Use of Dietary Supplements in Individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease accompanied by pain, joint stiffness, swelling, impacting quality of life. Individuals with RA may turn to complementary health approaches, including dietary supplements, as a possible way to manage their disease. The purpose of this study was to examine dietary supplement use among individuals with RA (n=84; age 53 ± 14 y; BMI 29.8 ± 7.7 kg/m2; duration of disease 13.7 ± 9.2 y). Height and weight were measured. Patients completed 7‐ day weighed food records and were interviewed about their use of dietary supplements. Disease activity was assessed using the Multi‐Dimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire, C‐reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The individuals with RA in this study reported using 3 ± 4 dietary supplements per day. There were no significant relationships between disease activity, duration of disease, age, and mean number of dietary supplements used per day. However, 68 of the study participants (81%) reported daily dietary supplement use, including vitamins (n=52 [62%]), minerals (n=36 [43%]), multivitamin and mineral formulations (n=41 [49%]), herbal remedies (e.g., resveratrol, grape seed extract) (n=12 [14%]), amino acids (n=3 [4%]), dietary substances (e.g., fish oils) (n=26 [31%]), and other compounds (e.g., Co‐enzyme Q10, glucosamine) (n=17 [20%]). Unfortunately, only limited research has examined the safety, efficacy, and potential interactions of dietary supplements with conventional treatments for RA. Because individuals with RA frequently use dietary supplements, more research is needed.