Fasting for FA - any success stories ?

[BB2408]

Can anyone comment who may have tried water fasting to reduce their RA at all ?

I’ve been reading water fasting can help with immune systems so was curious if anyone’s tried and seen good results.

I believe you’d need to stay clear of trigger food afterwards too ...

Thx

[Mmrr]

I think you need to very careful fasting with RD. I have read a few websites on water fasting, most of them, unscientific opinions, YouTube clips by non medical supporters and the likes.

However, researchgate highlights a few studies which suggested there may a short term gain from waterfasting for short spells of time, but all the symptoms return soon after eating again. I'm not sure what the controls were, what were the fasters and nonfasters doing ? Carrying on with normal life ? Working ? Resting ?

We could all quote studies which suggest eating xxxxxx or denying yourself xxxxxx will also improve RD.

But, the only consistent evidence is for a well balanced Mediterranean type diet.

Many people with RD also have anaemia, Vit D deficiencies, muscle wastage, fatigue and a lot more going on, denying your body essential nutrients for a period of several days is not something I would contemplate without medical supervision.

[AgedCrone in reply to Mmrr]

Couldn’t sleep.so got up to eat!

I wouldn’t want to chance renal damage by water fasting.......I understand we should remain well hydrated so that our drugs aren’t too concentrated on expulsion.

[Thingybob]

Not tried fasting . But I tried to diet and it triggered a flare. All the bona fide advice I have read reccomends "eating well " and a varied mediteranean diet .

[JFlay]

I went through a period of months doing 'intermittent fasting' hoping to lose some weight (I did but not loads). This was before my official RA diagnosis and I didn't realize I had it 😟 The fasting did nothing for my aches, pains and stiffness at the time. I wouldn't try it again, I feel I need good nutrition now and I don't think fasting whilst on RA meds would be advisable but that's just my opinion.

[HappykindaGal]

I did intermittent fasting for three months and lost weight - even on Pred. It didn't particularly change my RA symptoms either way, but I am going back to the IF. I had one meal a day, usually between 2-4pm. I felt loads better in myself too.

[JFlay in reply to HappykindaGal]

That's interesting, do you take any tablets that need to be taken around food times? just thinking it could be a problem?

[Mmrr in reply to HappykindaGal]

I'm losing weight on prednisolone and not being well enough to move much, just eating very healthy, just making good choices and watching portion sizes. It's slow but 16 pounds have gone in 12 weeks.

[HappykindaGal]

Not really - I take mine in the morning and don't have any issues

[Nuttyshirlz]

I asked my gp last year about doing fasting and she told me it would not be recommend. I just had less of the sweet stuff and added more green stuff I just switched them both around lol. It does work. As she says it’s a lifetime thing 🙂

[Hidden]

I don't know anything about water fasting but I do know that being on a low carb/ keto diet helps the joint pain. Xx