Vitamins for Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Arthritis Health Center

Rheumatoid Arthritis Health Center

Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Role of Biologics

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On a Biologic for RA? Here's what you need to know.
Is It Time for a Biologic? How to tell if a biologic drug may help your RA.
When a Biologic Fails Find out what to do if your first biologic fails.
How Biologics Work What is a biologic? How do these medications stop progression of RA?
Biologics at a Glance Injection or infusion? Use this medication chart to see how biologics are given.
Choosing the Right Biologic for You The differences between biologics, and talking to your doctor about the options.
Risks and Benefits of Biologics How to evaluate the benefits of biologics with the risk of side effects.
Biologic Costs and Insurance How to get your medication covered if your doctor recommends a biologic.
All Your RA Treatment Options Your choice in medications, and why early treatment counts.
Combination Therapy Your questions answered about taking more than one RA drug.
Complications of RA Beware of possible complications in your heart, lungs, bones, and eyes.
6 Mistakes to Avoid When You Have RA From not seeing a rheumatologist to not getting to right medication, what to avoid.
Making Physical Therapy Work for You 5 steps to successful PT for RA.
4 Foods That Fight Inflammation There's no "RA diet," but these foods may help lower inflammation.
Tips for Traveling With RA On the road? Here's how to keep joint pain at bay.
RA and Exercise: What's the Benefit? Find out how exercise helps relieve joint pain and stiffness.
How Stress Can Make RA Worse It's a vicious cycle: RA causes stress, and stress exacerbates RA symptoms.
Vitamins and Minerals for RA Are you getting enough of what your body needs?

Vitamins, Minerals, and RA: What Your Body Needs

If you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), you may need to pay more attention to your diet for these three reasons:

Some RA medications block nutrients your body needs. For instance, methotrexate can block folic acid, and corticosteroids block calcium.
RA causes chronic inflammation in your body, which may mean you need more calories and protein than someone who doesn't have RA.
If your RA makes cooking difficult, you might start choosing foods that you don't have to cook. That's fine as long as they're nutritious, but they often have more empty calories, fat, and salt.

Folic Acid/Folate

Folic acid is a B vitamin that promotes health and supports your body’s metabolism. Folic acid also plays a crucial role in pregnancy, where it helps prevent some birth defects. In its natural form, folic acid is called folate.

Some common RA drugs such as methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall) and sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) interfere with how the body uses folic acid. Eating more foods with folic acid, such as spinach, collards, broccoli, garbanzo beans, lentils, peas, and oranges, can help. Some foods, such as orange juice, are fortified with folic acid. Some people may need to take folic acid supplements.

Ask your doctor or dietitian how much folic acid you need to help prevent medication side effects during methotrexate treatment. There's some evidence that taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may also cause low levels of folic acid, so ask your doctor if you take NSAIDs often or take high doses.

Calcium

Corticosteroids can make it harder for your body to use calcium. That can lead to weak bones and the bone disease osteoporosis. RA can also put you at risk for weak bones in other ways. Your immune system, which RA makes overactive, may attack your bones directly.

Being active is important in keeping up bone strength, but RA can make it feel more difficult. Exercise can help keep your bones strong, in addition to helping relieve the symptoms of RA.

Food sources of calcium include dairy products, canned sardines and salmon, almonds, broccoli, kale, and fortified orange juice and cereal.

How much calcium do you need? The recommendations are 1,000 milligrams a day for adults under age 50 and 1,200 milligrams for people 51 and older. Your doctor might recommend a higher amount or suggest that you take calcium supplements.