Does Sugar Affect Arthritis?

Halloween season is a time for treats, but enjoying seasonal sweets can be tricky if you suffer from arthritis. Does eating too much sugar affect arthritis and cause joint pain? Enjoying too much Halloween candy may trigger a reaction that can worsen your symptoms and cause pain, which is why moderation is the key come trick-or-treat time. 

Does Sugar Affect Arthritis and Joint Pain? 

When you’re living with arthritis, you may need to make certain lifestyle changes to ensure better comfort. One of these changes should be reducing your sugar intake because of the potential impact it has on your symptoms. 

Research suggests that eating too much sugar does affect arthritis and joint pain. Consuming processed sugars can increase your body’s production of cytokines—proteins that can worsen inflammation. More inflammation means more joint pain and less mobility. 

While the link between sugar consumption and arthritis is not definitive, the likelihood that your joint pain will be worse if you eat a sugar-heavy diet supports the conclusion. But it’s not just sugar that can affect arthritis symptoms like stiffness, swelling, and joint pain. Refined carbohydrates, red meats, and alcohol can all worsen the effects of arthritis. 

Eating a balanced diet can be key to reducing your arthritis symptoms, and you can support this effort with massage therapy. Healthy Life Chiropractic specializes in a wide range of massage techniques, some of which can be beneficial for lessening pain and stiffness caused by arthritis. Plus, massage therapy pairs wonderfully with the benefits of chiropractic care, helping you achieve better health overall. 

Try Massage for Arthritis at Healthy Life Chiropractic 

Living with arthritis isn’t easy, but Healthy Life Chiropractic is here to help improve your quality of life. From Health Response Testing to help lower your sugar intake to massage therapy for fast relief from joint pain, we have solutions that may be able to make a big difference in your day-to-day. To get started, request an appointment, call us at 770-252-3661, or come visit our offices in Newnan, GA.