A Current Glance at the Mediterranean Diet with Its Importance in the Prevention and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic, and autoimmune inflammatory disease that primarily affects the joints. Over time, it can lead to joint deformities, loss of function, and systemic complications. While pharmacological approaches remain the cornerstone of rheumatoid arthritis treatment, increasing scientific interest has emerged regarding the impact of lifestyle modifications, particularly dietary habits, on disease management. Due to their inflammation regulating effects, certain dietary patterns may play a supportive role in alleviating rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. In this context, this review aimed to evaluate the role of the Mediterranean diet known for its anti-inflammatory properties, in the prevention and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis based on current literature. Methods: This study is a review, and a literature search was conducted in electronic databases, including PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Scopus, using the keywords “autoimmune diseases,” “Rheumatoid Arthritis,” “anti-inflammatory diet,” and “Mediterranean diet.” Studies published between 2015 and 2025 that examined the effects of the Mediterranean diet on rheumatoid arthritis, with accessible full texts in English or Turkish, and consisting of original research articles and systematic reviews, were included. The studies evaluated the composition and applicability of the Mediterranean diet, as well as its contributions to rheumatoid arthritis prevention and treatment. Results: The literature findings indicate that the Mediterranean diet, due to its anti-inflammatory properties, provides several positive effects for rheumatoid arthritis patients. The Mediterranean diet significantly reduces pain and disease activity, improves functional status and quality of life, slows disease progression, and contributes to the reduction of the risk of comorbid conditions such as cardiovascular diseases. Conclusion: Adopting dietary habits based on the Mediterranean diet in the management of rheumatoid arthritis can be considered an effective and sustainable strategy that complements pharmacological treatment.

Keywords

• Autoimmune disease
• Anti-inflammatory diet
• Mediterranean diet
• Nutrition
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Romatoid Artritin Önlenmesi ve Tedavisindeki Önemi ile Akdeniz Diyetine Güncel Bir Bakış

Abstract

Giriş: Romatoid artrit; eklemleri etkileyen kronik, sistemik ve otoimmün bir inflamatuar hastalıktır. Zamanla eklem deformitelerine, fonksiyon kaybına ve sistemik komplikasyonlara yol açabilmektedir. Romatoid artritin tedavisinde farmakolojik yaklaşımlar temel rol oynasa da son yıllarda yaşam tarzı değişikliklerinin özellikle beslenme alışkanlıklarının hastalık yönetimi üzerindeki etkisine dair bilimsel ilgi artmıştır. Bazı diyet modelleri; inflamasyonu düzenleyici etkileri nedeniyle romatoid artrit semptomlarının hafifletilmesinde destekleyici bir rol oynayabilmektedir. Bu bağlamda, anti-inflamatuar özellikleriyle bilinen Akdeniz diyetinin, romatoid artritin önlenmesi ve tedavisindeki rolünün güncel literatür doğrultusunda değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Bu çalışma, derleme niteliğinde olup “otoimmün hastalık”, “romatoid artrit”, “anti-inflamatuar diyet”, “Akdeniz diyeti” anahtar kelimeleri ile PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science ve Scopus olmak üzere elektronik veri tabanlarında literatür taraması yapılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Tarama kapsamında, 2015-2025 yıları arasında Akdeniz diyetinin romatoid artrit üzerindeki etkilerini inceleyen, tam metnine erişilebilen, İngilizce veya Türkçe dilinde olan, özgün araştırma ve sistematik derleme makaleler dahil edilmiştir. Mevcut çalışmalarda Akdeniz diyetinin içeriği, Akdeniz diyetinin uygulanabilirliği, romatoid artritin önlenmesi ve tedavisinde Akdeniz diyetinin etkisi açısından katkıları incelenmiştir. Bulgular: Elde edilen literatür bulguları, Akdeniz diyetinin anti-inflamatuar özellikleri sayesinde RA hastalarında bir dizi olumlu etki sağladığını göstermektedir. Akdeniz diyeti; hastaların ağrı ve hastalık aktivitesini önemli ölçüde azaltırken, fonksiyonel durumu ve yaşam kalitesini artırmakta, hastalığın ilerlemesini yavaşlatmakta ve kardiyovasküler hastalıklar gibi eşlik eden durumların riskinin azaltılmasına katkı sağlamaktadır. Sonuç: Romatoid artrit yönetiminde; AD’ye dayalı beslenme alışkanlıklarının benimsenmesi, farmakolojik tedaviye yardımcı, etkili ve sürdürülebilir bir strateji olarak değerlendirilebilir.

Keywords

• Otoimmün hastalık
• Anti-inflamatuar diyet
• Akdeniz diyeti
• Beslenme
• Romatoid artrit

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