A vegan diet free of gluten improves the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis: the effects on arthritis correlate with a reduction in antibodies to food antigens
I. Hafstrom et al., A vegan diet free of gluten improves the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis: the effects on arthritis correlate with a reduction in antibodies to food antigens, RHEUMATOLOG, 40(10), 2001, pp. 1175-1179
Objective. Whether food intake can modify the course of rheumatoid arthriti
s (RA) is an issue of continued scientific and public interest. However, da
ta from controlled clinical trials are sparse. We thus decided to study the
clinical effects of a vegan diet free of gluten in RA and to quantify the
levels of antibodies to key food antigens not present in the vegan diet.
Methods. Sixty-six patients with active RA were randomized to either a vega
n diet free of gluten (38 patients) or a well-balanced non-vegan diet (28 p
atients) for 1 yr. All patients were instructed and followed-up in the same
manner. They were analysed at baseline and after 3, 6 and 12 months, accor
ding to the response criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)
. Furthermore, levels of antibodies against gliadin and beta -lactoglobulin
were assessed and radiographs of the hands and feet were performed.
Results. Twenty-two patients in the vegan group and 25 patients in the non-
vegan diet group completed 9 months or more on the diet regimens. Of these
diet completers, 40.5% (nine patients) in the vegan group fulfilled the ACR
20 improvement criteria compared with 4% (one patient) in the non-vegan gro
up. Corresponding figures for the intention to treat populations were 34.3
and 3.8%, respectively. The immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody levels against
gliadin and beta -lactoglobulin decreased in the responder subgroup in the
vegan diet-treated patients, but not in the other analysed groups. No retar
dation of radiological destruction was apparent in any of the groups.
Conclusion. The data provide evidence that dietary modification may be of c
linical benefit for certain RA patients, and that this benefit may be relat
ed to a reduction in immunoreactivity to food antigens eliminated by the ch
ange in diet.