Does dietary fiber reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis?

Abstract

Accumulating evidence has suggested the effects of a higher dietary fiber intake on weight loss and reduced inflammation. In line with this, recent observations presented higher consumption of dietary fiber in relation to the lower risks of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis and worsening knee pain. Because both obesity and inflammation are commonly linked with knee osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and preliminary results have suggested a role of microbiome in both joint disorders, we hypothesized that increased dietary fiber intakes might confer benefits in reducing the risk of rheumatoid arthritis and/or delaying disease progression. In this commentary, we sought to provide rationales regarding fiber's physiological characteristics and its influence in the gut microbiome to postulate a potential link between fiber intake and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Verification of these hypotheses requires data from observational and experimental studies.