The Spice With Positive Effects On Arthritis Symptoms

Around 400,000 people in the UK suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition that inflames the lining of the joints and causes an excess of fluid. The condition is generally treated with prescription medicine to alleviate patients’ symptoms of swelling, pain and limited movement, particularly in the joints of the fingers. Sufferers often explore the use of natural remedies for pain relief and other symptoms because conventional medical treatment often brings the risk of side effects. One such natural remedy is curcumin, which has been the focus of recent studies by researchers keen to examine what benefits – or risks – it might have when used by those with rheumatoid arthritis.

Curcumin is the active ingredient found in the spice turmeric and this yellowish substance contains important anti-inflammatory properties, which can help relieve the inflammation of the joints induced by rheumatoid arthritis. The condition causes damage to the bones, which produces the common symptoms, usually in the fingers but can also spread to the other joints and even cause nerve and skin damage in more extreme cases.

Recent studies devoted to examining the potential benefits of curcumin on patients with rheumatoid arthritis have produced some positive results for those looking to find a natural remedy that complements the conventional medication used in treatment. A recent clinical study in the US, published in Phytotherapy Research, reported significant improvement in the symptoms of patients given 500mg of curcumin daily with no patient reporting any adverse reaction from taking the ingredient.

Curcumin’s cellular make-up was also put to the test by a team of scientists reporting in the Journal of Clinical Immunology in 2012 and they concluded that using the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin could help to limit the production of prostaglandin E2, a specific cell that is a factor in the development of rheumatoid arthritis.

Further research and studies continue into the use of curcumin as a therapeutic aid for patients with rheumatoid arthritis but the signs so far remain positive.