Alcohol found to reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
28/7/2010
According to an article in the journal Rheumatology researchers from the University of Sheffield looked at 873 patients with the condition and compared their experiences with those of a 1,004-person control group.
It was found that those people who drink alcohol on a regular basis were found to have rheumatoid arthritis symptoms that were less severe than other who rarely or never drank.
"X-rays showed there was less damage to joints, blood tests showed lower levels of inflammation, and there was less joint pain, swelling and disability," said the study's lead author Dr James Maxwell.
He went on to say that this was the first study to prove this association among humans.
Meanwhile, a separate study conducted by researchers from the Netherlands has found that people with osteoarthritis of the knee and hip experience a more physically active lifestyle if they stick to home physical therapy plans.