Sick of suffering with chronic joint pain? We round up the best joint supplements, as recommended by our in-house pharmacist, Dan
Suffer with constant joint pain? You may already be self-medicating with pain killers and anti-inflammatories, but there are also a number of natural supplements that can help to alleviate the pain.
Wondering which ones actually work and if you should take them?
We asked our pharmacist, Dan, to list 9 of the best joint supplements, and what the existing research says about them.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine is a sugar naturally produced by the body, and one of the building blocks of cartilage — the tough tissue that cushions joints and protects the bones from rubbing against each other. This is what causes joint pain and inflammation; a symptom of osteoarthritis. Glucosamine supplements are thought to relieve the pain and to prevent or slow the breakdown of cartilage, that usually occurs with osteoarthritis.
Chondroitin
Like glucosamine, chondroitin is also is also a natural substance found in the body. It’s believed to help draw water and nutrients into the cartilage, keeping it spongy and healthy. Several studies have found that chondroitin reduces joint pain and stiffness, as well as prevent cartilage breakdown from osteoarthritis.
Turmeric/Curcumin
Turmeric is one of the most commonly used supplements for treating pain, including joint pain caused by osteoarthritis. It contains the chemical compound curcumin — a hard-working anti-inflammatory and and anti-rheumatic, that helps to reduce pain, inflammation and stiffness related to rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Fish Oil/Omega 3
Fish oil contains the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, both of which are anti-inflammatories that help alleviate pain and inflammation in a similar way to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Current research suggests omega-3 fats are helpful for people with inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, but not for osteoarthritis, where pain is caused by the breakdown in cartilage.
Calcium/Vitamin D
Vitamin D, along with calcium (you need vitamin D to help your body absorb calcium from your diet) helps to build bones and keep bones strong and healthy. If your body is deficient in vitamin D it makes it hard to absorb calcium, which in turn makes your bones weak. Weak bones can lead to osteoporosis, the loss of bone density, which can cause painful fractures.
Whilst taking vitamin D won’t help to alleviate pain, it does however, help to strengthen the bones, so it reduces the risk of developing OA.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an important mineral for the overall function of the body. It’s essential for proper muscle function, and is known to reduce inflammation in the body. It works as a muscle relaxant, relieving pain caused by tight, sore and cramped muscles. It’s usually recommended as a treatment for back pain and cramps.
Lyprinol/Green Lipped Mussel
Much like fish oil supplements, green-lipped mussel supplements contain omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory and joint-protecting properties. Evidence suggests that it might be of some use to people with osteoarthritis when taken along with paracetamol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It’s not, however effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis.
Pycnogenol
Derived from French native pine bark, pycnogenol contains several bioflavonoids that have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Evidence suggests that taking this particular supplement may result in an improvement in the symptoms of osteoarthritis, thus providing relief for joint inflammation, discomfort and oxidative stress for those who differ with osteoarthritis.
Silica
Much like calcium, silica is one of the essential minerals our body needs to promote optimum bone health. Silica is renowned for its bone-building and bone-protecting properties. It can improve bone density, bone flexibility and if you suffer with any bone degeneration diseases and conditions like osteoporosis, silica helps with the healing and repair process.
Silica also promotes collagen, the structural protein in skin, tendons, and bones. The amount of collagen in your body decreases as you get older, so you are more at risk of developing degenerative joint disorders such as osteoarthritis. Collagen also provides support for the growth and repair of cartilage tissue, as well as relief for joint inflammation and pain.
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