Below are items which have been demonstrated through scientific or clinical studies to have significant positive effects on rheumatoid arthritis. These are provided for educational and research purposes only. As always, be mindful of any allergies you may have and consult with your physician before starting any regimen in addition to your prescribed therapy.
- Thunder duke vine (Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F)
- Bee propolis
- Rose hip
- Common nettle, burn nettle, stinging nettle or nettle leaf
- Citrus fruits and mushrooms
- Olive oil, nuts, and avocados and avocado oil (monounsaturated fatty acids)
References
Chrubasik S, Enderlein W, Bauer R, Grabner W. Evidence for antirheumatic effectiveness of Herba Urticae dioicae in acute arthritis: A pilot study. Phytomedicine. 1997 Jun 1;4(2):105-8.
He J, Wang YU, Feng M, Zhang X, Jin YB, Li X, Su LC, Liu S, Wang AX, Chen XM, Wu LJ. Dietary intake and risk of rheumatoid arthritis—a cross section multicenter study. Clinical rheumatology. 2016 Dec;35:2901-8.
Matsumoto Y, Sugioka Y, Tada M, Okano T, Mamoto K, Inui K, Habu D, Koike T. Monounsaturated fatty acids might be key factors in the Mediterranean diet that suppress rheumatoid arthritis disease activity: The TOMORROW study. Clinical nutrition. 2018 Apr 1;37(2):675-80.
Nattagh‐Eshtivani E, Pahlavani N, Ranjbar G, Gholizadeh Navashenaq J, Salehi‐Sahlabadi A, Mahmudiono T, Nader Shalaby M, Jokar M, Nematy M, Barghchi H, Havakhah S. Does propolis have any effect on rheumatoid arthritis? A review study. Food science & nutrition. 2022 Apr;10(4):1003-20.
Willich SN, Rossnagel K, Roll S, Wagner A, Mune O, Erlendson J, Kharazmi A, Sörensen H, Winther K. Rose hip herbal remedy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis–a randomised controlled trial. Phytomedicine. 2010 Feb 1;17(2):87-93.
Zhou YZ, Zhao LD, Chen H, Zhang Y, Wang DF, Huang LF, Lv QW, Liu B, Li Z, Wei W, Li H. Comparison of the impact of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F and Methotrexate treatment on radiological progression in active rheumatoid arthritis: 2-year follow up of a randomized, non-blinded, controlled study. Arthritis research & therapy. 2018 Dec;20:1-2.