The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, but there are some factors that increase your risk. If your parents have rheumatoid arthritis, it is not certain that you will get it, but you are more prone to it. Women tend to get it more often than men do. The onset of rheumatoid arthritis is generally between the ages of 35 and 50 years old. One risk factor you can control is smoking. Quitting smoking will lower your risk.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Causes & Risks
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HealthyWomen answeredSee All 5 AnswersThere is no scientific evidence that any specific food or nutrient helps or harms most people with rheumatoid arthritis. However, an overall nutritious diet with enough—but not an excess of—calories, protein and calcium is important. Some studies have shown that the omega-3 fatty acids in certain fish or plant seed oils also may reduce rheumatoid arthritis inflammation. However, many people are not able to tolerate the large amounts of oil necessary for any benefit, and both fish oils and plant oils have side effects, including risk of bleeding and interactions with certain medications, including blood pressure medications and psychiatric drugs. More research is necessary to find the optimal dosage of fish and plant seed oils for the management of RA.
Some people may need to be careful about drinking alcoholic beverages because of the medications they take for rheumatoid arthritis. Those taking methotrexate may need to avoid alcohol altogether. You should ask your health care professional or a registered dietitian for guidance on the issue of diet.
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See All 2 AnswersIf your parent has rheumatoid arthritis you may be at increased risk of developing the disease, but it is not guaranteed that you will have RA. There are certain genes, which may be passed down to you from a parent, which give you increased risk. However, not everyone who has these genes will develop rheumatoid arthritis. Of 100 people with a parent or sibling who have RA, only about 4 will develop the disease. -
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Dr. David C. Fiore, MD , Family Medicine, answeredSee All 2 AnswersIn most cases, flare-ups of rheumatoid arthritis occur for no apparent reason. Often there can be worsening of the disease as part of its natural rhythm in the body. There can also be variation where one sees an increase in disease activity as a direct result of decreased effectiveness of medication. In other words, sometimes the drugs just do not work as well against the disease anymore. -
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Dr. Michael Jurgelewicz , Chiropractic Medicine, answeredTraditionally trained physicians usually state the causes of autoimmune diseases are unknown. Patients with autoimmune diseases such as, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or Sjogren’s disease are simply given protocol driven treatments with limited success because an acute care model is given to a chronic problem and the underlying cause is never investigated.
The problem with this is everyone has their own biochemical individuality. Patients with similar symptoms can have totally different test results. There is endless research on intestinal permeability aka intestinal epithelial hyperpermeability aka Leaky Gut. The gastrointestinal tract is 80% of our immune system. Whenever you have inflammation present, the tight junctions and intestinal mucosa can become damaged causing gaps or “pores” in the lining of the GI tract. Then toxic byproducts in the digestive tract can be absorbed into the bloodstream and transported on to the liver. The molecules of food and toxins are “leaked” through the GI lining and then eventually they affect systems throughout the body causing inflammation in our joints, expressing toxins in autoimmune conditions and food sensitivities.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often have an association between food intake and rheumatoid disease severity. In a recent study of this immunological link between gut immunity and RA, food IgG, IgA and IgM antibodies were measured. In the intestinal fluid of many RA patients, all three immunoglobulin classes showed increased food specific activities, including gliadin antibodies.
If you have an autoimmune disease, there are some tests to consider. There have been great strides in advancement in technology and what labs can test today. There are labs that assess a patient’s delayed onset food sensitivities. There is also a great lab to confirm if someone has intestinal permeability. Through the serum they are able to detect antibodies to LPS, Occludin/Zonulin and the Actomyosin Network to identify breakdown of a healthy intestinal barrier.
It is also very important to get your vitamin D levels checked as well as Gluten-Associated Antibodies and Cross-Reactive Foods tested since they play a large role in inflammatory and autoimmune processes.
Once these underlying areas your health are explored, nutritional and lifestyle support would be used to address any dysfunctions, deficiencies, toxicities, etc.