Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Overseen By Monica Guma, MD, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, San Diego

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, Food allergies, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 12 weeks

124 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether an anti-inflammatory diet can alleviate symptoms in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers aim to determine if this diet improves symptoms and affects gut health and blood substances. Participants will be divided into two groups, each trying a different version of the diet. Ideal candidates have rheumatoid arthritis with stable symptoms and are open to dietary changes. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could enhance dietary recommendations for rheumatoid arthritis.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if your medication use might make it hard to interpret the study results, you may not be eligible to participate.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research shows that anti-inflammatory diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, are generally safe. Studies have found that these diets can reduce pain in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. For instance, one study found that participants on anti-inflammatory diets reported less pain than those on regular diets.

Evidence also suggests that these diets can lower the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Specifically, another study showed a 46% lower risk for individuals who followed a healthy eating pattern. Additionally, these diets might improve gut health, which is important for managing arthritis.

Overall, these findings suggest that anti-inflammatory diets are well-tolerated and may offer benefits without serious side effects. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using an anti-inflammatory diet to manage rheumatoid arthritis because it offers a natural approach that focuses on reducing inflammation through food choices. Unlike standard treatments that often involve medications like NSAIDs or corticosteroids, which can have side effects, this diet leverages the body's natural ability to combat inflammation. The two variations of the diet being explored could provide insights into which specific foods or combinations are most effective at relieving symptoms. This approach not only aims to alleviate pain and swelling but could also empower patients with a sustainable lifestyle change that supports long-term health.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for rheumatoid arthritis?

Studies have shown that an anti-inflammatory diet can significantly reduce pain for people with rheumatoid arthritis. One study found that participants on these diets experienced less pain compared to those on regular diets. Other research has found that this type of diet can lower disease activity scores, which measure the severity of rheumatoid arthritis, and improve quality of life. Additionally, this diet might help prevent the development of rheumatoid arthritis. These diets also positively affect the gut microbiome, influencing inflammation and arthritis outcomes. Overall, evidence supports that an anti-inflammatory diet can help manage rheumatoid arthritis. This trial will compare two versions of the anti-inflammatory diet to evaluate their effectiveness in managing rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. ^{1 4 5 6 7}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals with low to moderate rheumatoid arthritis who haven't changed their treatment or disease activity in the last 3 months. They should be interested in dietary changes and able to attend follow-up visits. It's not for those with food allergies, pregnant or nursing women, or anyone with other health issues that could confuse the results.

Inclusion Criteria

You have mild or moderate symptoms of the condition being studied, and have not had any changes in treatment or symptoms for the last 3 months. You are willing to try a new diet and can attend all follow-up appointments.

Exclusion Criteria

You have allergies to certain types of food.

Pregnancy or lactating. Patients that will become pregnant during the study will be remove from the study.

You have other health conditions or take medications that could make it hard for the doctor to understand the study results.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants follow an anti-inflammatory diet to assess its effect on rheumatoid arthritis outcomes, microbiome, and circulating metabolites

12 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Anti-inflammatory Diet

Trial Overview

The study tests two anti-inflammatory diets to see if they improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers will also look at how these diets might change gut bacteria and body chemicals related to inflammation.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Arm_2 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Anti-Inflammatory diet 2

Group II: Arm_1 Active Control 1 Intervention

Anti-inflammatory diet 1

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, San Diego

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,215

Recruited

1,593,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study of 120 rheumatoid arthritis patients, those who adhered more closely to the Mediterranean Diet showed significantly lower disease activity and functional disability, as indicated by lower Disease Activity Score (DAS28-CRP), Rheumatoid Arthritis Impact of Disease (RAID), and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) scores.

Higher adherence to the Mediterranean Diet reduced the odds of having a higher DAS28 score by 70%, suggesting that dietary choices can play a crucial role in managing rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Mediterranean diet, and not dietary inflammatory index, is associated with rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, the impact of disease and functional disability. Charneca, S., Ferro, M., Vasques, J., et al.[2023]

The Mediterranean diet may have little to no impact on pain or disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis patients, with a slight potential increase in weight, but the evidence supporting these conclusions is of low certainty.

There is insufficient evidence to determine the effects of the Mediterranean diet on functionality, morning stiffness, or quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis, as the certainty of the evidence is assessed as very low.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Mediterranean diet on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Porras, M., Rada, G., Durán, J.[2020]

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) following a Mediterranean diet showed significant improvements in disease activity, physical function, and vitality over 12 weeks, with a notable decrease in the disease activity score (DAS28) by 0.56 (p<0.001).

In contrast, patients on a Western diet did not experience significant changes, highlighting the potential of the Mediterranean diet as an effective dietary intervention for managing RA symptoms.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An experimental study of a Mediterranean diet intervention for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Sköldstam, L., Hagfors, L., Johansson, G.[2022]

The Mediterranean diet has shown beneficial effects in managing rheumatoid arthritis, with two studies reporting significant improvements in pain levels and physical function (p < 0.05).

While some evidence suggests the diet may help reduce disease activity, there is not enough data to recommend it for the prevention of rheumatoid arthritis.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effects of the Mediterranean diet on rheumatoid arthritis prevention and treatment: a systematic review of human prospective studies. Forsyth, C., Kouvari, M., D'Cunha, NM., et al.[2019]

In a study involving 174,638 women from the Nurses' Health Study, researchers found no significant link between adherence to a Mediterranean diet and the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over a follow-up period of 3,511,050 person-years.

The analysis showed that even women with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern had a hazard ratio of 0.98 for RA risk, indicating no meaningful difference compared to those with the lowest adherence, suggesting that this diet may not influence RA risk in women.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mediterranean diet and incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in women. Hu, Y., Costenbader, KH., Gao, X., et al.[2022]

In a 12-week randomized trial involving 154 overweight and obese patients with rheumatoid arthritis, the Mediterranean diet (MD) significantly reduced disease activity scores (DAS 28) compared to a low-fat high-carbohydrate diet and control group, indicating better management of RA symptoms.

The MD led to a 76% reduction in DAS 28 scores, demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing pain and inflammation in RA patients, regardless of weight loss outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dietary Pattern or Weight Loss: Which One Is More Important to Reduce Disease Activity Score in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis? A Randomized Feeding Trial. Sadeghi, A., Tabatabaiee, M., Mousavi, MA., et al.[2023]

A review of studies on the Mediterranean diet (MD) and its impact on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) found low evidence supporting its effectiveness in preventing or managing RA.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet does not seem to significantly affect rheumatoid arthritis indices, suggesting that dietary changes may not be a key factor in RA treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Let Food Be Thy Medicine: The Case of The Mediterranean Diet in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Vranou, P., Gkoutzourelas, A., Athanatou, D., et al.[2020]

Citations

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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8706441/

Effect of Anti-Inflammatory Diets on Pain in Rheumatoid ...

The main conclusion is that anti-inflammatory diets resulted in significantly lower pain than ordinary diets (−9.22 mm; 95% CI −14.15 to −4.29; p = 0.0002; 7 ...

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nature.com

nature.com/articles/s41430-025-01628-8

Mediterranean diet and rheumatoid arthritis: A nine-year ...

Given its anti-inflammatory and weight loss properties, the MD may have a protective effect against RA [13, 14]. Firstly, being overweight/obese ...

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rheumatologyadvisor.com

rheumatologyadvisor.com/news/healthy-dietary-patterns-reduce-ra-risk/

Healthy Dietary Patterns Linked to Reduced Risk for RA

Results of the analysis showed that adherence to a healthy overall dietary pattern was associated with a 46% lower risk for incident RA (odds ...

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frontiersin.org

frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1629896/full

MedDiet and DII in rheumatoid arthritis

It has been shown that an anti-inflammatory diet can lead to a reduction in disease activity scores (DAS-28) and improve quality of life in RA patients (76).

5.

arthritis.org

arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/nutrition/anti-inflammatory/itis-a-supercharged-mediterranean-diet-for-ra

ITIS: A Supercharged Mediterranean Diet for RA

A new approach to a popular diet shows a positive effect on the microbiome, a key player in inflammatory arthritis severity and outcomes.

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thepermanentejournal.org

thepermanentejournal.org/doi/10.7812/TPP/25.038

A Brief Review of the Mediterranean Diet's Role in ...

Dietary interventions, like the MD, show promise in reducing the chances of developing RA and mitigating symptom severity in those living with ...

7.

sciencedirect.com

sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451865422000369

A randomised controlled trial of a Mediterranean Dietary ...

More recently, a meta-analysis found that anti-inflammatory diets including a Mediterranean Diet resulted in notably lower pain compared to habitual diets in ...