Diet and Arthritis Pain
Dairy Free and Gluten Free Diet for Arthritis Relief
There is a relationship between Diet and Arthritis Pain. However, many concerned about nutrition profess the benefits of a Gluten Free diet. And many people do find that eliminating gluten and dairy eases digestive issues.
More recently, those who’ve adopted the Gluten fee and dairy free lifestyle report improvements in joint pain as well. And while eliminating gluten and dairy is essential for people with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition, not everyone who experiments with a diet free of gluten and dairy will experience joint pain relief.
For those who have celiac disease, eating dairy free and gluten free foods set off an inflammatory response in the small intestine that damages its ability to absorb nutrients. Over time, poor absorption of essential vitamins and mineral, such as calcium, can lead to fatigue, skin rash and even osteoporosis.
Joint pain is another symptom that has been reported to occur. Probably the best theory on why gluten and dairy cause joint pain has to do with the gut. Stomach inflammation triggered by gluten and dairy cause activation of T-lymphocytes that can eventually migrate to joints, causing local inflammation, otherwise known as joint pain.
This theory jives with the fact that celiac disease is now defined as a systemic disease that can affect any organ or tissue, including joints.Gluten sensitivity and dairy sensitivity are not exact sciences by any means. Some of the reactions to dairy and gluten, including joint pain, (as well as bloating and diarrhea), are the same as in celiac disease.
This is the connection many physicians are putting together as to what causes joint pain, and gluten and dairy are primary suspects.joint pain can occur in both celiac disease and gluten and dairy sensitivity, so you may have celiac disease and not be sensitive to dairy or gluten, or vice versa.
The Karolinska Institute initiated a study, observing 66 rheumatoid arthritis patients. The participants were assigned to eat either a vegan diet with gluten-free and dairy-free foods or solely a vegan diet. Participants were checked for factors known to cause inflammation, such as cholesterol levels, after three and 12 months of participation. At the end of the study, researchers found that a gluten-free, dairy-free vegan diet was the most effective in reducing inflammatory substances in the body.
Additionally, when participants ate a vegan Gluten Free, dairy free diet, they experienced increased levels of protective antibodies in the blood, which helps to fight off inflammatory factors that contribute to rheumatoid arthritis. While the researchers haven’t nailed down why a gluten/dairy free diet helps reduce inflammation, it is theorized that a fewer blood fats helped to reduce the causes of rheumatoid arthritis.
That’s somewhat convincing evidence that gluten and dairy could definitely be a culprit in either causing or exacerbating Rheumatoid Arthritis.If you’re wondering if gluten is causing or worsening your joint pain, it’s important to talk to your doctor about having a blood test to help detect whether you have the disease, and whether a diet free of gluten and dairy is appropriate.
Author Bio: David Novak is a international syndicated newspaper columnist, appearing in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV around the world. His byline has appeared in GQ, National Geographic, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, USA Today, among others, and he has appeared on The Today Show, the CBS Morning Show and Paul Harvey Radio. David is a specialist at consumer technology, health and fitness, and he also owns a PR firm and a consulting company where he and his staff focus on these industries. He is a regular contributing editor for Healthline. For more information, visit http://www.healthline.com/.
i love this article . i am going to pass it on to my mom who struggles with this. thanks so muchh.
It’s great that there are other ways to deal with arthritis pain, other than medications.
Yes Anne Marie Carter, I have been able to control my arthritic pain with diet measures so far and hope to be able to continue to do so!
I have had a lot of health problems recently and I have heard that eliminating gluten will help me. Based on your post I may give it a try.
Yes deborah, eliminating gluten has helped my health overall. I am not celiac but gluten intolerant. And although so many health professionals say there isn’t such a thing….my life seems to testify there is.
Thanks So Very Much for Sharing This with Me b/c I Have Arthritis & Chronic Pain from My Fibromyalgia & Herniated Discs in My Neck So it’s Hard to Tell Where One Pain Begins & Where the Other One Ends! I Had No Idea Just How Much of an Effect Your Diet Had on Your Arthritis So Thanks Again for this Post, I Will Do Anything for a Little Bit of Relief! Have a Great Evening! – Jana
Thanks for sharing your arthritic problems too Jana! I also have degenerative joint disease and there’s nothing they can do for that medically. So I am really into diet since that will be my only control and I don’t want to get into NSAIDS!
Thanks so much for the info! As I get older, I’m DEFINITELY noticing more aches & pains… especially in my knee! I’m gonna have to try the Gluetin free & dairy free thing for a while and see if it helps. If so, I’ll switch everything over!!! Totally worth it!!!
Laurie one more thing to try is eliminating nightshade foods….they really make arthritis symptoms worse. I love them so much it’s hard for me but I do cut way back when I have increased joint pain. So try cutting back on tomatoes and eggplant.
Thanks So Much for Sharing this b/c I Have Arthritis and it Has Really Been Bothering Me Lately! I’m Only 35 So I’m Worried that if it’s Already this Bad Now, How Bad it Might Be in the Future! I Also Have Horrible Chronic Pain & Fibromyalgia So it’s Hard to Know Where One Pain Starts & Where One Ends! I Had No Idea that Diet Had Anything to Do with it but I Do Feel Like if I Lost Some Weight Some of the Chronic Pain I Have Might Improve Some! Thanks for Sharing, I Might Have to See if There is a Book on this Topic I Can Get! Thanks Again, Have a Blessed Day! – Jana
I have a mild case of arthritis and never knew this, I should know because I have noticed that when I do work out and eat healthier my body feels better.
Thank you for all the info.I am going to have to try it as I am so tired of all the pain relief I have been prescribed.
Really informative! I wholeheartedly believe this…I have never been gluten free but eat many vegan foods and find when I am on a 100% vegan diet that the joint pains that I have in my knees noticeably decreases!
Thank you for this informative article.
Great article. Another great reason to eliminate gluten from your diet.
I didn’t know this, thanks for sharing.
I had no idea you could relieve arthritis with diet.
I went Gluten Free and I must say, my arthritis is much better! It’s not a cure all for sure but is so worth it, I feel so much better now with less pain. Now I enjoy my grandchildren the way I always wanted to! Great article, I learned so much from reading, thanks!
Thanks for sharing Bailey! I agree being gluten free is not a cure for all…but it can help. So glad you are having so much more prime time with your grandkids!!
Lots of great info here. My Mum has bad knees and foods such as tomatoes & peppers tend to act as triggers for her.
Thanks for sharing Kate! Yes those are nightshade plants and they for some reason are problem foods with arthritic people.
Due to some health issues, I”ve been thinking more and more about autoimmune diet. SO many good benefits and I”ve heard of improved health from others.
So true Barrie
I have RA and hadn’t considered this. Will talk to my doctor about it.
slehan at juno dot com
I didn’t know that gluten or dairy could cause immune responses like joint pain. This was a very informative article.
I hadn’t heard of this connection before! I have slight joint pain. I’m already trying to weed out dairy from my diet, so I’ll have to see if it makes a difference!
The top article pic grabbed my attention since my left knee gives me arthritic pain now and again. It’s really helped to banish the gluten from my food plan. I’m trying to convince my mom to give it a try since she suffers with arthritis in my body parts. It’s hard for those in their 70s and 80s to break the gluten habit, I know!
Ive heard of dairy free and gluten free will help with Arthritis but never gave it a try. Its hard to give up things that you love but at this point, I may have to do it and get it over with.
Hi Colleen,
I found out about your amazingly helpful website/blog from your Christmas letter to my parents. Your husband is my cousin. I just wanted to comment that I started having problems with arthritis at the age of 13. In my early 20’s I went complete vegetarian — no meats, fish, dairy or eggs — but I do use raw organic Honey. I had been a lacto-ovo (dairy and eggs) vegetarian before that. After a few months I noticed that I had no more pain from the arthritis. It was all but gone. Huge relief! And the bronchial problem I couldn’t get rid of (the doctors thought I might be asthmatic) disappeared, also. I’ve never gone back. I’ve stayed away from dairy products ever since, avoiding them like the plague. Later I came across a book called ‘The Arthritis Cure’ that notes that some people are affected by dairy products to the extent that they get arthritis from eating/drinking them. I’ve come to realize that I had a huge amount of inflammation in my system and it affected my body in the form of arthritis.
I still remain pain-free and healthy. Can’t remember the last time I was sick, and I am so grateful. It’s been worth it!
This is great information, I never thought about a gluten free diet to help stop arthritis pain , I know myself and hubby have a small part in certain areas of the body, something to think about.
I am going to have my mom read this article, she has been looking for help with arthritis.
I’ve been gluten free – Celiac Disease – since 2007. Slowly over the last year I’ve gone dairy free. I didn’t know it might help joint pain I have. Good article.
I am so glad I saw this article I have seen a lot of gluten free products but I did not know the benefits of being gluten free thanks a lot.
such a wonderful and detailed helpful review about dairy and gluten products
I also heard that potatoes could cause arthritis to act up.
Very interesting. My daughter and I both have arthritis in our knees and I also have it in one of my wrists. I know certain foods can add or lessen inflammation but hadn’t thought about dairy being one of them. Something to look into.
I did not know about any of that! My husband has arthritis and I read the article thinking of him, I will have to pass this along to him.
Thanks for the information! I have to pass it on to a friend with RA!
yes I have tested this for myself and it has help me a lot!
Doreen, thanks for giving your personal support to this!
Good info! I will pass this along
Good information to know. I will be passing this onto my husband’s grandmother who suffers from arthritis. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing Brandy
I’ve been talking about this with my mother. She suffers from arthritis pain, and when she went off gluten it really helped. She needs to get back on track to keep the pain at bay. Thanks for sharing this with everyone!
i have very bad arthritis in my knees and this information is very interesting. i may look into going gluten and dairy free.
I’d love to know how it works for you judy.