Supplements Vs. Food for Arthritis

Good-for-you foods provide a vast spectrum of nutrients important to battling arthritis inflammation, strengthening bones, fighting disease and generally helping you feel your best. So why not load up onvitamin and mineral supplementsto make sure you’re getting enough of these nutrients? Food trumps supplements for several important reasons:

• If you don’t eat a well-balanced diet, you’re missing out on countless nutrients you’d never get in a pill, or even a handful of different pills. For example, “Fatty fishalso gives you other types of fat, protein, iron, zinc – you’re getting all these other lovely nutrients that are also important from an inflammation perspective and from a whole-health perspective,” explains registered dietitian Heidi Turner, medical nutrition therapist at Seattle Arthritis Clinic.
• Nutrients are most beneficial when they work in concert with other nutrients. For instance,vitamin Dhelps your body absorb calcium, and vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron.
• The body absorbs nutrients from food much better than from supplements.
• 植物性食物提供了一系列的植物营养素，这些营养素是营养补充剂中所没有的，而营养补充剂可以滋养我们肠道中的有益细菌。

Three Exceptions

然而，有三种营养物质是很多人，尤其是关节炎患者，仅仅通过食物无法或无法获得的。Ask your doctor if you should consider these supplements:

Omega-3 fatty acids.特纳说:“大多数研究表明，摄入的量比我们从饮食中摄入的量要多。”但是不要停止吃鱼。健康专家建议每周吃两份富含脂肪的鱼类，如鲑鱼、金枪鱼或沙丁鱼。特纳建议她的许多病人每天服用3000毫克的鱼油，但这并不适合所有人。询问你的医生你是否可能从omega-3补充剂中受益，以及服用多少剂量。

Calcium.If you avoid dairy, which seems to exacerbate arthritis symptoms for some people, getting sufficient calcium, which is important for bones and muscles, can be challenging. Other good food sources are green leafy vegetables and fortified beverages, such as almond milk. Turner’s clinic recommends 800 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day from supplements and food.

Vitamin D.Critical for bone and immune health, vitamin D is scant in food, and Turner says most of her patients are deficient. “If you’re going to supplement with anything, that’s the one to supplement with,” she says.

Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D; food sources include Portobello mushrooms and fatty fish. Turner advises asking your doctor to test to see if you need a supplement. The recommended daily dose is 600 IU, but different people need varying amounts.

Bottom line:特纳说:“我们希望使饮食尽可能多样化和营养密集，这样我们就能从各种各样的食物来源获得所有的营养。”补充剂可能有一定作用，但“食物优先”。”

Author: MARIANNE WAIT

Related Resources:

• 9 Supplements for Arthritis
• Arthritis Supplement and Herb Guide
• Vitamin D: Why We Need It, How to Get It
• The Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• What You Need to Know About Calcium Supplements