Arthritis and diet: More fiber
It has long been known that the addition of the drug, physical and surgical therapy, the diet may be an important additional measure in the treatment of diseases of the rheumatic form circle. According to the new findings, a ballast could help substance with food that is rich in Arthritis.
Under the term “rheumatism” are grouped several Hundred diseases. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is according to the experts, the most common inflammatory joint disease. Important for the patients is, among other things, how they feed. The diet should include a lot of fiber. A new study suggests.
General improved are
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Such as the Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) in a recent communication, writes, are of fiber from the food will be no Ballast on the contrary. The largely indigestible food components, according to the experts a godsend for the intestinal bacteria, which produce short-chain fatty acids. These short-chain fatty acids have a positive effect on inflammatory diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Arthritis patients and patients rich in fiber, eat the number of regulatory T cells to counteract immune reactions – reactions in which the body’s immune system is directed against the own organism increases, among other things. Also the General condition of the patient improves when fibre-rich diet, found Researchers at the FAU. The results were published in the journal “Nutrients”.
The gut flora is in need of fiber
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As the communication explains, comes from the intestinal bacteria in the pathogenesis of auto-immune a significant role in disease. These microorganisms, which make up the adult for around two kilograms of body weight, need to be well fed, so that the intestinal flora remains intact. This means that you need fiber.
Today’s diet is often ballaststof farm, which can lead to a disturbed intestinal flora. A disturbed bacterial composition in the intestine is in turn associated with auto-immune diseases, because the microorganisms produce less short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids, including propionate and butyrate, are, for example, in the synovial fluid contribute to the functioning of the joints, and prevent, according to a study inflammation.
A more scientific investigation of the team of Prof. Dr. Mario Zaiss, Professor of immune tolerance and auto-immunity of the FAU, supports these results. The FAU researchers have been studying how the Protein Zonulin in the gut to inhibit, the auto-immune diseases feed makes. The researchers found, among other things, that diet and gut bacteria influence the Zonulin-take production. The results of this study were published in the renowned scientific magazine “Nature Communications”.
Of the symptom-free disease
In the Zonulin-study, the Team of the FAU sought to Prof. Dr. Mario Zaiss, of the contribution of the intestinal microflora to the process of the symptom-free auto-immunity contributes to disease activity. The researchers found that the intestinal epithelium, tissue so the deck – the Casing – of the intestine, in the case of a disturbed bacterial colonization of the intestine increased Zonulin releases.
Zonulin makes the Tight Junctions are proteins that seal the intercellular spaces of the intestinal casing – permeable, for example, peptides or parts of bacteria. The Bacteria fragments resemble human body parts, which is why, the scientists suspect can not materials scientists, the organism is between the foreign and one’s own body cells that are different.
As the communication explains, he attacks the invaders and makes antibodies directed against its own body cells. The result of autoimmune-related inflammatory reactions and at the same time, the start of disease activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis are.
In the case of an increased Zonulin concentration in the intestine increases, according to the study, even in previously symptom-free patients and patients with auto-immunity, the risk for the outbreak of Arthritis within the year.
Through biopsies of the small intestinal mucosa, the researchers documented that the Tight Junctions of the intestinal barrier, elevated Zonulin values changed and the more permeable it was. Also, a permeability of the intestine to Lactulose drew the attention of the specialists, both in mice as in humans, the beginning of an active Arthritis.
Onset of Arthritis was delayed
Because the researchers the positive effects of short-chain fatty known acid butyrate on the Rheumatoid Arthritis already from your previous study, administered you want in the Zonulin-study, mice butyrate. They found that this treatment delayed the onset of Arthritis, the Zonulin concentration was reduced and the intestinal barrier is strengthened.
An even stronger effect, the researchers achieved, and scientists with the gift of Larazotid-acetate, a substance that is already used in clinical trials for the treatment of celiac disease, i.e. gluten intolerance. Under Larazotid-acetate, which inhibits Zonulin production, decreased the inflammatory activity in the joints, the bone strength is increased and the onset of Arthritis, in addition to let himself hesitate.
The researchers of the FAU assume that also in humans the disease activity in Arthritis by Blockade of the Zonulin production with Larazotid acetate delay. Because this substance is already being tested in Phase III studies, is used for Rheumatoid Arthritis, and soon, under certain circumstances, also possible.
Intestinal flora balance
The FAU Team also recommends that the intestinal flora by means of a fiber-rich nutrition into balance, to restore the intestinal bacteria in the location, larger quantities of butyrate and the intestinal barrier to be strengthened. The scientists see in the consumption of dietary fiber is an additional approach to treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis and possibly other autoimmune diseases.
“Hippocrates recognized the importance of nutrition for health and improper diet as one of the main reasons for the emergence of diseases identified: ‘your food should be your medicine, and your medicine should be your food.’ If so, the disease can be triggered by a bad diet, then we should look again at this in detail and the relationships better research,“ says study leader Prof. Dr. Mario Zaiss. (ad)