Reduction of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis by tocotrienol-rich fraction supplementation: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF), an antioxidant, can treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) which is an autoimmune inflammatory illness that causes severe joint pain. Preclinical studies on rats reveal that TRF reduces RA. The clinical study on RA patients has not been extensively investigated. A six month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Tocotrienol-Rich Fraction supplementation in reducing disease activity in patients with moderate-to-severe RA as measured by the Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS 28).

METHODS: TRF supplementation was investigated in RA patients with an MDA-CRP score of 28 joints (DAS 28). In this RCT, 50 active RA patients were randomly assigned to receive 400 mg of TRF (TocovidTM) or placebo (palm olein) daily (1:1). Both groups had the same dose of conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (cDMARDS) throughout the intervention. Questionnaires, pain intensity measurements, and laboratory analysis were done at baseline and trial conclusion. Patients' data were collected after one, three, six months of supplementation and three months post-intervention. DAS28 joints, CRP, ESR, SJC, TJC, and total health scale (VAS) were measured.

RESULTS: Daily supplementation with 400 mg of TRF for six months significantly improved clinical outcomes in patients with moderate-to-severe RA. TRF supplementation effectively reduced joint stiffness, edema, and discomfort, while also significantly lowering the DAS 28. Furthermore, TRF supplementation alleviated knee pain, improved physical function, and was well-tolerated with no reported side effects.

CONCLUSION: This RCT shows that daily supplementation of 400 mg of TRF for six months lowers RA disease activity by reducing stiffness, edema, and joint discomfort.