Fasting, intestinal permeability, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Otherwise healthy and well-nourished patients with rheumatoid arthritis show significant clinical improvement from practising prolonged fasting for 7 to 10 days. The improvement is reversible and lost when eating is taken up again. Although of little therapeutic value, the anti-inflammatory effect of short-term fasting is of significant interest and better understanding of the mechanisms is desirable.