Two of the scariest words in our language when combined?   Autoimmune disease. My grandfather died of Parkinson’s disease- one sort of autoimmune disease.  My father succumbed to three different autoimmune diseases- all simultaneously attacking his own body.  My mom died of autoimmune disease of no known etiology. I probably have an autoimmune disorder already.   My former partner has an autoimmune disease.  So, it shouldn’t be surprising that I want to know more about these diseases.

Arthritis and Sjogren’s are two other common (or uncommon) autoimmune diseases.  And, now, there’s a claim that adding avocado and soybean oils to one’s diet may alleviate the side effects of these diseases.

The testing was done with folks suffering from osteoarthritis, a breakdown of one’s cartilage that cushions the bone joints and renders them capable of smooth motion.  Up to now, the only choices for treatment were to take pills that could cause ulcers, heart attacks, and/or strokes.  Not exactly what we want as side effects.

The new supplement is termed an avocado-soybean unsaponifiable (ASU).  Don’t think you can pig out on avocado or soybeans, either, to get these effects. Eating avocados and soybeans alone can’t seem to mimic whatever effects ASU has, since the ASU is a more concentrated (potent) version of the components that may have merit as a treatment.

One vendor of ASU , Supplement Testing Institute (headed by Dr. Jason Theodosakis) avers that its Avosoy helps one restore (rebuild) joint cartilage, reduces inflammation, and seems to arrest further degradation of one’s joints.  Yet, there is no clinical data for the Avosoy product.

Laboratoires Expanscience (France) has a product, Piascledine, (but, when I examine their web site, it’s not clear it includes soybean oil in the formulation), and has sponsored a three year study with 399 patients ( with hip arthritis).   The results were published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 2014; the study seemed to indicate improvement in the joint space width (a reduction in joint space is an indication that cartilage levels may be increasing).  About half the folks on the placebo had greater decay of the cartilage, but 40% of those on ASU had decreased joint space (1/2 millimeter improvement).   But, there was no difference in symptoms or pain when compared to the placebo.   (Only patients who experienced moderate pain were allowed to participate; ostensibly to insure that folks would not quit the experimental protocol.)

The newer results from six studies using Piascledine and placebos (as published by the Cochrane Collaborative),  involving some 1008 patients (ASU dosage 300 mg), did not demonstrate conclusive evidence (in my opinion) that pain was reduced.  I say I was not convinced since the pain score dropped from 40.5 to 33 (on a scale of 100)  when the placebo and the ASU were compared to one another.  And, if the pain was slightly reduced- that effect did not last beyond three to six months. More importantly, there was no demonstrated improvement in the cartilage quality.  (By the way, this product is not available in the US.)

So, we still have no solution to this autoimmune disease.  Let’s hope someone – or lots of someones- has one soon.

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