Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Best and Worst Supplements and Herbs

WebMD explains which supplements and herbs may help relieve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and which ones you should not take.By Karen Springen
WebMD Feature

At 35, Chicago flight attendant Michele Mason says her bones felt like “pins and needles” were in them, and her hands were so swollen that she found it difficult to put on her infant son’s socks. Her knees ached, too. “I couldn’t even get out of the bathtub by myself,” she says.

When her doctor suspected rheumatoid arthritis, Mason worried that traditional medicines might not be good for her breastfeeding baby. So with her doctor’s blessing, she took a very low-dose steroid and turned to herbs and supplements, including boswellia (Indian frankincense) and fish oil, to help relieve the pain and inflammation.

A year later, her diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis was confirmed. “I was happier to go with what I felt was a safer route with herbs,” she says. “While they didn’t make it go away, they did give me some relief."   

Like Mason, about 30% of patients surveyed from North Carolina with rheumatoid arthritis have tried supplements, according to a study in Preventing Chronic Disease . “And use is increasing,” says study co-author Leigh Callahan, PhD, associate professor of medicine, orthopaedics and social medicine at the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

So what are the best herbs and supplements for RA? And, are they safe? Here's what you need to know. 

First, know that herbs and supplements haven't been studied in the same way that prescription medicines for RA have. “There’s a tremendous disconnect between their widespread usage and people’s belief in their efficacy compared to what we’ve actually proven scientifically,” says Chaim Putterman, MD, chief of rheumatology at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

That is changing as the National Institutes of Health has a well-established center dedicated to studying complementary and alternative medicine . In the meantime, experts say that although some herbs and supplements may help relieve inflammation, they're best used in combination with RA medicines. “It’s not a good reason to throw out their disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs," says William St. Clair, interim chief of the division of rheumatology at Duke University Medical Center.”

Always talk to your doctor first, because herbs and supplements may interfere with other medicines you are taking. Remember, too, that since they are not regulated in the same way that drugs are, you cannot always be sure what you are buying, says St. Clair.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) recommends that women who are pregnant or nursing, or those considering CAM use in children use extra caution and consult their health care provider.

With that in mind, here are the herbs and supplements some experts suggest for RA.

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The Morning Scoop: Running Endurance Tips, Worst Cities for Spring Allergy Sufferers and More!

Are you a spring allergy sufferer? Find out how your hometown stacks up against other U.S. cities based on factors like pollen levels and the number of board-certified allergists in the area. [CNN]

Are organic foods always better? A new study suggests the "organic" label can bias consumers for what's been dubbed the 'Health Halo Effect.' [Science Daily]

Three months after the Newtown shooting, the state of Connecticut is poised to pass what could be the nation's strictest gun control package. [The Daily Beast]

You may be about to learn a lot more about your noggin: Today, President Obama is expect to unveil an initiative to map the human brain in 2014. [NYTimes]

Image Credit: Riccardo Tinelli

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Mom is making M&M cookies, just kill me (especially when I'm having the WORST craving)

So I'm obsessed with all things cookies and cookie dough and my mom is making M&M cookies for my brothers.  And its bad too cuz she won't really let me have any which makes my inner craving demon want them even more, like breaking the rules and being secretive!

I need HELP, really about to give in!!!!!

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Are Those Who Multitask Most the Worst at It?

Jan. 24, 2013 -- Next time you see a driver talking on the cell phone and looking confident, you might want to change lanes.

People who often talk on cell phones while driving may think they are experts at such multitasking, but they are typically not, says researcher David Strayer, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Utah.

In this case, Strayer and his colleagues found practice does not make perfect, or even close to it.

"The people who multitask the most seem to be the worst at it," he says, citing his study results. The study is published in PLOS ONE.

However, another expert who has studied the effects of distraction takes issue with the finding. It may only suggest that people who are more intelligent don't talk and drive, as they are aware of the risks, says Erik Altmann, PhD. He is an associate professor of psychology at Michigan State University.

Strayer measured the multitasking ability of 277 college students. 

He used a test that involves two tasks. The students had to remember a series of two to five letters. Each of the letters was separated by a simple math equation ("Does 2+4=6?") that they had to decide was true or false.

The students also ranked themselves on multitasking ability. They gave themselves a score, from zero to 100, with 50 termed average.

"Eighty percent said they were at or above average at multitasking," Strayer says. That's statistically impossible.

He jokes that it's akin to thinking they live in Lake Wobegon. That is the fictitious town of humorist Garrison Keillor, where the kids are ''all above average." 

Students self-reported their multitasking, including cell phone use while driving. They also reported multitasking with media such as word processing and Web surfing.

They completed questionnaires that measured their impulsivity and sensation-seeking behaviors.

Students who reported most often talking on the cell phone while driving actually scored 20% lower on the multitasking test than did those drivers who talked on the cell phone the least, Strayer says.

"Those who did the best on the multitasking test tended to talk and drive the least," he says. "They have the self-awareness of their own human limitations to realize it's not safe to talk or text and drive."

Strayer found certain behaviors more common among the frequent multitaskers. "The people doing it the most tend to be impulsive, sensation-seeking, and overconfident in their ability to do that," he says. "It validates your worst nightmare."

Impulsivity was related to overall multitasking, but not to talking and driving. Strayer says that indicates cell phone use in a vehicle is a deliberate choice.

Altmann of Michigan State takes issue with the test used to gauge multitasking. "It is purely a test of working memory capacity that happens to correlate very highly with IQ," he says. "It may or may not reflect multitasking ability."

"They may only show that someone who is smarter doesn't use the cell phone as much when they drive," he says.

Strayer, in response, says that the test is valid, one of many ways to measure multitasking. "It basically does measure the ability to juggle two tasks with different goals at the same time." 

The self-reporting of cell phone use is another limitation of the study, Altmann says, as it may not be accurate.

View the original article here

Are Those Who Multitask Most the Worst at It?

Jan. 24, 2013 -- Next time you see a driver talking on the cell phone and looking confident, you might want to change lanes.

People who often talk on cell phones while driving may think they are experts at such multitasking, but they are typically not, says researcher David Strayer, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Utah.

In this case, Strayer and his colleagues found practice does not make perfect, or even close to it.

"The people who multitask the most seem to be the worst at it," he says, citing his study results. The study is published in PLOS ONE.

However, another expert who has studied the effects of distraction takes issue with the finding. It may only suggest that people who are more intelligent don't talk and drive, as they are aware of the risks, says Erik Altmann, PhD. He is an associate professor of psychology at Michigan State University.

Strayer measured the multitasking ability of 277 college students. 

He used a test that involves two tasks. The students had to remember a series of two to five letters. Each of the letters was separated by a simple math equation ("Does 2+4=6?") that they had to decide was true or false.

The students also ranked themselves on multitasking ability. They gave themselves a score, from zero to 100, with 50 termed average.

"Eighty percent said they were at or above average at multitasking," Strayer says. That's statistically impossible.

He jokes that it's akin to thinking they live in Lake Wobegon. That is the fictitious town of humorist Garrison Keillor, where the kids are ''all above average." 

Students self-reported their multitasking, including cell phone use while driving. They also reported multitasking with media such as word processing and Web surfing.

They completed questionnaires that measured their impulsivity and sensation-seeking behaviors.

Students who reported most often talking on the cell phone while driving actually scored 20% lower on the multitasking test than did those drivers who talked on the cell phone the least, Strayer says.

"Those who did the best on the multitasking test tended to talk and drive the least," he says. "They have the self-awareness of their own human limitations to realize it's not safe to talk or text and drive."

Strayer found certain behaviors more common among the frequent multitaskers. "The people doing it the most tend to be impulsive, sensation-seeking, and overconfident in their ability to do that," he says. "It validates your worst nightmare."

Impulsivity was related to overall multitasking, but not to talking and driving. Strayer says that indicates cell phone use in a vehicle is a deliberate choice.

Altmann of Michigan State takes issue with the test used to gauge multitasking. "It is purely a test of working memory capacity that happens to correlate very highly with IQ," he says. "It may or may not reflect multitasking ability."

"They may only show that someone who is smarter doesn't use the cell phone as much when they drive," he says.

Strayer, in response, says that the test is valid, one of many ways to measure multitasking. "It basically does measure the ability to juggle two tasks with different goals at the same time." 

The self-reporting of cell phone use is another limitation of the study, Altmann says, as it may not be accurate.

View the original article here

The Best and Worst States for Your Heart

Dec. 19, 2012 -- Oklahoma may want to rethink parts of its official state meal -- designated by the legislature in 1988 -- which includes barbecue pork, chicken fried steak, sausage, biscuits and gravy, fried okra and squash, strawberries, black-eyed peas, grits, corn, cornbread, and pecan pie.

A new survey released today by the CDC suggests that close to 99% of adults in the Sooner State have one or more risk factors or behaviors that increase risk for heart disease -- the highest rate for any state in the nation.

Oklahomans were also less likely to report eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day than residents of any other state, and they were among the most likely to report being overweight.

By way of contrast, Washington, D.C., had the largest number of residents with optimal heart health. Close to 7% of people living in D.C. who responded to the survey reported having no major risk factors for heart attack and stroke.

The study is the first to examine the nation’s heart health on a state-by-state basis. There were a few surprises, says CDC epidemiologist Jing Fang, MD, of the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention.

The telephone survey included more than 350,000 people in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They were asked about seven key heart health indicators:

Blood pressureTotal cholesterolSmoking statusWeight (as measured by body mass index)DiabetesPhysical activityFruit and vegetable consumption

Based on the responses, the survey findings suggest that:

Just 3% of U.S. adults have ideal heart health.About 10% adults in the U.S. have poor heart health.The states with the fewest people with optimal heart health are Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Mississippi.The places with the largest number of residents having no major risk factors for heart disease are Washington, D.C., Vermont, Virginia, and Connecticut.People living in New England and in the western U.S. generally have better heart health than those living in the South and Midwest.Just 14% of Oklahomans said they ate five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day, compared to 31% of Washington, D.C., residents, the highest in the nation to meet this dietary goal.

Cardiologist Clyde W. Yancy, MD, says the real news in the survey is that so few American adults had none of the seven risk factors for heart disease.

Yancy is chief of the division of cardiology at Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital and professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“We know that 80% of the burden of heart disease and stroke is preventable,” he says. “We have to get people to change their culture, to change their diets and their exercise patterns, and to treat their high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Each of the seven (risk factors) that were asked about in this survey can be addressed if people decide to do it.”

American Heart Association President Donna K. Arnett, MD, agrees.

“The number of people in the U.S. who have what the AHA would consider ideal cardiovascular health is low: only 3.3% of the population,” she says. “This reinforces the importance of the AHA’s goal of improving the cardiovascular health of all Americans by a factor of 20% by 2020. The report does show that there is not only need but much potential for improvement.”

The study, which was funded by the CDC, was published online today in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

View the original article here