Rheumatologist Questions Arthritis

Can sour food cause arthritis?

My mother has a pain in her joints every time she eats sour or bitter food. Is this only psychological or does it really have a relation?

4 Answers

It is unlikely that these foods “cause”
Arthritis
Some patients can be sensitive to foods and we advise ‘avoidance’
More research is needed here
It happens
No relation.
It is more likely to be psychological than mechanistic. Food is broken down in the stomach to its elementary forms. It is unlikely that these amino acids, sugars, and fats will trigger an immune response. Certain foods do cause immune response  The most common of these is gluten. Gluten is not bitter or sour. For more information, go to thespinecommunity.com.

David G. Borenstein, M.D. MACP., MACR.