Can a Low-Carb Diet Relieve Knee Osteoarthritis Pain?

Patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who follow a low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) may experience pain relief, according to findings of a new pilot study.

The researchers randomly assigned participants aged 65 to 75 years with knee OA to follow either an LCD, to follow a low-fat diet (LFD), or to continue their usual diet.

IF YOU LIKE THIS, READ MORE...

Total Knee Replacements in Knee OA Are Not Performed at Optimal Times

ACR and Arthritis Foundation Release Updated Guideline on Osteoarthritis Management

The participants’ functional pain, self-reported pain, quality of life, and depression were assessed every 3 weeks for 12 weeks.

Compared with the participants who followed an LFD or their usual diet, participants in the LCD group demonstrated a reduction in pain intensity, unpleasantness in some functional pain tasks, and self-reported pain.

At baseline and again upon the conclusion of the 12-week dietary intervention, the researchers analyzed the participants’ serum for oxidative stress. The LCD significantly reduced oxidative stress and the adipokine leptin, with the reduction in oxidative stress being related to reduced functional pain.

“We present evidence suggesting that oxidative stress may be related to functional pain, and lowering it through our LCD intervention could provide relief from pain and be an opioid alternative,” the researchers concluded.

—Colleen Murphy

Reference:

Strath LJ, Jones CD, George AP, et al. The effect of low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets on pain in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Pain Med. 2020;21(1):150-160. doi:10.1093/pm/pnz022.