What are the Best Vitamins for Rheumatoid Arthritis - Can supplements help prevent arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is not a single disease. It is actually just an informal way of referring to joint pain or joint disease. There are more than 100 types of arthritis that affect joints, tissues that surround the joints and other connective tissues. It is also believed that more than fifty million adults and 300,000 children in the United States alone are suffering from arthritis. Symptoms and treatments vary according to the type of arthritis.

However, there are certain ways to manage the pain of rheumatoid arthritis and even help prevent it. 

But first off, we have to know what type of arthritis you have. Which leads us to...

Types of arthritis

In order to understand arthritis better, one has to know that there are several types of arthritis.

Ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory disease that can cause some of the small bones in your spine to fuse. This causes your spine to be less flexible and can result in a hunched-forward posture.

In some cases, ribs can also be affected and this, in turn, may cause difficulty when breathing.

Ankylosing spondylitis affects more males than females.

Gout

Gout is a type of arthritis caused by excessive uric acid in the bloodstream. Although not usually known as arthritis, gout usually affects one joint at a time. 

This form of joint pain is a common and complex form of arthritis that can affect anyone. Some of the common symptoms are joint swelling, intense pain, redness and tenderness in the joints.

Gout can be treated medically with joint pain vitamins and through self-management strategies to reduce pain. 

Osteoarthritis

More popularly known as wear and tear arthritis, this common form affects millions of people worldwide. Osteoarthritis takes place when the cartilage (also known as the cushion for joints) wears down over time.

When the cartilage breaks down, joints can get painful and swollen which causes you to limit your movement.

It can affect any joint but it mostly occurs in hands, knees, hips and the spine.

Factors that increase the risk of osteoarthritis includes age, gender, obesity, previous joint injury history and pressure on joints.

People above the age of 50 are more prone to suffer from this type of arthritis and it affects women more than men. There is no cure for osteoarthritis and it tends to get worse over time.

However, medication and arthritis supplements can help to reduce the pain. If the paid and damage is severe, the joint in question can be surgically replaced but that is always the last option.

Psoriatic Arthritis

This form of arthritis is a condition that combines sore, swollen joints with psoriasis. Thirty percent of those diagnosed with psoriasis are most likely to develop psoriatic arthritis eventually.

It is best to treat this at an early stage to avoid damage of the joints.

Psoriatic arthritis affects large joints, especially those of the lower extremities, distal joints of fingers and toes and pelvis joints.

Treatment varies depending on the stages of pain and swelling. Those experiencing mild psoriatic arthritis may have to undergo treatment only when their joints are swollen and painful or take supplements for joint pain and stiffness continually.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

This form of arthritis is an autoimmune disease that doesn’t just affect your joints but also your body. It is a long term, progressive condition that can damage the whole body system including the lungs, skin, eyes, blood vessels and lungs.

Symptoms to look out for include stiff joints when waking up in the morning, unsteadiness when walking, weight loss and often feeling fatigued and weak. 

Keep in mind that this is not the same as the wear and tear of osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of your joints, which causes a painful swelling. If it goes untreated, it may result in bone erosion and joint deformity.

There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis but treatment such as taking a vitamin for joints, can help to reduce inflammation and slow down or prevent damage to the joints.

Causes of arthritis

The word arthritis is used to describe pain, swelling and stiffness in joints. It is not a single condition.

There are several potential factors that contribute to the occurrence of arthritis. Environmental factors such as food intake, lack of physical activity and previous joint damage could be a cause to the development of arthritis.

No matter what kind of arthritis you have, all of it can potentially be very painful as your joints swell up. 

Prevention of arthritis

So far, there is no known cure for arthritis. In some cases, it is unpreventable as family history, aging and gender comes into play. Most treatments for arthritis are aimed at the early stages.

You can try preventing it by taking several measures such as-

• Maintaining a healthy weight. This can help to fight osteoarthritis.
• Stop smoking as this may reduce the chances of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
• Avoid injury when playing sports or participating in recreational activities
• Taking several precautions when lifting heavy objects to avoid joint injuries.
• Practice good posture while sitting at the desk. If necessary, buy a wrist cushion or special keyboard when working on the computer to avoid joint damage.

What vitamin deficiency causes arthritis?

Your body may be lacking in several vitamins which is why arthritis may develop. In order to prevent it, you may take supplements for joints if you do not get enough vitamins from your diet or in any other way.

However, what supplement for joint pain should you consume?

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a nutrient your body needs to absorb calcium, thus ensuring your bones stay strong.

A study found that vitamin D deficiency is common in people with rheumatoid arthritis and may be linked to musculoskeletal pain. A lack of vitamin D reduces calcium and phosphorus levels and increases risk of rheumatoid arthritis, especially if you are a woman.

Magnesium 

Magnesium is the fourth largest mineral in the human body. It is naturally present in many foods and supplements and contributes to the structural development of bones. 

The presence of magnesium aids in preventing bone fractures as well as reduces the chances of arthritis. 

Turmeric

Turmeric has a compound known as curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory effects. It is a natural supplement that is commonly used to treat joint pain, especially in arthritis patients. 

Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate

These two compounds work great together to treat inflammation. When rheumatoid arthritis flares up, it is very painful, as you can expect. 

Glucosamine is an essential ingredient to the formation of cartilage. Chondroitin, on the other hand, is key to the maintenance of cartilage. 

In the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are effective. This study proved that when both supplements are taken, it was found that the inflammation and swelling was reduced significantly.

Collagen

Collagen is made of amino acids. Amino acids are building blocks of proteins. The science behind using collagen as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is that your body will use this component to protect and rebuild cartilage in your joints. 

Best Vitamins for Stiff Joints

As people start aging, they may experience joint stiffness. Most experience this joint stiffness in the morning when they wake up and it impacts mobility for a short amount of time. However, in some cases, it may be more serious as one experiences inflammation and discomfort, which makes walking or standing painful.

Get a checkup or blood test from the doctor before consuming any supplements to see what your body is lacking. You can then best supplement that said lack with the relevant and recommended type and dosage.

The best vitamin for joints is vitamin D consumption. This vitamin can be found in fish oil or by going out into the sunlight for at least 30 minutes a day.

If vitamin is still lacking, you can try joint pain supplements such as Holistic Way Vitamin D-3.

You may also try estrogen. Estrogen is said to be the best defence against knee osteoarthritis.

Vital for musculoskeletal health, including joint health, estrogen helps postmenopausal women with low levels of estrogen as women at this age may complain about joint pain and stiffness as their primary menopausal symptom.

For women, we recommend taking Wakunaga Estro Logic as it helps maintain normal estrogen levels as well as alleviate symptoms associated with menopause.  

Of course, before taking any supplements, you should always consult with your doctor first in case there are any side effects or it is detrimental to your health. Although taking joint vitamins is generally safe, an overdose is never a good idea.

Conclusion

Rheumatic arthritis and arthritis, in general, makes people’s life a little hard. It may be hard to get moving but moving is exactly what you need to curb arthritis. It is essential that you seek medical help from rheumatologists when the pain is severe. Taking the right arthritis vitamins is also important for your overall health!

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