Arthritis and Vitamins

Source: Arthritis Foundation and Prevention's Healing with Vitamins
 

B's Are for Bountiful Benefits
Soon, people with chronic pain from conditions like sciatica, lumbar back pain and other nerve disorders may be treated with B vitamins.

Researchers from the Parker Research Institute in Dallas found the combination of vitamins B-1, B-6 and B-12 effectively reduced pain in rats. Although results are preliminary, the study opens the door for scientists to examine the role of these B vitamins for treating pain in humans. Past human studies have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of vitamin B-6 in carpal tunnel syndrome, premenstrual syndrome and morning sickness.

Mounting scientific evidence shows that adequate levels of B-6, B-12 and folic acid dramatically lower homocysteine levels. High homocysteine levels are connected to heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, dementia and breast cancer.
 

Quench the Flames with Vitamin C

When it comes to rheumatoid arthritis or other conditions that involve inflammation, nutrition-oriented doctors almost always include vitamin C in their prescriptions.

"The theory is that all inflammation is mediated by free radicals, and if you can get rid of the free radicals, you get rid of the inflammation," Dr. Cathcart says. "This is easier said than done."

Free radicals are molecular bad guys that grab electrons from your body's healthy molecules. This electron stealing harms cells. Free radicals congregate in gangs in rheumatic joints because immune cells generate free radicals in their attack on joint tissue. Vitamin C and other antioxidants disarm free radicals by offering their own electrons and so spare cells.

Doctors recommend different amounts of vitamin C, but most call for at least 600 milligrams a day. Dr. Cathcart usually recommends as much ascorbic acid (another name for vitamin C) as an individual can tolerate without developing diarrhea and gas. That may be up to 60,000 milligrams a day, which is well above the Daily Value of 60 milligrams.

He suggests taking powdered ascorbic acid, which can be mixed with water. This mixture should be drunk through a straw to keep it away from teeth, he warns, because ascorbic acid can erode tooth enamel. Powdered ascorbic acid is available in health food stores and through vitamin supply houses.

Although there's good reason to think that vitamin C could be helpful in treating inflammation, and studies with laboratory animals indicate potential benefits, there are no studies with humans to show that large amounts of this nutrient help people with rheumatoid arthritis. Vitamin C is considered safe, even in large amounts, because any extra is eliminated in the urine. If you want to take large amounts of vitamin C--more than 1,200 milligrams a day--it's still a good idea to discuss it with your doctor.

Selenium May Help Stop Inflammation

Selenium is essential to the body in small amounts. It is thought to be helpful for rheumatoid arthritis because it, too, fights inflammation. Selenium is used in the body for the production of glutathione peroxidase, an enzyme that works inside joints to round up free radicals.

In one study done in Belgium, 15 women with rheumatoid arthritis who took 160 micrograms of selenium or 200 micrograms of selenium-enriched yeast every day for four months experienced significant improvement in joint movement and strength compared with women receiving placebos (blank pills).

Doctors who recommend selenium for people with rheumatoid arthritis prescribe 200 to 300 micrograms a day. In large amounts, selenium can be toxic, so experts say that it's probably best not to take more than 100 micrograms a day without medical supervision.

Studies show that people generally get about 108 micrograms of selenium a day in their diets. Top food sources include seafood, meats and whole grains.

Vitamin E Adds Anti-inflammatory Power

Doctors add vitamin E to their rheumatoid arthritis prescriptions because it, too, cleans up free radicals and may fight joint inflammation.

In one study, Japanese researchers looked at laboratory animals deficient in vitamin E as well as at those given large doses of vitamin E. When both groups were given toxins that cause joint damage similar to that caused by rheumatoid arthritis, those deficient in vitamin E had many more of the biochemical markers of inflammation in their blood.

Doctors who recommend vitamin E generally call for amounts far beyond the Daily Value of 30 international units. "I recommend 400 international units a day," Dr. Pizzorno says. Since foods contain relatively little vitamin E, that amount is available only in supplements.

Beta-Carotene May Reduce Swelling

People with rheumatoid arthritis who become vegetarians often report that their symptoms of pain and swelling are relieved.

Such a diet may be helpful in several ways. In particular, a veggie-dense diet is likely to include more than the normal slim pickin's of foods that contain beta-carotene, the yellow pigment found in carrots, winter squash, cantaloupe and other orange and yellow fruits and vegetables.

Like vitamins C and E and selenium, beta-carotene rounds up free radicals. In one study done in Switzerland using laboratory animals, beta-carotene helped stop symptoms of a type of experimentally induced arthritis similar to rheumatoid arthritis.

Doctors who include beta-carotene in their anti-arthritis formulas recommend about 25,000 international units a day. That amount is considered safe, says Dr. Cathcart.