Arthritis Diet

There is no special "arthritis diet" that has been shown to slow the progression of, or cure, the disease. However, it is important that people with arthritis eat a well-balanced diet and control their weight. A well-balanced diet includes heart-healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. People who have arthritis should also limit alcohol intake; get regular physical activity; and limit foods with saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars are also important for people who have arthritis.
 

Is There a Special Arthritis Diet?

Many people with
 arthritis wonder if there is a special "arthritis diet" to help slow the progression of, or even cure, the disease. For most types of arthritis, the short answer to this question is no. There are no foods or combinations of foods that have been shown in clinical studies to improve arthritis. There are also no foods that have been shown in clinical studies to make arthritis worse.
 
There are a couple of exceptions to this. One exception is gout (also known as gouty arthritis). For people with gout, diet can play a role in causing a gout attack because foods high in purines will increase the amount of uric acid the body makes (see Gout Risk Factors). Therefore, the primary gout diet recommended for people who have gout is a low-purine diet. Also, eating more low-fat dairy products, which are low in purines, has been shown to decrease the chances of having a gout attack. (see Gout Diet for more information).
 
Another exception may be with rheumatoid arthritis. In people who have rheumatoid arthritis, certain oils can decrease rheumatoid arthritis symptoms (see Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet).
 
With regard to the remaining arthritis types, the American College of Rheumatology states, "Until more data are available, patients should continue to follow balanced and healthy diets, be skeptical of 'miraculous' claims and avoid elimination diets and fad nutritional practices."
 
(Arthritis Diet Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD