Could a Heart-Healthy diet tame rheumatoid arthritis?
NCT ID NCT07170033
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This completed study looked at whether the DASH diet, known for lowering blood pressure, can help people with rheumatoid arthritis. Forty-nine adults with active disease followed a personalized DASH diet for 12 weeks. Researchers measured changes in disease activity, pain, and inflammation to see if this eating plan could improve symptoms and quality of life.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- DASH diet (dietary intervention)
- What this could lead to
- If the DASH diet proves effective, it could offer a simple, drug-free way to help manage rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and reduce disease activity.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with only 49 participants, and the results may not apply to everyone. Dietary changes can be hard to stick with, and the effect may be modest.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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49 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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May 2024
- Finished
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Oct 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 64 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Voluntary acceptance to participate in the study, Being within the age range of 18-64 years, Having a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria and belonging to the seropositive rheumatoid arthritis subgroup, Being in the active phase of rheumatoid arthritis according to the DAS-28 CRP or DAS-28 ESR disease activity score, Having a disease duration of at least 1 year, Not having previously undergone any dietary treatment specific to rheumatoid arthritis, Not using any dietary supplements other than calcium and vitamin D3 supplementation (e.g., 1000 mg calcium, 880 IU vitamin D3) recommended by the physician for patients using glucocorticoids and folic acid supplementation (10 mg weekly) recommended for patients using methotrexate, Having stable use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (≥3 months), corticosteroids (≥4 weeks), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (≥10 days) before starting the DASH diet treatment, with a daily oral corticosteroid dose not exceeding 12.5 mg of prednisolone, Not having a diagnosis of eating disorders, Not being pregnant or breastfeeding, Not using banned substances, Having no intellectual disability, Having no allergy and/or intolerance to the foods included in the DASH diet Exclusion Criteria: * Not voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study, Not being within the age range of 18-64 years, Not having a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria, and not belonging to the seropositive rheumatoid arthritis subgroup, Being in remission according to the DAS-28 CRP and DAS-28 ESR disease activity scores, Having a disease duration of less than 1 year, Having previously undergone any dietary treatment specific to rheumatoid arthritis, Using any dietary supplements other than calcium and vitamin D3 supplementation (e.g., 1000 mg calcium, 880 IU vitamin D3) recommended by the physician for patients receiving glucocorticoid therapy and folic acid supplementation (10 mg weekly) recommended for patients using methotrexate, Having changes in disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs usage within less than 3 months, corticosteroids within less than 4 weeks, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs within less than 10 days before starting the DASH diet treatment, having a daily oral corticosteroid dose exceeding 12.5 mg of prednisolone, Having a diagnosis of eating disorders, Being pregnant or breastfeeding, Using banned substances, Having intellectual disability, Having any allergy and/or intolerance to the foods included in the DASH diet.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital
Istanbul, 34480, Turkey (Türkiye)
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Istanbul Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu City Hospital
Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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