Thursday, December 4, 2008

Cod liver oil supplements reduce rheumatoid arthritis drug requirement

Rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis patients may be able to reduce their dose of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) by adding cod liver oil to their daily regimen, according to an article published online on March 24, 2008 in the journal Rheumatology.

Cod liver oil contains the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which can help inhibit the production of inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes derived from arachidonic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid), and increase the production of less inflammatory substances. For the current study, researchers at centers in Dundee and Edinburgh, Scotland enrolled 97 rheumatoid arthritis patients who were being treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Participants were randomized to receive a placebo or a daily dose of ten capsules containing 10 grams of cod liver oil (which provided 2.2 grams of omega-3 essential fatty acids plus vitamins A, D, and E) for nine months. The subjects were evaluated for rheumatoid arthritis disease activity and safety at the beginning of the study and at the fourth, twelfth, twenty-fourth and thirty-sixth week. Continue Reading

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