Fish oils may help pianist play again

Mar 25 2008 by Audrey Barton, The Journal

THE piano is not only Katherine Pringle’s great love – it is her livelihood.

But the 35-year-old now struggles to play as it is too painful for her fingers.

She has suffered rheumatoid arthritis in her hands and knees for the last 18 months and the condition is gradually worsening.

The young piano teacher has had to give up tennis and struggles to work because of the condition which also causes fatigue and muscle aches.

But she has been given new hope for the future after starting to take fish oils to see if they alleviate symptoms of arthritis.

“I have played the piano since I was eight but now it is a struggle,” she said.

“The effects of the condition are horrible. It restricts your social life.

“People think arthritis just affects older people but it affects younger people too.”

A three times daily cocktail of anti- inflammatory drugs and pain killers and painful steroid injections in her fingers became part of life – until Katherine, who is also a family history researcher, of Kenners Dene, Tynemouth, heard from a friend that cod liver oil could help to alleviate the condition.

Eight months on and she has stopped the injections completely and takes medication just once a day.

“It has taken away some of the pain and reduced the amount of anti-inflammatory drugs and pain killers I have had to take.

“It has made my joints more flexible. It seems to be the cod liver oil as I haven’t taken anything else.”

The powerful medication Katherine takes has side effects including problems with her stomach and digestion acid with a risk of ulcers. She has been taking anti-acid drugs to combat the side effects and now hopes the cod liver oil capsules will prevent her having to be dependent on the drugs.

“They are so easy to use, I take one daily and they aren’t smelly.”

Although Katherine does not know what the future holds with her condition as it is progressive, she is hopeful the supplements will make a difference to managing her condition.

“It could start affecting other parts of my body, we don’t know.

“But I hope the cod liver oil means I’m not dependent on drugs.”

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Research offers hope to many sufferers

SUPPLEMENTS containing essential fats can reduce the requirement for anti-inflammatory drugs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to research.

The five-year study showed nearly 40% of patients who continued to take cod liver oil were able to reduce their non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Nsaids) intake by more than 30%.

The research by doctors from Dundee and Edinburgh showed there were no significant differences in adverse effects recorded in the cod liver oil treatment group compared with a control group.

Nsaids are widely prescribed in rheumatoid arthritis but there is widespread concern about their side effects which has limited their use.

Principal investigator Professor Jill Belch at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School Dundee, said: “This study offers hope to many rheumatoid arthritis patients. Cod liver oil supplements can offer a natural pain management treatment without the harmful side effects that can be associated with anti-inflammatory drugs.

“It reinforces previous research that has shown cod liver oil, and its high content of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, to have significant anti-inflammatory properties in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.”

Ailsa Bosworth, of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, says: “People with rheumatoid arthritis still rely heavily on anti-inflammatory drugs, even though the safety of these drugs is under scrutiny.

“It’s in this context that this new research provides some promising new evidence that cod liver oil may reduce the need for anti-inflammatory drugs.”