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July 2012
New Tufts research has linked low blood levels of vitamin B6 to markers of inflammation that contribute to heart disease and other chronic conditions. Lydia Sakakeeny, PhD, and colleagues analyzed data on 2,229 men and women from the Framingham Offspring study. The researchers found that levels of PLP, an indicator of vitamin B6 levels in the blood, correlated with 13 different markers of inflammation. The same associations weren’t seen with other B vitamins, suggesting a specific link, although the observational study couldn’t prove cause and effect. “Low vitamin B-6 status, based on plasma concentrations of PLP, has been identified in inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and diabetes,” Sakakeeny and colleagues noted. “This study, in combination with past findings, further supports our hypothesis that inflammation is associated with a functional deficiency of vitamin B6.” — Journal of Nutrition
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May 2011
A survey of the evidence on the health benefits of tai chi says that the ancient Chinese practice can help prevent falls and improve overall health and mental well-being in older people. The evidence is mixed, according to the systematic review, on tai chi’s effectiveness at improving balance, unrelated to the risk of falling, and on possible cardiovascular benefits. “Clearly negative” results were seen for tai chi in combating cancer and rheumatoid arthritis, and the best studies suggested no effectiveness in building aerobic capacity. But despite these disappointing conclusions for some conditions, the reviewers concluded, “A relatively clear consensus existed that tai chi was effective for improving the general health of older people, improving psychological health, and for preventing falls.” — British Journal of Sports Medicine
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January 2011
Even a little extra physical activity can improve function and mobility among older adults with osteoarthritis of the knee. That's the encouraging takeaway from a new Northwestern University study of 2,589 participants in the Osteoarthritis Initiative, average age 62.4. Researchers assessed levels of physical activity, at baseline and after one and two years, using the 26-question Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), which ranges from sports activity to gardening to housework. Both initially and at the two-year mark, greater physical activity was correlated to faster walking speed. Among the least-active arthritis sufferers, 51% were unable to walk fast enough (4 feet per second) to cross a street with timed traffic lights. But as activity levels went up, so did walking speed. The findings demonstrate a "strong relationship" between physical activity and function, researchers concluded, adding that "there was evidence of potential benefit of greater physical activity regardless of the level achieved." — Arthritis & Rheumatism
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November 2010
As consumption of fructose-rich beverages has ballooned in the US, so has the incidence of gout — a painful inflammatory arthritis — leading scientists to suspect there might be a connection. Researchers analyzed data on nearly 80,000 women over 22 years from the Nurses' Health Study and found an association between sweetened soft-drink and orange juice consumption and gout. Overall, women with the highest fructose intake had a 62% higher risk of gout than those with the lowest. Compared to drinking less than 1 non-diet soda per month, women averaging 1 a day had a 74% greater risk and those averaging 2 or more sodas daily saw a 240% increased risk. (Diet soft drinks, not a source of fructose, were not linked to added gout risk.) Orange-juice consumption was similarly associated with gout risk. But only 778 women were diagnosed with gout during the course of the study; as scientists noted, the contribution of fructose-rich drinks "to the risk of gout in the population is likely modest because of the low incidence rate among women." — JAMA
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October 2010
More than 1 in 5 American adults has been diagnosed with arthritis, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, with a record number suffering from activity limitations due to arthritis pain. Based on telephone surveys of more than 20,000 people annually, the CDC data found that 22.2% of adults have arthritis or a related condition such as gout or lupus and 9.4% say joint pain constrains their daily activities. Although the overall number diagnosed with arthritis was roughly steady from the 2007 to 2009 surveys, at about 50 million Americans, the percentage whose symptoms limit their daily activities jumped from 8.3%. Officials blamed the increase — which was "more than we expected," said a CDC spokesperson — on the aging Baby Boomer population as well as on the obesity epidemic: In the latest survey, people who were obese or physically inactive were most likely to report arthritis-related activity limitations.…
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September 2010
Traditional Chinese acupuncture may help relieve pain from arthritis of the knee. But so could "sham" acupuncture, in which needles are inserted shallowly and outside the traditional "meridian" points. The key, according to a new clinical trial of 455 patients plus 72 controls, seems to be the attitude of the acupuncturist. While there was no significant difference between real and sham acupuncture — both provided more pain relief than no treatment at all — a "positive" treatment style produced better results than a "neutral" style. When the acupuncturist (genuine or pretend) told arthritis patients, "I've had a lot of success with treating knee pain," subjects reported greater pain relief than when told "this may or may not work." Scientists said the findings suggest acupuncture's apparent benefits may be "partially mediated through placebo effects related to the behavior of the acupuncturist." — Arthritis Care & Research…
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August 2010
Could an occasional drink reduce your risk of rheumatoid arthritis? Following up on a recent Scandinavian study that found a reduction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk among people who regularly consume alcohol, British researchers compared 873 RA patients with 1,004 healthy controls. Right from the start, as questionnaires gathered information on alcohol intake, a difference popped out: 36.7% of the RA patients said they never drank alcohol, versus just 10.9% among the healthy controls. Once the numbers were crunched, nondrinkers' relative risk of developing RA was 2.31 times greater than those who imbibed at all. And nondrinkers were at more than four times the relative risk of RA compared to those reporting drinking alcohol on more than 10 days a month. The scientists commented, "Further research is needed to confirm the results that we have demonstrated, and to investigate the mechanisms by which alcohol influences outcome in RA." — Rheumatology…
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July 2010
Even though glucosamine is widely used as a therapy for lower back pain, a new randomized controlled trial has found little difference between patients taking the popular supplement and those on a placebo. Norwegian researchers randomly split 250 people with chronic lower back pain and degenerative lumbar osteoarthritis into two groups: Half received 1,500mg of glucosamine daily for six months, while a control group got a placebo instead. Pain-related disability was measured using a standard questionnaire, and patients also rated their pain at rest and during activity. After six months and when re-tested after a year, there was no significant difference between the glucosamine group and those getting a placebo. In 2009, another randomized controlled trial similarly found glucosamine, as well as the supplement chondroitin, no more effective than a placebo in slowing cartilage damage from osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. — JAMA…
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February 2010
Vitamin D's important role in bone health, already linked to protection against osteoporosis, may extend to joints and prevention of the most common form of arthritis. A new analysis of data on 1,104 older men in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study reports that men with insufficient vitamin D levels were twice as likely to have hip osteoarthritis as those with normal vitamin D. Participants, who averaged almost 78 years old, had their blood levels of vitamin D measured and then, about 4.5 years later, underwent pelvic radiography to look for signs of arthritis in the hips. Men with insufficient vitamin D were also found to have slower walking speeds and greater hip pain. More research is needed on the relationship between vitamin D and arthritis, the investigators noted. One previous study failed to find a link between vitamin D levels and worsening of knee osteoarthritis, while a second study did find an association, especially in patients with decreased bone mineral density in the spine. — Arthritis & Rheumatism…
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August 2009
The tab for that jumbo cheeseburger, super-sized fries and extra-large soda comes to $147 billion. That is, figured nationally, the cost of obesity-related diseases, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—totaling 9.1% of all US medical spending. The average obese person, the CDC study found, spends 40% more on healthcare—$1,429 a year—than someone of normal weight. Drug costs alone for an obese Medicare recipient total $600 more annually than for normal-weight beneficiaries. The CDC said more than 26% of all Americans are now considered obese, defined as a body-mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. (A person 5-foot-5-inches tall, for example, would be obese at 180 pounds.) That obesity rate rose 37% between 1998 and 2006, leading to an 89% increase in spending on obesity-related health problems including heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC director, said, "It is critical that we take effective steps to contain and reduce the enormous burden of obesity on our nation."—CDC…
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May 2009
Sniffling and wheezing from allergies or asthma? Maybe you're not getting enough folate. New Johns Hopkins research has linked low levels of folate, a type of B vitamin found in leafy green vegetables and (as folic acid) in fortified grain products, to higher risk of allergic symptoms. In a study of 8,083 participants in a national health and nutrition survey, those with the lowest blood folate levels were 40% more likely to wheeze and 31% more likely to have allergenic reactions than those with the highest folate amounts. Researchers wrote, "These findings suggest that dietary folic acid and factors affecting its metabolism might play an important role in the development and perpetuation of allergy and asthma." Low intake of folate and its synthetic form, folic acid, found in supplements and fortified foods, has previously been associated with inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.—Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology…
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March 2009
Men with higher intake of vitamin C from food and supplements appear less likely to develop gout, a painful form of arthritis. Gout is the most common type of inflammatory arthritis in men and is increasingly common. A study of 46,994 men over a 20-year span found that those with the highest total intake of vitamin C (1,500 milligrams daily or more) were 45% less likely to develop gout than those with the lowest intake. Overall, each 500-milligram increase in daily vitamin C was associated with a 17% reduction in gout risk. Vitamin C appears to reduce levels of uric acid in the blood, according to the researchers; a buildup of this naturally occurring compound can form crystal deposits in and around joints, leading to the pain, inflammation and swelling associated with gout.—Archives of Internal Medicine
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December 2008
Almost four in 10 American adults—and one in nine children—are using complementary or alternative medical treatments, up slightly from five years ago, according to a new government study. Back pain was the top reason for turning to alternative treatments, followed by neck and joint pain and arthritis; popular treatments included deep-breathing exercises, meditation and massage therapy. Overall, the most commonly used adult treatment was fish oil. The study was the first to ask about use of unconventional treatments by those under 18, who most commonly sought relief for back pain, colds, anxiety, stress and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.—US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…
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