Could a compound in red wine ward off knee pain? Millions of arthritis patients may enjoy relief by taking a super dose of the antioxidant
- Researchers found patients with painful knees given resveratrol had less pain
- They also had much lower levels of inflammation in their knees, they discovered
- Eight million people in the UK and 54 million in the US suffer from osteoarthritis
- Scientists at the Al-Rafidain University College in Baghdad led the new study
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A powerful compound abundant in red wine could help millions of osteoarthritis patients battle their daily agony.
Researchers found patients with painful knee joints given resveratrol – found in the skin of red grapes – reported much less pain.
They also had much lower levels of inflammation in their knees, according to the Iraqi scientists behind the study.
Eight million people in the UK and 54 million in the US suffer from osteoarthritis – when the cartilage gradually becomes thin.
Researchers found patients with painful knee joints given resveratrol – found in the skin of red grapes – reported much less pain
It is different to rheumatoid arthritis, a long-term illness in which the immune system causes the body to attack itself.
Despite not being caused by inflammation, patients with osteoarthritis can still have inflamed areas when their cartilage breaks down.
Scientists at the Al-Rafidain University College in Baghdad led the new three-month study of 110 patients.
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Half were given a 500mg daily dose of resveratrol alongside 15mg of meloxicam – a drug used to treat pain and inflammation. The others were instead given a placebo.
Blood tests were taken before and after the study to examine levels of inflammatory biomarkers.
Results showed patients given an oral resveratrol supplement had a much lower pain score, compared to their placebo-taking peers.
WHAT IS OSTEOARTHRITIS?
Osteoarthritis – sometimes called ‘wear and tear’ – is a condition that occurs when the surfaces within joints become damaged.
Cartilage covering the ends of bones gradually thin over time, and the bone thickens, according to Arthritis Research UK.
Around a third of people aged 45 years and over in the UK suffer from the condition. This equates to roughly 8.75 million people. At least 20 million are known to suffer in the US.
It is different to rheumatoid arthritis, a long-term illness in which the immune system causes the body to attack itself, causing painful, swollen and stiff joints.
Replacement joints are often necessary for osteoarthritis patients, because the joint has been worn down and causes agonising pain.
They also had ‘significantly’ lower levels of blood biomarkers of inflammation common in those battling knee osteoarthritis.
The study also involved scientists at the Shar Teaching Hospital in Kurdistan and was published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.
Resveratrol – an antioxidant also found in peanuts – has been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties in an array of studies.
It has also been found to cut harmful cholesterol, protect brain function and lower blood pressure.
However, much of the research on resveratrol has been done in animals and test tubes using high amounts of the compound.
Most human studies have focused on supplemental forms of the compound, in super-strength concentrations higher than that found in wine.
The average glass of red wine contains 2mg of resveratrol, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.
This means people would need to consume 250 glasses of red wine each day – which would be deadly – to achieve the 500mg used in the study.
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