UPDATES By Esther Retek
Grilling with Caution The barbecue’s connection to rheumatoid arthritis If you’re gearing your grill in preparation for the summer season, you may want to keep in mind the risks a new study outlines.
often than men. The cause isn’t known, but it is thought to involve genes as well as environmental factors, such as smoking, nutrition, and lifestyle.
According to a new study published in BMJ Open, toxic chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are released from car exhaust, smoking, and particularly backyard grilling (flame grilling of meat and other foods contributes to even greater PAH formation), may increase a person’s risk of developing the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis.
“While more studies are needed, the findings suggest that polyaromatic hydrocarbons may be a significant contributor to rheumatoid arthritis,” says lead researcher Chris D’Adamo, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “People at risk of rheumatoid arthritis should be cautious of polyaromatic hydrocarbons and consider minimizing modifiable sources of exposure.”
For the study, the researchers used data from the 2007– 2016 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on nearly 22,000 adults. More than 1,400 had rheumatoid arthritis. Blood and urine samples were assessed to measure the amount of PAH and other chemicals in the body. The odds of developing rheumatoid arthritis were greatest among the 25 percent of people with the highest PAH levels, regardless of whether they were former or current smokers. After taking into account dietary fiber, physical activity, smoking, income, education, age, gender, and weight, one PAH in particular, 1-hydroxynaphthalene, was strongly linked with higher odds (80 percent) of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease that primarily affects the joints, causing tissue damage and long-lasting pain. Joints may become deformed, and people with the disease may be unsteady on their feet. Women develop rheumatoid arthritis more 22
WELLSPRING / JUNE 2023
Can PAHs be avoided altogether? That’s highly unlikely in the era we live in. PAHs are rife in the environment, from car exhausts to cigarette smoke. Other sources include indoor environments, natural gas, smoke from wood or coal-burning fires, fumes from asphalt roads, and consumption of grilled or charred foods. The solution? D’Adamo advises limiting exposure to PAHs whenever possible. Avoid cigarette smoke, including second- and third-hand smoke, and don’t eat burned foods, he said. Also keep this in mind as you prepare to grill: Marinating food with spices and herbs before they go on the grill reduces the formation of PAHs and other harmful toxicants. Try to remove visual charring, reduce fat pyrolysis by minimizing dripping from the meat onto the heat source, and consider choosing leaner cuts of meat. (Source: US News)
