Written by Jessica Patella, ND. Eight weeks of supplementation with quercetin significantly reduced morning pain, activity –related pain and morning stiffness in the 50 participating arthritic women compared to the placebo group.

arthritisRheumatoid arthritis affects 1.3 million Americans and there is no known cure 1. There is an association between inflammation and oxidation in the body and rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, researchers found that using quercetin, a strong antioxidant with anti-inflammatory effects, could improve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis 2.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects the joints, muscles and tendons in the body. The disease is 2-3 times more common in women and results in pain, deformed joints, bone erosion and osteoporosis 2,3.

The recent research included 50 women with rheumatoid arthritis, who were randomly assigned to receive either 500 mg of quercetin (n=25) or a placebo (n=25). The women took the supplement daily after lunch for 8 weeks 2.

After 8 weeks of supplementation, pain in the morning, pain after activity and early morning stiffness significantly decreased in the quercetin group compared to the placebo group (p=0.005, p=0.01, p=0.03, respectively) and compared to the baseline (p=0.004, p=0.001, p=0.01, respectively). No significant changes were observed in the placebo group 2.

The number of tender points on the body significantly decreased in the quercetin group only compared to the baseline (p=0.03). There were no significant changes in the number of swollen joints for either group 2.

Quercetin supplementation also improved the Disease Activity Score (DAS-28) and the Quality of Life Score (HAQ) compared to the baseline (p=0.001, for both) and compared to the placebo (p=0.04 and p=0.008, respectively) 2.

Finally, the Physician Global Assessment showed a significant reduction in number of patients with active disease in the quercetin group after supplementation (p=0.04), while there was no change in the placebo group. This indicates that quercetin reduced the number of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis 2.

In conclusion, quercetin supplementation had beneficial effects on early morning stiffness, pain in the morning, pain after activity, tender points, disease activity, quality of life and number of participants with active disease. This is of significance since most participants had only mild to moderate rheumatoid arthritis; however, supplements usually show the most efficacy in those with severe disease. The researchers suggest a longer duration study to determine long-term effects of quercetin 2.

Source: Fatemeh Javadi MSc, Arman Ahmadzadeh MD, Shahryar Eghtesadi PhD, Naheed Aryaeian PhD, Mozhdeh Zabihiyeganeh MD, Abbas Rahimi Foroushani PhD & Shima Jazayeri MD, PhD (2017) The Effect of Quercetin on Inflammatory Factors and Clinical Symptoms in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 36:1, 9-15, DOI: 10.1080/07315724.2016.1140093

© The American College of Nutrition Published by Taylor and Francis

Posted April 20, 2017.

Jessica Patella, ND, is a naturopathic physician specializing in nutrition and homeopathic medicine and offers a holistic approach to health.  She earned her ND from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ, and is a member of the North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Visit her website at  www.awarenesswellness.com.

References:

  1. (RASN) RASN. Rheumatoid Arthritis Facts and Statistics. 2016; Rheumatoid Arthritis Facts and Statistics. Available at: https://www.rheumatoidarthritis.org/ra/facts-and-statistics/. Accessed April 13, 2017, 2017.
  2. Javadi F, Ahmadzadeh A, Eghtesadi S, et al. The Effect of Quercetin on Inflammatory Factors and Clinical Symptoms in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2016:1-7.
  3. Clinic M. Rheumatoid Arthritis: Symptoms and Causes. 2017; Symptoms and Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/symptoms-causes/dxc-20197390. Accessed April 18, 2017, 2017.