Rheumatoid Arthritis

Prevention

There is no known way to prevent RA. Preliminary studies have suggested that eating a diet rich in antioxidants or taking zinc supplements may reduce the risk of developing the disease, but neither of these measures is recommended for this purpose.

A 2002 study found that the rate of new cases of arthritis has decreased steadily over the past 40 years, lending support to the hypothesis that a changing environmental factor may promote or protect against RA. For example, it is possible that birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy might offer some protection against RA, although not all studies have borne out this theory. (Hormone replacement therapy should be used only for the short-term relief of menopausal symptoms.)