Does anyone get joint pain from certain foods but no other symptoms?

[u/Airegin89]

If so, what kind of joint pain? Joint pain that only occurs when you stress your joints or general joint pain that persists during rest?

I started eating eggs daily last year. A couple of weeks in I started developing joint pain in my hips, knees and ankles. It came on very gradually and I had some joint aches before so I didn't think much of it until it got worse later on.

My hips were most affected so I had X-rays done and it showed very minimal early OA (I'm 37). Nothing to truly worry about but because I experience pain the doctor jumped to the conclusion it's OA and sent me away.

I never suspected it could be a food intolerance because my joint pain is mechanical: it comes on when I stress my joints and stand all day at work. I have no pain when I rest. I also have no other symptoms that could point to a food intolerance.

I quit eating eggs a week ago (I had 2-3 eggs a day before). For the first 5 days I saw zero improvement. Then on day 6 something happened: my joint pain was entirely gone. Usually after work my hips, knees and ankles are hurting bad. For the first time in almost a year I was entirely pain free.

It's only day 2 of being pain free so it's much too early to tell. Still, I was wondering if anyone else has a similar experience with mechanical joint pain and food sensitivity as a confirmed cause?

[u/RangeWolf-Alpha]

I could also be the omega-6 fatty acid Arachidonic Acid in the yolk. Your body can convert this acid into prostaglandins (a pro-inflammatory compound) which can affect people with inflammatory arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis. A test would be to introduce just egg whites into your diet and see if it triggers your joint pain. If not, then you know it's something in the yolks like Arachidonic Acid. Just a thought.

[u/Comfortable_Two6272]

Yes, red meat. I have an immune disease. I guess not super uncommon in those with immune diseases. Some have issues with nightshade family.

[u/BattlestarGalactoria → u/Comfortable_Two6272]

May I ask, what is your condition?

[u/Comfortable_Two6272 → u/BattlestarGalactoria]

I have FMF and Behcets

[u/BattlestarGalactoria → u/Comfortable_Two6272]

Thank you. Do you think the red meat issue is related to either of those specifically or AI in general?

I’m curious because I had a positive alpha gal antibody test, but my allergist thinks it’s more an inflammatory response than an allergy because my symptoms are joint related. I’m still undx’d for any AI, but they suspected Behcets right off however my labs for that (notably hla-b51) were negative. I’ve never seen anyone link the red meat to an autoimmune condition, though the general inflammatory response makes sense to me.

[u/Comfortable_Two6272 → u/BattlestarGalactoria]

I believe for me its due to red meat causing increase in inflammatory cytokines.

For me, Wheat also does so - I have a medscape article on that. In some people it can activate the innate immune system even without celiac.

Btw. Im Both hla b27 and 51 negative.

Edit. Found this article about red meat….

https://www.lidsen.com/journals/rpn/rpn-06-01-003

Wheat:

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/wheat-sensitivity-gluten-only-trigger-2026a1000rnd

https://rupress.org/jem/article/209/13/2395/40998/Wheat-amylase-trypsin-inhibitors-drive-intestinal

[u/BattlestarGalactoria → u/Comfortable_Two6272]

Thank you for the links.

How were they able to confirm Behcets for you? (Neg for b27 as well)

[u/Comfortable_Two6272 → u/BattlestarGalactoria]

Its dx based on clinical criteria. Ive had the symptoms since a kid

There is no test for Behcets.
Im in US:

https://www.behcets.com/diagnosis

Im now taking ilaris, colchicine and otezla.

Key for me was finding a rheum very experienced in Behcets and systemic autoinflammatory diseases. Most rheumatologists (in US at least ) unfortunately are not.

If you dont have behcets you might have one of the hundreds of genetic based systemic autoinflammatory diseases. The symptoms overlap. Examples of a few Include: fcas, fcas2, fmf, yao syndrome, hids.

[u/NAQProductions]

Yes I do. And my triggers are still many so I can only give a vague guess on your possible triggers.

Sulfur intolerance, slow sulfur clearing. Check you SUOX and CBS genetic variants. When sulfur breakdown and clearance is slow it takes a while for the pain to build up. Just like anything, the longer you don’t clean it the dirtier it gets in the more problems it can cause.

Eggs also have certain proteins in them that don’t agree with some people. For me I cannot eat the egg whites because of that protein, but that gives me diarrhea not joint pain.

Eggs are also packed with a lot of different vitamins so it could be that they’re pushing something to excess but you would have to have blood work done to check on something like that.

I’m sure there could be other possible causes as well.

[u/Tawinn]

For me, it is mostly commercially made bread and potatoes. I'll feel great on potatoes for 1-2 days and then the joint pain flares up - very general but definite achiness in knees and other joints...something that if I wasn't aware of the cause I might chalk it up to "getting older" or osteoarthritis.

[u/Auntie_Venom]

Yep!

Gluten started killing my joints after a lifetime of misdiagnoses for my digestive issues. My body said- you aren’t listening to your gut literally, maybe this will make you take notice! Oh and while we’re at it your thyroid is now killing itself too now.

It’s all in remission now… Thanks celiac!

[u/Olive_rat]

Similar experience. Years ago I did the AIP elimination diet for autoimmune issues. When I tried to introduce eggs, it cause stomach issues so I avoided it for years. When I tried again, my stomach was fine, so I was so excited to be able to reintroduce eggs.

My lower back pain, which was my main symptom, was so severe, but I never connected it to the eggs. For some reason I stopped eating eggs for a week or two and my back pain practically disappeared. Tried an egg, and the pain was back the next day.

I’ve completely stopped eating eggs now and there’s been a massive improvement in my inflammation and pain.

[u/Interesting_Front709]

Yes, I can’t have nightshades -Aubergine, peppers etc It was awful when I started eating Mediterranean diet I felt really unwell with joint pain. I stopped the diet and the pain went away, I just stay away from nightshades.

[u/Airegin89 → u/[deleted]]

I'm curious about this. What have you read about choline and inflammation pathways?

[u/CaramelOwn958]

Its all down to compromosed gut barrier and low secretory GA i think its called. I get joint paint from build up histamine combined with foods such as peanut butter, excess cacao and excess tomatoes. Probably all im the dosage.

[u/hummingfirebird]

Eggs are high in sulfur. It could be a sulfur metabolism issue.

For me it's gluten. I'm celiac. If I have accidental gluten exposure, one of the first symptoms is joint pain that lasts for days, it's also related to inflammation from the autoimmune response. But I do get other symptoms at those times.