Diet and Arthritis

There are certain arthritic conditions which are definitely partially treatable with diet, these include gout and coeliac disease, which are distinct entities. In these -diet is a factor.

In the case of gout, the cell nucleus is metabolically broken down, on cell death, from purine content to uric acid. Ultimately this is excreted by the kidney. The dietary source of purines is only approximately 4-5%, and the bodies own metabolism results in the other 95%. Diet however becomes a factor in acute and subacute phases of gout. A properly treated patient with gout can liberalize the diet once controlled.

Therefore with gout -diet should be controlled rigidly, especially in those times where there is an attack or risk of attacks or where there are tophi. I only start to liberalise the diet, when patients are stable on the drugs that control hyperuricaemia.
I am strict regarding alcohol, red meats, gravies and meat extracts, rich seafoods such as shellfish and lobster.
I do allow ordinary fish, some chicken and unrestricted fruit and vegetables.
Alcohol is also to be strictly avoided.

Diet and fad diets do NOT cure the other inflammatory arthritic conditions...such as rheumatoid arthritis and also there is no evidence that it cures osteoarthritis.

There are only one or two studies showing at most a marginal benefit -
just above placebo benefit but most studies show NO MAJOR RELATIONSHIP TO DIET.

My advice:

Moderation is the key.
Diet is only a marginal factor
Vegetarians are NOT immune from developing any type of arthritis...including Rheumatoid arthritis.
Excessive red meat I agree however should be discouraged.
However if you as an individual find a particular food irritant to your joints and arthritis-LEAVE that foodstuff OUT.
If you dont find a particular food bothers you - enjoy it.

But remember all people are different and what is good for you may not be good for others, and Vice Versa.

It is my personal clinical experience that if a food "annoys" a patients joints - the patient knows.
It is a consistent finding...every time they take that particular foodstuff....they feel it in the next 12-36 hrs.

There are no effective blood or food allergy tests to decide effectively what someone can or cannot eat.
The sensitivity of these tests are too high, and specificity too low, for clinical practice.