How Does N-Acetylcysteine Affect People with Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory condition. It affects the joints and, in many cases, more than just the joints. In some people, rheumatoid arthritis can damage the body systems, including the heart, lungs, skin, and blood vessels.

Since it is an autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis is triggered by an immune system attack on the body’s tissues.

Compared to the usual wear-and-tear damage of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis affects your joint lining, resulting in a painful swelling that can trigger bone erosion and joint deformity.

The inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis can also damage other body parts. While new medications have dramatically improved treatment options, severe arthritis can also cause physical disabilities.

The increased levels of inflammation in the joint increase the level of oxidative stress, which contributes to stiffness, pain, and the lack of mobility experienced by people with rheumatoid arthritis.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an acetylated form of L-cysteine, an amino acid with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. In this article, we’ll explore the effect of N-acetylcysteine on rheumatoid arthritis.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

People with rheumatoid arthritis may experience symptoms such as:

· Tenderness and swelling of the joints. The joints may also have a warm feel

· Joint stiffness that usually worsens in the mornings and after prolonged inactivity

· Fever, loss of appetite, and fatigue

Rheumatoid arthritis first affects the smaller joints, especially the joints that connect your fingers to your hands and your toes to the feet.

As the disease progresses, these symptoms typically spread to the knees, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, and ankles. In addition, the symptoms often occur in the same joints on opposite sides of the body.

It is worth knowing that at least 40 percent of people with rheumatoid arthritis also experience symptoms involving other body parts. These parts include:

· Eyes

· Skin

· Heart

· Lungs

· Kidneys

· Salivary glands

· Blood vessels

· Bone marrow

· Nerve tissue

The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may vary in severity. Sometimes, they may come and go. Flares (i.e., periods of high activity) alternate with periods of remission — when the pain and swelling fade. Over time, arthritis can cause a deformity of the joints.

Does N-acetylcysteine treat rheumatoid arthritis?

A recent study published in the journal Amino Acids evaluated the effect of N-acetylcysteine supplementation on disease activity, oxidative stress, and inflammatory and metabolic parameters in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

In this 3-month randomized controlled trial, 74 RA patients were randomized into two groups. The first group took 600 mg of NAC twice per day. The NAC group comprised 36 participants; 30 women and six men. The second group was given a placebo twice daily and consisted of 34 participants; 24 women and ten men. The researchers assessed disease activity before and after the study using the DAS (Disease Activity Score — 28). The researchers also analyzed several biomarkers.

The results of the study showed that participants in the NAC group had drastic decreases in the following biomarkers:

· Disease activity score

· Morning stiffness

· Fasting blood glucose

· Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (a measure of inflammation)

· Nitric oxide

· Malondialdehyde (an oxidative stress marker)

· High-sensitivity c-reactive protein

· Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

There were also significant increases in HDL-C levels in the NAC group. In conclusion, the researchers discovered that NAC had no effect on RA disease activity compared to the placebo and thus concluded that it should be used as an adjunctive therapy rather than a standard therapy for RA.

When to see your healthcare provider?

Consult your healthcare provider if you have persistent swelling and joint discomfort.

What causes rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition. Your immune system is designed to protect your body from disease and infection. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system will attack the healthy tissues in your joints and cause problems with your skin, eyes, nerves, lungs, and heart.

Most doctors don’t understand what triggers this process, but a genetic component may be involved. Although your genes are not a primary cause of rheumatoid arthritis, they can cause your body to react to environmental factors — like infection with some bacteria and viruses — that may cause the disease.

Risk Factors

Risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis include:

· Gender: the risk for RA is higher in women than in men.

· Age: RA can occur at any age. However, it is more common among the middle-aged.

· Family history: If someone in your family has had this condition, you may have a higher risk of the disease.

· Smoking: Your risk of developing RA increases if you smoke a cigarette. The trouble is even higher if you are genetically predisposed to developing the disease. Smoking is also associated with greater disease severity.

· Being overweight: Excess weight somewhat increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Traditional Therap

Your healthcare provider may refer you to an occupational or physical therapist who will guide you on exercises to maintain the flexibility of your joints. The therapist may also suggest ways to perform daily tasks easier on your joints. For instance, you may use your forearms to pick up an object.

Using assistive devices may ease the stress on your painful joints. For example, a kitchen knife fitted with a hand grip protects your wrist and finger joints. In addition, Buttonhooks can ease the process of getting dressed.

Home Remedies

You can adopt some steps to care for your body if you are affected by rheumatoid arthritis. These self-care measures can help manage your symptoms:

· Regular exercise. Gentle exercise strengthens your joint muscles and reduces fatigue. You must consult your healthcare provider before you begin an exercise regimen. If you are just getting started, begin with a walk. Do not exercise injured, tender, or severely inflamed joints.

· Apply cold or heat. Heat eases your pain and relaxes tense, painful muscles. Cold dulls the pain sensation. It has a numbing effect and is helpful for swelling.

· Relaxation. Reducing stress can help you cope with pain. Deep breathing, guided imagery, and muscle relaxation are techniques that can be used to control pain.

RA and Foundational Correction

Dr. Brett Berner measuring before a Foundational Corrective adjustment.

Foundational Correction focuses on correcting a foundational shift of the spine, which may be the root cause of many secondary conditions (symptoms). This unique form of chiropractic care doesn’t just focus on treating symptoms for temporary relief. Instead, Foundational Correction focuses on your body’s natural ability to heal from health-related concerns.

Before undergoing this specific procedure, Foundation Chiropractic will first identify whether there is a Foundational Shift or not. Then, cutting-edge diagnostic tools are used to uncover the source of the problem and serve as benchmarks for progress throughout the healing process.

Foundational Correction avoids all conventional techniques involving twisting, pushing, or pulling on the neck. Instead, this unique form of chiropractic uses precise and gentle correction technologies to align the affected area. This will restore the spine and neck to their normal position, thus removing the Foundational Shift and facilitating recovery and healing.

Takeaway

RA is a condition that currently doesn’t have a cure. Most RA patients do not have constant symptoms. Instead, they usually experience flare-ups and remissions (symptom-free periods).

The course of the ailment varies, and the symptoms can range from mild to severe.

RA usually worsens over time. This explains why early treatment is essential to delay damage to the joints.

Discuss it with your healthcare provider if you are experiencing symptoms or have fears about RA.

Disclaimer: Dr. Berner does not diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical diseases or conditions; instead, he analyzes and corrects the structure of his patients with Foundational Correction to improve their overall quality of life. He works with their physicians, who regulate their medications. This blog post is not designed to provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment, or services to you or any other individual. The information provided in this post or through linkages to other sites is not a substitute for medical or professional care. You should not use the information in place of a visit, consultation, or the advice of your physician or another healthcare provider. Foundation Chiropractic and Dr. Brett Berner are not liable or responsible for any advice, the course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this article or others.

References

Esalatmanesh, K., Jamali, A., Esalatmanesh, R., Soleimani, Z., Khabbazi, A., & Malek Mahdavi, A. (2022). Effects of N-acetylcysteine supplementation on disease activity, oxidative stress, and inflammatory and metabolic parameters in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Amino acids, 54(3), 433–440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-022-03134-8