Oils extracted from cold water fatty fishes are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation. At least 20 clinical studies have by now shown that consuming high doses of fish oil every day can help ease pain and inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
Based on the 2001 research made by researchers from Epsom General Hospital and the University of Glasgow, it was concluded that adding food containing fish oils to your nutrition can lead to ''a considerable appeasement of the morning stiffness and reduce the number of painful joints in patients suffering from RA''.
In the research carried out in February 2000 in Journal of Rheumatology,magazine, Spanish researchers found out that patients suffering from RA lack certain essential fatty acids in their organism and they stated that was the reason why fish and certain vegetable oils have such positive effects.
Professor Bruce Caterson and his team at the University of Cardiff in the UK have recently proved that omega-3 fatty acids from cod fish liver can also slow down – or even reverse – the destruction of the cartilage caused by osteoarthritis. In case you have high blood cholesterol level, it is best to consult your physician before taking food supplements containing fish oils because it is known that therapeutic dozes of fish oils raise the blood cholesterol level. Patients with diabetes should also seek medical advice before taking fish oils.
The power of the plants
Oils produced by pressing seeds from two wild plants, evening primrose and borage, contain high dozes of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This particular acid seems to help with inflammation caused by RA, although it is not so researched as omega-3 acids. Besides, there are some claims that GLA raises the level of arachidonic acid in the blood serum – and that is connected with higher risk of blood clotting, which is in turn a risk factor for heart diseases – though there are data showing that taking fish oils at the same time reduces this effect.
Piascledin - Two clinical studies in France show that piascledin – a mixture of oils from avocado and soybeans – can also help reduce pain caused by OA of the hip and the knee to the lowest possible level. In one of these studies, patients suffering from severe OA of the knee or hip, who have been taking piascledin, had less pain and less reduced mobility after six months than patients who have been taking placebo. First positive effects were noted after two months and there were no serious side-effects. Psilocibin is available in France and USA.
Mechanism of action
Although it is not entirely clear how piascledin works, experts assume that these oils can induce chondrocytes (cells producing cartilage) to produce chemical compounds which help regenerate the damaged cartilage.
Caution
Many products containing evening primrose oils are supposedly mixed with cheaper oils, such as safflower oil or soybean oil, which ''dilute'' their effectiveness. Oils from borage seeds can contain low levels of potentially poisonous chemical compounds known as pyrrolizidine alkaloids; long exposure to these chemical compounds can damage the liver and cause liver cancer.
Conclusion
Patients suffering from RA can reduce their pain to a certain level by taking fish oils, although there is less evidence in favor of evening primrose or borage seeds oil (which should only be used under medical supervision). In most cases, it takes at least three months for the effects of the food supplements to become visible. Piascledin can be used to treat Osteoarthritis as well.
