Our diet is of great interest to all of us. We believe that our health is linked to what we eat, and most of us make an effort to eat healthy food. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) sometimes wonder if their disease could be treated with special foods. We explore the relationship between food, eating and SLE in this article to help answer some common questions. We stress knowledge that is based on scientific evidence, and place less emphasis on advertisements and poorly-supported claims. A good book for us is The Essential Arthritis Cookbook, 1st edition, published by the Arthritis Center and the Department of Nutrition Sciences, Univerisity of Alabama at Birmingham, Appletree Press, Inc. Mankato, Minnesota.
SLE is not caused by foods, and it cannot be cured by eating a special selection of foods. The majority of lupus patients can enjoy a healthy normal diet. Sometimes, special dietary restrictions are required, for which the service of a Dietitian is invaluable. We also recommend a few simple measures to ensure that eating and cooking remain pleasurable. A few highlights about food and medicines are mentioned.
Can we treat SLE with special foods or diets?
Unfortunately, there are few well-conducted studies regarding the treatment of SLE with foods. From animal studies, we know that restricting the amount of calorie (the amount of energy in food) eaten tends to prolong life and reduce heart disease in mice. There are special mice that develop a condition similar to SLE. When they are fed a diet rich in polyunsaturated fat, they developed less kidney damage and lower antibody levels. Polyunsaturated fat is found in vegetable oils, like margarine and corn oil, while saturated fat is found in food made from animals, like lard, ghee and butter. We also know that too much or too little iron in the body can worsen kidney damage and shorten life in rats. One study in humans found that polyunsaturated fat diet improves the blood chemical tests in twelve lupus patients, but they remained the same from other points of view.In summary, there is no evidence that special foods or diets can be used to treat SLE. However, the lessons learnt from animals are generally useful: we should have enough iron and polyunsaturated fat and we should not overeat. It is not clear if these help treat SLE, but they are good practices anyway.