Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects up to 1% of the world’s population.1 The Journal of Ayurveda Integrative Medicine published an article evaluating the clinical outcome of Ayurveda whole system intervention—oral medicines, local therapy, and dietary recommendations—for 3 months in RA patients, identifying the serum metabolic signatures that could be useful for diagnosing RA and monitoring response to treatment.
According to the World Health Organization2
- 18 million people worldwide had rheumatoid arthritis (2019 statistic)
- Women make up 70% of those living with RA
- Over half of those affected are ≥55 years old
- RA affects multiple body systems; hand joints, wrists, feet, ankles, knees, shoulders, and elbows are most often affected
The Mayo Clinic3 reports that around 40% of people with RA also experience non joint related signs and symptoms and areas that may be affected include:
- Skin
- Eyes
- Lungs
- Heart
- Kidneys
- Salivary glands
- Nerve tissue
- Bone marrow
- Blood vessels
Clinical trials have reported Ayurvedic interventions to be of benefit: the ayurveda whole system intervention led to “A significant reduction in Disease Activity Score-28 Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, Ayurvedic Ama Score, total swollen joints, total tender joints, and not only alleviated symptoms but also induced a profound metabolic shifting towards normalization.”
The researchers stress that “future studies are imperative to confirm these preliminary observations and delineate the underlying mechanisms of action of intervention in cases of RA.”
- Gravallese et al. Rheumatoid arthritis—common origins, divergent mechanisms. New Engl J Med. 2023;388:529-542.
- World Health Organization. Rheumatoid arthritis. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rheumatoid-arthritis#:~:text=Detail/,Overview.
- Mayo Clinic. Rheumatoid arthritis. Overview. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353648.
