Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder caused by synovial inflammation of the joints, resulting in severe swelling and pain. Although the disease is incurable, previous studies have suggested that tea consumption may reduce the risk of developing RA. However, limited research has considered the therapeutic effects of tea on its disease activity. A recent study involving 733 RA patients demonstrated a strong inverse relationship (p=0.02, demographic factors-adjusted) between the amount of tea consumption and RA disease activity. Results were also exceptionally significant in the group that consumed jasmine tea (p=0034) when compared to green or black tea. While the exact mechanism remains unclear, it is proposed that tea contains anti-inflammatory molecule EGCG which can potently inhibit cytokine IL-6 activity and signalling, thereby alleviating autoimmune inflammation in RA.

Keywords: Tea, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation

Reference

Jin J, Li J, Gan Y, et al. Ann Nutr Metab. 2020;76(1):54-61.