A touch of spice could be all you need to enjoy some relief from the painful symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Studies show that curcumin, the active compound in the spice turmeric, has a positive effect on reducing inflammation, an important factor in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
RA is an autoimmune condition for which there is no cure. In RA, the body’s immune system is faulty, turning on itself to attack the tissue that surrounds the joints. This causes inflammation in the lining of the joints, leading to swelling and stiffness. The fingers, knees and ankles are commonly affected, though the disease can spread to all joints and may also affect the eyes, lungs, nerves and heart. In the UK, around 850,000 suffer from RA with treatment focusing on non-steroid medication to reduce inflammation, such as diclofenac sodium, combined with over-the-counter pain relief.
A number of research projects have identified the anti-inflammatory properties contained in curcumin as being effective in relieving the inflammation typical in RA. The production of a specific B cell-activating factor essential for RA can actually be constrained by taking curcumin, according to one study reported in the Journal of Clinical Immunology.
Another recent clinical study revealed that taking curcumin daily did more to relieve inflammation than the conventional prescribed medication. There were no adverse side effects for any of those taking part in the trial, which makes curcumin particularly appealing for sufferers as the current medication does bring the risks of adverse side effects. The research team concluded that taking 1000mg of curcumin daily could relieve symptoms of inflammation in RA sufferers.
More research is now to be carried out in wider studies to examine further the potential benefits of curcumin for RA sufferers.
In the meantime, those who have the condition and face a lifetime on prescription medicine that may not always offer the required help might want to consider taking curcumin as part of a natural therapy regime.