Moderate alcohol intake may have a protective effect on rheumatoid arthritis, but excessive alcohol consumption can worsen symptoms and side effects of medications. The link between alcohol and arthritis is still unclear, and many sufferers report worsening symptoms after drinking. Different types of arthritis have different reactions to alcohol, and combining alcohol with pain relievers or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs can lead to stomach, liver, and immune system problems.
The most common relationship between alcohol and arthritis is that alcohol can worsen the side effects of medications prescribed to treat the condition. In addition to the effect alcohol has on medications, there appears to be a protective effect of moderate alcohol intake and particularly rheumatoid arthritis. Recent studies have concluded that moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a significant reduction in susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis. In patients already suffering from the condition, alcohol consumption has also been shown to reduce its severity.
The first-ever study looking at the relationship between alcohol and arthritis did not focus on the amount of alcohol, but rather the number of times alcohol was drunk and found that the more often rheumatoid arthritis sufferers drank, milder were their symptoms than non-drinkers. However, the link between alcohol and arthritis is still unclear as the study did not specify how much or what type of alcohol is needed for the effect to be positive rather than negative.
The same researchers admitted that a drawback of the study was that the short-term effects were only examined and were hesitant to recommend alcohol as a treatment for arthritis. Many arthritis sufferers abstain from drinking alcohol entirely as they report that their symptoms worsen after drinking. Because rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of joint inflammation and chronic alcohol increases inflammation, the combination isn’t one that benefits everyone.
There are more than 100 different types of arthritis which are classified into three categories: osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia aren’t exacerbated by alcohol, but drinking it can worsen some of the side effects of the pain relievers used to treat the two conditions. When combined, alcohol and arthritis pain relievers can lead to stomach pains and liver problems. These side effects are also possible from the combination of alcohol and medications taken for rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers often have a decreased ability to fight off the disease, a symptom often exacerbated by the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, or DMARDs. Drinking too much alcohol also leads to a compromised immune system. Combined, excessive alcohol intake and arthritis mean more viral infections and vitamin deficiencies, as well as stomach, intestinal and liver problems. Another drug for which alcohol intensifies the effect are benzodiazepines, prescribed to those suffering from fibromyalgia as a muscle relaxant and sedative. Combining alcohol with these drugs intensifies the action on the brain and nervous system.
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