No fish tale: Diet can relieve joint pain

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No fish tale: Diet can relieve joint pain

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/health/s_271554.html

 

By Alyson Walls

TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Thursday, November 11, 2004

 

Disturbed by the increasing use of pharmaceuticals with potentially

serious side-effects, a University of Pittsburgh physician has found

there are healthier, natural alternatives for managing joint pain.

 

According to a study by Dr. Joseph Maroon, professor and vice chairman

of neurological surgery, substances typically found in fish -- omega-3

fatty acids -- might be an alternative to such non-steroidal,

anti-inflammatory drugs as Motrin, Celebrex, Bextra and the recently

discontinued Vioxx.

 

Omega-3 fatty acids are increasingly recognized as important to human

health, said Maroon, who also is a member of the American College of

Nutrition.

 

In the study, " Natural Alternatives to Non-steroidal

Anti-inflammatories, " Maroon and colleague Jeffrey Bost surveyed 120

patients -- whom they had placed on omega-3 essential fatty acids found

in fish oil -- for treatment of their neck and low-back pain resulting

from disc disease and arthritis.

 

Of those patients, 59 percent experienced decreased joint pain, and 68

percent were able to stop using non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. The

study also found that most patients had no side-effects, and that 86

percent planned to continue the use of omega-3 fatty acids.

 

Maroon said the study is important because many anti-inflammatory drugs

have been associated with serious side-effects, including ulcers and

heart problems. Furthermore, the cost of natural alternatives to

patients is 50 to 100 percent less than the average cost of pharmaceuticals.

 

According to researchers, more than 100,000 people in the United States

are hospitalized and nearly 20,000 patients die of complications related

to the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories for the treatment of pain.

 

" It is important for patients to understand that less-toxic alternatives

to anti-inflammatories are available, " Maroon said.

 

Scientists made one of the first associations between omega-3s and human

health while studying the Inuit people of Greenland in the 1970s.

 

The Inuit suffered far less from certain diseases -- coronary-heart

disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, psoriasis -- than

their European counterparts. Researchers realized that foods in the

Inuit diet -- whale, seal and salmon -- were rich in omega-3 fatty

acids, which provided actual disease-countering benefits.

 

Previous studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids prevent blood

clots; reduce pain and cholesterol; enhance the immune system; and cause

dilation of blood vessels.

 

In September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recognized that

omega-3s can prevent coronary-artery disease. Two previous clinical

trials also showed that arthritis patients who take fish oils could

eliminate or sharply reduce their use of anti-inflammatory drugs.

 

" There was a reason our grandmothers used to give us cod-liver oil, "

Maroon said. " The problem back then was that it tasted terrible, and you

burped it up all day. "

 

Today, micro-distilled fish-oil capsules are widely available as a

substitute for cod-liver oil and for fresh fish, which may be

contaminated with mercury.

 

Maroon said fish-oil capsules have almost no side-effects. He recommends

that those who aren't taking blood-thinning medications take 3 to 5

grams daily.

 

Sources of omega-3 fatty acids

 

Fish: Atlantic salmon, herring, sardines, halibut, bluefish, tuna and

mackerel

 

The American Heart Association recommends people eat tuna or salmon at

least twice a week. As a reasonable substitute or alternative to fresh

fish, commercial fish-oil capsules containing omega-3s are available.

 

Wild game: Venison and buffalo are both good sources of omega-3s and

make a healthy choice for people who crave meat. Such wild-game meats

can be purchased by mail-order if there are no hunters in your family.

 

Plants: Good sources of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) -- the plant-based

omega-3 -- are flaxseed and flaxseed oil; walnuts; and

leafy, green vegetables, such as purslane.

 

Enhanced food: In the United States, these include omega-3 enriched

eggs; in other countries, breads sometimes are enhanced.

source: www.wholehealthmd.com

 

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Fish oils and omega-3 fatty acids allow patients to ditch Vioxx and

other anti-inflammatory drugs

http://www.newstarget.com/002367.html

 

Interesting new research has been conducted on the health effects of

fish oils and omega-3 fatty acids as alternative replacements for

anti-inflammatory prescription drugs such as Vioxx and Bextra. Many

people don't realize that anti-inflammatory drugs harm more than 100,000

people in the United States each year and kill 20,000 each year.

According to the FDA, Vioxx alone is associated with heart attacks in

more than 27,000 patients over the last several years.

 

But new medical research is showing that fish oils and omega-3 fatty

acids may be just as effective as anti-inflammatory drugs without any of

the negative side effects. In this particular study, more than two

thirds of study participants were able to stop using anti-inflammatory

drugs and, instead, switch to fish oils and omega-3 fatty acids.

Naturally, fish oils don't exhibit the dangerous side effects of

prescription drugs such as increased death rates, increased risk of

heart attacks, and serious neurological disorders.

 

Better yet, fish oils are far less expensive than prescription drugs. Of

course, the pharmaceutical companies don't want consumers to learn the

fact that fish oils can replace their expensive, patented drugs and be

just as effective with none of the negative side effects. And that's

partly why the public rarely hears the good news about prevention of

arthritis pain with natural substances, foods, or nutritional supplements.

 

Had these study participants been given another powerful antioxidant --

astaxanthin -- they would likely have experienced even greater

reductions in arthritis pain. Astaxanthin is fast becoming recognized

one of the most effective natural antioxidants for reducing or even

eliminating arthritis pain, chronic back pain, muscle soreness, and

other physical pains.