and Disease Prevention, David J. Lin further explains that an excess of certain biochemicals which are produced from a common fatty acid known as arachidonic acid, found in beef and other red meats, can exacerbate one's arthritic conditions.

Barnard discusses the prevalence of many diet-related conditions which are more common in Western countries than in Asia and other countries which have a national cuisine based more on plant foods.

He claims that rheumatoid arthritis and related diseases follow a similar pattern. He concludes, "They are somewhat less common in Asia and are usually milder when they do occur."

Niacinamide's role in treatment

In his book, Pain Free, Luke Bucci, Ph.d., tells us about the findings of William Kaufman, M.D., Ph.d., a now-retired physician from North Carolina, who devoted his entire career to studying joint problems and treating them with niacinamide, a member of the B-complex family.

Bucci says that back in the 1940s, Kaufman started prescribing niacinamide to patients who suffered from impaired balance, lack of joint mobility, and muscular weakness.