Alcohol Consumption Cuts Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk

Saturday June 7, 2008

Alcohol consumption decreases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, according to results from two Scandinavian studies published in the June 5, 2008 Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. More than 2,750 people took part in the studies which assessed environmental and genetic risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis. Of the study participants, 1,650 had rheumatoid arthritis while the rest were randomly selected from the general population. The study participants were asked about their lifestyle, including how much they smoked and how much alcohol they drank. Blood samples were obtained to analyze genetic risk factors.

Results revealed that drinking alcohol was associated with a significantly lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis -- and the more one drank, the lower the risk. Among regular drinkers, those who drank the most were up to 50% less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who drank the least. The effect of regular alcohol consumption on rheumatoid arthritis risk was the same for men and women. Alcohol cut the risk most in smokers who had genetic risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis.

Researchers concluded the studies was compatible with previous research that indicated alcohol protects against the development and severity of rheumatoid arthritis as well as other inflammatory conditions such as cardiovascular disease. But there's one very important caveat -- generally, it is recommended that all of us limit our alcohol intake to no more than 2 drinks per day, according to rheumatologist Scott J. Zashin, MD. Whether or not patients with arthritis can have the same liberties depend on their medication. Patients on methotrexate should completely abstain from alcohol due to the fact that the combination of drinking plus methotrexate increase the risk of developing liver damage. Patients taking acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) must also be cautious about alcohol consumption.

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