The second group followed an unrestricted diet but were asked to take a daily placebo capsule, which had no effect in the study. Then the groups switched diets for 16 weeks.
During the vegan phase of the study, Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS28) decreased two points on average, indicating a greater reduction in joint pain, compared to a decrease of 0.3 points in the placebo phase.
The Disease Activity Score-28 calculates swollen joints, and C-reactive protein values, which indicate inflammation in the body.
DAS28 increases with rheumatoid arthritis severity.
Source: | This article first appeared on Express.co.uk