Rheumatoid Arthritis: Eat Fish Twice a Week to Help With Painful Joints

Consumption of fish at least 2 times per week can reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, finds a new study.

The disease activity (swollen or tender joints) reduced in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis who consumed fish two times per week than those who ate fish never to <1/month.

‘A higher intake of fish may be associated with lower disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.’

The research team found that there was a graded association, so that increasing serving of fish was linked with incrementally lower levels of disease activity.

In the study of 176 patients, frequency of fish consumption was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire assessing usual diet in the past year.

"If our finding holds up in other studies, it suggests that fish consumption may lower inflammation related to rheumatoid arthritis disease activity," said Dr. Sara Tedeschi, lead author of the Arthritis Care & Research study.

"Fish consumption has been noted to have many beneficial health effects, and our findings may give patients with rheumatoid arthritis a strong reason to increase fish consumption."

Source: Eurekalert