Does Eating Eggs Affect Arthritis Symptoms?

什么是关节炎？

Arthritisis a common condition that can cause inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and pain in various joints in the body. While there are more than 100 different types of arthritis, osteoarthritis and RA are the most common ( 5 ).

骨关节炎是一种退化性疾病，其中关节中的软骨会随着时间而变化，导致疼痛和迁移率降低。RA是一种自身免疫性疾病，人体的免疫系统错误地攻击健康的关节细胞（ 6 , 7 ).

关节炎的原因因类型而异。例如，骨关节炎可能是由衰老，关节创伤和肥胖引起的，而RA是由遗传和环境因素引起的（ 5 , 8 ).

According to the CDC, 8 million adults with arthritis feel that their ability to perform at work is negatively affected by the disease. To manage the symptoms, the CDC recommends staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, and discussing treatment options with your doctor ( 1 ).

Some doctors recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or other prescription medications. Many people also find relief with massage, acupuncture, or cold and heat therapies.

Lastly, eating a diet high in antioxidants and low in inflammatory foods may also help relieve symptoms ( 5 ).

Summary

There are over 100 different types of arthritis, with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) being the most common. Some evidence suggests that dietary changes could help alleviate arthritis symptoms.

Can eggs make arthritis symptoms worse?

Whether eggs can worsen arthritis symptoms may depend on allergies or intolerances.

鸡蛋和炎症

The arachidonic acid found in egg yolks can contribute to inflammation in the body. However, there’s currently no evidence to suggest that eliminating eggs from your diet will prevent arthritis development or improve its symptoms ( 9 ).

相反，已经证明卵包含可能具有抗炎特性的化合物。因此，建议大多数成年人（包括关节炎的成年人）每周吃两个鸡蛋作为均衡饮食的一部分（ 9 ).

150人的一项研究,其中50 RA,发现that a Western diet high in refined grains, red meat, and processed food increased the risk of the condition, while a balanced diet including whole grains, eggs, fruits, and vegetables decreased the risk ( 10 ).

多年来，食用鸡蛋一直存在争议，因为它们具有抗炎和促炎的特性。由于关节炎涉及关节炎症，因此有些人认为消除具有促炎性特性的食物，例如卵，可能会减轻症状（ 11 ).

Additionally, eggs contain cholesterol, a type of fat that can promote inflammation in the body. However, this is typically only seen in individuals withinsulin resistanceor other metabolic conditions ( 12 ).

Overall, specific research on eggs’ effects on inflammation and arthritis symptoms is limited.

Vegan and elimination diets

One review found that a vegan diet, which is free from eggs, improved arthritis symptoms. Another review observed positive effects of vegan, elemental,elimination，以及RA的地中海饮食（ 13 , 14 ).

Note that while a vegan diet doesn’t contain eggs, the other mentioned diet types might. Thus, this research is inconclusive when it comes to eggs’ effects on arthritis symptoms ( 14 ).

如果一个人的卵不耐受或过敏，研究表明，他们可能会通过消除饮食来改善其关节炎症状（ 14 ).

However, if you don’t have an egg allergy or intolerance, there’s currently no research indicating a need to eliminate this nutritious food from your diet.

If you’re worried that eggs are contributing to your arthritis symptoms, you can always try cutting them out for a few weeks to months to see whether you notice any improvements.

Summary

那些有一个egg allergy or intolerance may experience less inflammation and improved arthritis symptoms if they stop eating eggs. However, no specific research indicates that eating eggs will worsen your symptoms if you don’t have an egg allergy.

Health benefits of eggs

Eggs are nutrient-dense and offer several health benefits when enjoyed as a part of a well-balanced diet.

营养密度

Eggs are full of nutrients, including protein, vitamin D, choline, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and antioxidants ( 15 ).

One egg yolk contains 37 IU of vitamin D, which is 5% of the Daily Value (DV) ( 15 ).

Vitamin D deficiency已经与RA有关，早期研究表明，如果用作补充剂，维生素可能有助于缓解病情的症状。如果可能的话，从牧场饲养的鸡那里购买鸡蛋，因为这些鸡蛋往往含有更多的维生素D（ 16 , 17 ).

鸡蛋还含有胆碱，胆碱是一种在脑部健康中起重要作用的营养素，可能有助于防止与年龄相关的记忆下降（ 18 ).

最后，蛋白质，omega-3脂肪酸和鸡蛋的抗氧化剂都具有下面概述的几种健康益处。

可以改善眼睛健康

鸡蛋含有叶黄素和玉米黄质，它们是强大的抗氧化剂。在视网膜中也发现了集中量 19 ).

These antioxidants are often referred to as macular pigments because they’ve been shown to slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration, an eye condition that affects the retina and can cause blurry vision or vision loss ( 19 , 20 ).

更重要的是，推测Lutein和Zeaxanthin可以防止其他眼睛条件糖尿病性视网膜病变and cataracts ( 19 , 20 ).

May support weight management

定期吃鸡蛋可能会帮助您manage your weight. Weight management is one of the CDC’s recommendations for managing arthritis symptoms ( 1 ).

尽管只提供了大约70卡路里的热量，但鸡蛋仍在填充。这要归功于它们的蛋白质含量，这是一种大量营养素，已被证明可以帮助您保持饱满，尤其是在用健康的全谷物或蔬菜等健康的纤维来源食用时（ 15 , 21 , 22 ).

此外，由于其高热作用，进食蛋白可以增强您的新陈代谢，这就是您的人体需要消化和吸收食物的能量。研究表明，蛋白质通常比碳水化合物和脂肪具有更高的热作用（ 23 , 24 ).

Summary

鸡蛋营养丰富,拥有多种健康benefits. For example, they support weight management, improve eye health, and reduce heart disease risk.

The bottom line

Arthritis is a condition that can cause painful inflammation in the joints. It affects almost 1 in 4 adults in the United States ( 1 , 5 ).

那些有一个allergyor sensitivity to eggs tend to have an inflammatory response when consuming them, which can worsen their arthritis symptoms.

如果您患有关节炎并且对鸡蛋没有已知的不耐受性，则无需定期避免作为平衡饮食的一部分。它们是营养密度的，可以帮助您管理体重并降低心脏病的风险。