Several diseases are routinely treated by orthodox physicians with corticosteroids, or just steroids as many people know them. I am always in favor of challenging the prescription of steroids because they are associated with unavoidable unwanted adverse effects. If they can be avoided in any treatment plan, they should be.
With this attitude you'll understand that I was pleased to see research findings that support use of an alternative treatment for lupus, a disease that commonly requires steroid therapy.
Lupus is a disease that misguides the immune system, prompting attacks on healthy tissues and organs. The disease is progressive, moving from organ system to organ system, at rates that can vary markedly between sufferers.
This chronic condition is conventionally treated with immune system suppressants, malaria medications and corticosteroids. In some cases these treatments decrease inflammation and address specific symptoms of lupus, but the side effects of the drugs can sometimes do more to complicate the condition than relieve it. Over time they become a real problem in themselves.
Interestingly, omega-3 fish oils and supplements of copper have been shown to successfully address lupus symptoms in animal studies. Previous human studies have shown that lupus patients tend to have lower omega-3 levels compared to healthy people.
In a trial reported last year, researchers with the Northern Ireland Center for Food and Health (NICHE) at the University of Ulster recruited 52 lupus patients who were randomly divided into four treatment groups:
- Three grams of fish oil and three grams of copper daily
- Three grams of fish oil and a placebo copper
- A placebo fish oil and three grams of copper
- Placebo fish oil and placebo copper
Blood samples were taken and disease activity was measured at the outset of the study, and then at six, 12 and 24 weeks. Researchers found a significant decline in the disease measurements for those taking fish oil compared to placebo. Copper had no significant beneficial effect. Fish oil had no apparent effect on inflammation, but skin rashes and neurological problems improved considerably.
In contrast to steroids and other drug therapies used to treat lupus, none of the subjects in the NICHE study reported any adverse side effects. There are numerous instances where steroids are the treatment of choice by orthodox practitioners. In many cases a naturopathic practitioner can offer a far safer alternative, frequently with equal or greater effectiveness.
An excellent source of Omega3/DHA fish oil [1], which has several nutritional benefits, is available via our health products site.