Osteoarthritis, what diet?

December 29, 2021

Rheumatism is a generic term under which joint diseases are grouped. The most common of these are osteoarthritis and arthritis .

More than 12% of the Swiss population suffers from one or the other. The proportion rises to a third of those over 75!

Women are on average twice as affected as men.
They are even up to 7 times more affected in people over 75!
The disease is particularly severe from the age of fifty, but prevention begins in youth.

Osteoarthritis in woman's hands

Osteoarthritis is a chronic and degenerative joint disease. It is characterized by the wear or destruction of the cartilage or the entire joint.

Painful and disabling, this disease is caused by factors related to age, metabolism, overload or genetics.

Osteoarthritis or arthritis? What differences?

Arthritis is an inflammatory joint disease. It is the inflammation itself that causes the damage to the joint. It is therefore necessary to look for the roots of the problem on the side of chronic inflammation.

Osteoarthritis is a mechanical condition. The joint is damaged by wear coupled with insufficient regeneration of it. This can cause inflammation and pain, but they are not the cause of the disease.

Osteoarthritis therefore typically results from insufficient regeneration of cartilage or other joint tissues in relation to wear and tear, whatever the root cause. Eventually, the joint is damaged, painful and no longer fulfills its function.

It is therefore essential to tackle osteoarthritis on 2 levels:

Limit wear
Promote regeneration

omega 3 vitamin osteoarthritis

Acting at the sources of osteoarthritis

The main risk factors for osteoarthritis are as follows (in bold, those that can be directly influenced by nutrition):

Factors influenced by nutrition

Obesity
Chronic inflammation
Nutrient poor diet
Hormonal or metabolic imbalance
Insufficient vitamin D levels and sun exposure
Accumulation of AGEs ( Advanced Glycation End-products )

Factors not influenced by nutrition

Genre
Aging
Genetic predispositions
Joint injuries
Repeated work overload
Congenital joint diseases

Coxadol - Osteoarthritis - Osteo-Articular Inflammation

While the use of anti-inflammatories may offer temporary calm and respite from the disease, the underlying causes are left untreated and the condition will persist.

It is therefore necessary to attack the roots of the problem. A good starting point is to reduce the above risk factors.

Obesity

Being overweight causes a permanent overload on the joints, and therefore increased wear. In addition, obesity often induces metabolic, inflammatory and hormonal disturbances. Weight loss should therefore be considered.

It is strongly advised to be accompanied by a specialist because a badly constructed diet can cause additional damage and end in failure. Do not hesitate to make an appointment with a dietician or a confirmed nutritionist.

chronic inflammation

The causes are very diverse, and it is necessary to make a complete assessment in order to identify the reasons for the chronic inflammatory state. Regular consumption of foods with well-established anti-inflammatory properties is a good place to start.

Care is also taken to maintain the omega 3/omega 6 balance, which is crucial for supporting healthy inflammatory mechanisms. The reduction of omega 6 is generally the most indicated option. Their presence is usually largely excessive in the modern diet.

This is mainly due to the high consumption of vegetable oils that are unbalanced in terms of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Include Regularly	Sources too rich in omega 6 to avoid / limit
Turmeric	Sunflower oil
Berries	corn oil
Bone broth and collagen	Soya oil
Parsley	Almonds
Colorful vegetables and fruits	Poor quality animal fats (grain fed)

Bromelain from pineapple and curcumin from turmeric are particularly suitable in the case of osteoarthritis . It is interesting to consider a supplementation of these two natural molecules.

Accumulation of AGEs

Glycation is a chemical reaction that occurs when a monosaccharide, i.e. a sugar, "sticks" to a protein or lipid. This damages the molecule and alters its function, sometimes irreparably.

This is what you observe in the kitchen when you caramelize something. These chemical reactions are accelerated by the increase in temperature and sugar level.

They do not only occur in the saucepan, but also in the body, in particular in the bloodstream, where the sugar absorbed - too often in excess - during a meal wanders among various proteins and lipid molecules in our plasma.

The cartilage of our joints is made up of different proteins. It is particularly susceptible to glycation damage. So you understand the importance of limiting the consumption of fast sugars. Sodas and meals with a high glycemic index should be avoided.

Glycemic Index: Ability of a food or meal to raise blood sugar (blood sugar) levels when consumed.

Hormonal and metabolic disorders

The causes of these are very numerous, it is up to a therapist to determine, via an anamnesis and/or analyses, if it is necessary to act on this level.

Nutrient poor diet

Our body requires many nutrients to ensure its proper functioning. Deficiencies, even slight ones, limit its ability to limit various damages (oxidation, glycation, infection, etc.).

They also significantly reduce the regenerative capacity of our tissues. It is therefore essential to ensure a generous supply of nutrients, the central point of the Nutrivore-type diet that I recommend .

The critical nutrients for joint regeneration are:

Critical nutrients	Best Food Sources
Vitamin D3	Animal fats from animals exposed to the sun Cod liver oil
Vitamin K2	Cheeses Full-fat dairy products from grass-fed animals natto
Glycine and/or collagen	bone broth Small marinated fish with bones
Glycosaminoglycans	bone broth
Calcium and Magnesium	Dairy products Sprouted, fermented or pre-soaked cereals and legumes

Insufficient vitamin D levels and sun exposure

Vitamin D3 is essential for healthy connective tissues and immune regulation. Recent studies consider the possibility of autoimmune factors in some forms of osteoarthritis.

In any case, ensuring adequate levels of vitamin D3 is beneficial in many aspects that directly or indirectly affect joint health. Expose yourself generously to the sun between April and October and consume sources of vitamin D3 in the cold season. You will find the best sources in the table earlier in the article.

Between October and March, in the latitudes of central Europe, the wavelength of the sun's rays is outside the ranges allowing an efficient synthesis of vitamin D3 by the cells of our skin.

In summary

To be effective, the fight against osteoarthritis must have two facets: limiting joint wear and optimizing its regeneration. Nutritional factors play a crucial role here. People with osteoarthritis should consider dietary changes supported by targeted supplementation.