Motor Oil Exposure May Raise RA Risk
June 3, 2009 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Men's Health
Whether you tinker with your car and other mechanical toys or you work with them for a living, constant exposure to mineral oils, such as motor oil, may increase your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Although researchers aren’t sure what role the mineral oils play, one theory is that the oils may trigger immune activities in the body. RA is an autoimmune disease, which means that your body is fighting against itself, causing the pain and inflammation in the joints.
The study, done in Sweden and published in the journal Arthritis Research & Therapy in 2005, found that the risk of developing RA could be as high as 60% higher than men who aren’t exposed to the oils, in particular, hydraulic oil and motor oil.
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