Fish Oil: Omega 3 Fish Oil and Arthritis
Posted by Michael Byrd on Aug 27 2007 | Tagged as: Fish Oil
Study after study has confirmed omega 3 fish oil can both prevent and relieve inflammatory arthritis.
And that’s good news for the more than 46 million Americans diagnosed with some form of the more than 100 different types of arthritis. The most common types are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Most doctors also consider lupus and fibromyalgia as forms of arthritis.
Arthritis is without a doubt the leading cause of disability in the U.S. One out of every five adults and 50% of those over the age of 65 suffer from some form of arthritis. Joint pain, stiffness and loss of mobility are the most common symptoms, often making daily functioning at home and work very difficult and painful. For many patients just getting out of bed, dressing and fixing breakfast in the morning can be incredibly painful and frustrating.
But you can beat arthritis. You don’t have to be a statistic and you don’t have to “learn how to live with Arthritis.” There are safe natural ways to prevent and treat arthritis without resorting to controversial and dangerous NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen, cortisone (corticosteroid) and cox-2 drugs, such as celebrex.
Regular exercise – walking, swimming or yoga – and good nutrition – whole grains, fruits and vegetables and fish – are the best place to start. It’s also a good idea to cut way back on sweets and red meat. People who eat red meat every day, for example, have twice the arthritis than those who eat little to no red meat.
Nutritional supplements that include omega 3 fish oil and other essential fatty acids are also an absolute must for those who are committed to avoiding the pain and debilitation of arthritis. Two British doctors, for example, recently published a major paper asserting dietary supplements, particularly omega 3 fish oils, can significantly help relieve the symptoms of RA and osteoarthritis. (British Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 85: 251-69)
This is not the first time omega 3 fish oil has been found to benefit people with inflammatory conditions. Over the last thirty years, research has shown that fish oil can both help prevent and provide relief for heart disease, diabetes, hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), high blood pressure, asthma, Alzheimer’s and depression – to name just a few.
As far as arthritis is concerned, the British scientists found omega 3 fatty acids were the most effective rheumatoid arthritis (RA) anti-inflammatory pain relievers. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are found naturally only in fatty fish such as salmon and sardines, significantly reduced inflammation, relieving morning stiffness and reducing the number of painful joints in RA patients.
In fact, fish oil was so effective many patients were able to completely discontinue or greatly reduce their medications, which often have very serious side effects.
So if you have or wish to avoid the pain and complications of inflammatory arthritis, consider adding good quality omega 3 fish oil supplements to your daily health regime. You’ll be glad you did.
