YA-A-A-A-ARGH-H-H-H-H!! THE PAIN!! DR: "YEP; ARTHRITIS."

Avoiding Nightshades May Reduce Arthritis Flare-ups
Tulsa World
JENNIFER K. COVINO CREDIT:The Stamford Advocate
March 01, 2002



They don't look or taste anything alike: the funny-shaped purple eggplant, the plump red tomato and the fresh-from-the-dirt potato. But all three belong to the Solanaceae or nightshade food family and all three could be culprits when it comes to swollen joints.

Nightshade foods contain a toxin called solanine, which scientists believe interferes with proper enzyme function in muscles, leading to pain. Other members of the nightshade family are green and red peppers, chili peppers, paprika and all tobacco products.

"Some people feel that including peppers, potatoes and tomatoes in their diets causes or aggravates their joint stiffness and pain," acknowledges Barry Fox, author of the book, "Arthritis for Dummies" (paperback, $19.99). But Fox warns that there are mostly anecdotes - - and limited scientific research -- to back up the claims.

The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, accounts for the vast majority of cases, affecting 12 percent of Americans ages 25 to 74, according to the American College of Rheumatology. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage in the joint breaks down. The breakdown causes the bones to rub against one another, causing pain, most often in the hands and in weight-bearing joints such as knees, hips, feet and the back.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects 1 percent of the population, striking women nearly three times as often as men. It is an autoimmune disorder because the immune system mistakenly attacks the synovial membranes that lubricate the joints. The membranes become inflamed, leading to pain, stiffness and swelling.

Dietary changes, such as limiting saturated fat, increasing vegetable intake, supplementing with fish oils and avoiding nightshade foods, are believed to help those with rheumatoid arthritis, which is categorized by inflammation. But there's no guarantee. Dr. Sharon Karp, a rheumatologist in Stamford, Conn., says she has a handful of patients who believe eating nightshade foods aggravates their rheumatoid arthritis. A friend who suffers from Still's Disease, a rare form of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis that can also strike adults, avoids tomatoes and peppers as a general rule, as well as fatty meats and cheeses. The worst is waking up the next morning after a slice of pizza, he says, to find his joints inflamed.

Dr. Tomas Viegorisz, a Stamford rheumatologist, says he doubts passing on the pasta sauce is going to benefit those with osteoarthritis. "Once the process of cartilage breakdown has taken place, it's difficult to reverse," Viegorisz says. "It's mostly symptomatic treatment and treating pain."

In the late 1970s, a tomato juice drinker and arthritis sufferer named Dr. Norman Childers, then a professor of horticulture at Cook College in New Jersey, began to investigate the link between nightshades and arthritis. Childers continued his research for several decades. In a 1993 report published in the Journal of Neurological and Orthopedic Medical Surgery, he concluded that eliminating nightshade foods from the diet eased symptoms among arthritis sufferers. Childers surveyed 434 people with arthritis who had attempted to eliminate nightshades from their diet for a period of time. Among those who rigidly adhered to the diet, 94 percent reported complete or substantial relief. Among those who slipped up occasionally, 50 percent experienced a marked reduction in joint tenderness and muscle spasms, plus gains in motion and endurance, according to Childers.

Childers found that nightshade foods help to inhibit cholinesterase, the enzyme that controls the normal functioning of the nervous system, and thus contribute to joint deterioration and stiffness. Those with rheumatoid arthritis are most affected by this property. But Childers also found a link between osteoarthritis and the production of vitamin D3, which is produced by the nightshade foods. The vitamin has been shown to cause crippling in livestock.

Some guidelines suggest eliminating nightshade foods from the diet one at a time, then reintroducing the food after seven to 10 days, keeping track of symptoms. Others warn it could take weeks or months of nightshade abstinence to notice results. The Arthritis Foundation suggests consulting with a physician before starting an elimination diet.
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