Rheumatoid arthritis is rare in Eskimos who have a diet rich of fish containing omega-3 essential fatty acids, according to The Journal of Rheumatology. The essential fatty acids found in fish oils act as a precursor to eicosanoids, which regulate your body's inflammatory and immune responses. The intake of fish oil has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help you if you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
Significance
Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna, may help alleviate joint pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Increasing the amount of fish in your diet by eating two servings of fish per week may be safer than taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements in the form of gel capsules.
Limitations
Some evidence shows that fish oil taken with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may help reduce the joint pain and morning stiffness associated with rheumatoid arthritis, as published by University of Maryland Medical Center. Fish oil does not appear to affect disease progression or damage to joints that occurs with rheumatoid arthritis.
Considerations
Benefits from taking omega-3 fatty acids generally are observed after 12 weeks of continuous use and appear to increase with extended treatment time. Fish oil supplements used in conjunction with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may interfere with your blood clotting and increase your risk of having a stroke. You should consult with your doctor before taking fish oil supplements.
Benefits
If you have rheumatoid arthritis, your risk of death from cardiovascular disease is twice that of the general population. There is some evidence that anti-inflammatory doses of fish oil taken for a period of three years may result in remission of rheumatoid arthritis. This may enable you to decrease or discontinue use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs while also lowering your plasma total cholesterol/HDL ratio, which is associated with decreased heart disease risk. You are advised to discuss the use of fish oil supplements with your physician prior to using it.
