Top 4 Supplements To Treat Arthritis Pain
Choosing the right supplement to ease your arthritis pain and inflammation can be confusing. Which supplements are most effective? Of the many types of supplements available in stores and online, the following 4 have been well-studied for their ability to treat arthritis pain:
Research suggests curcumin, found in the spice turmeric, has anti-inflammatory properties and has the potential to reduce arthritis pain.
Calcium Needs For People With Arthritis
Having arthritis and other risk factors increases the risk of developing osteoporosis. Get the facts on the right amounts of calcium you need to protect bone health.
Bone Loss in Arthritis
The chronic inflammation of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, as well as some drugs used to treat the conditions, raise osteoporosis risks. People with osteoarthritis arent typically at increased risk of osteoporosis because of their joint disease but may be vulnerable to bone loss for other reasons. Other osteoporosis risk factors include lifestyle habits people can modify, such as not getting enough weight-bearing exercise and smoking cigarettes, as well as some things that cant be changed, such as being a woman and simply getting older. Women lose bone mineral density faster than men until age 65, when both sexes begin to lose bone at about the same rate.
How Much Calcium Do You Need?
Its smart to check with your doctor about your individual needs, but most people with arthritis should meet the same RDA for calcium as healthy adults. For women 19 to 50 years old the RDA is 1000 mg those older than 50 should get 1,200 mg a day. Men should aim for 1,000 mg a day until they are 70, and afterwards increase their intake to 1,200 mg daily. Eating calcium-rich foods–rather than taking supplements–is the healthiest way for most people to reach their RDA for this bone-protecting mineral.
Checking Your Vitamin D Level
Your doctor can check your vitamin D level with a simple blood test called 25 hydroxyvitamin D . This test measures vitamin D levels in blood as either nanograms per milliliter or in IUs , with 1 ng/mL equal to 2.496 nmol/L or IUs. While there is no formal definition for vitamin D deficiency, there are some values that are generally used as a guide for what normal and deficient mean. 1
- Normal: 250HD level higher than 30 ng/mL
- Insufficient: 250HD level between 20 and 30 ng/mL
- Deficiency: 250HD level less than 20 ng/mL
- Toxic: 250HD level greater than 150 ng/mL
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Prevalence And Patterns Of Vm Ds Use In Ra
Rates of ever or current VM DS usage were also high . Most current VM DS users reported use of more than 1 VM DS , with 44.3% reporting concurrent use of 4 VM DS. Specific VM DS products most commonly used, in descending order of prevalence for both ever or current use , were vitamin D, folate, multivitamins, and calcium. When examining associations between VM DS use and cohort characteristics, there were no geographical differences in ever VM DS usage . Ever use of VM DS was strongly associated with ever NVNM DS use but not age, sex, ethnicity, or RA disease duration . Among current DS users , 52.0% reported concurrent use of VM and NVNM DS .
Avoidance Of Repeating Taste
The repeating taste of fish oil arises from its low specific gravity, which is less than that of water. Thus, fish oil will float on free fluid with the stomach, in the same way that it floats on juice within a glass. Thus, when an eructation occurs to vent the stomach of swallowed gas, fish oil at the gasfluid interface in the stomach may be partly regurgitated and tasted. This experience can be minimized by avoiding unnecessary fluids at the time of ingestion of fish oil, avoiding aerated drinks and by taking fish oil immediately before a meal. The latter strategy allows fish oil to mix with food, with which it exits from the stomach into the small bowel. These measures are generally effective in avoiding a repeating fish oil taste. In cases where a problem still exists, passage of fish oil into the duodenum can be facilitated by lying in the left lateral decubitus position this allows the oil to float into the duodenum, which is above the stomach in this position . Some may have a lesser problem with capsules than fish oil on juice but these can also be problematic because fish oil is released from capsules within the stomach. Some patients with persistent oesophageal reflux may not be able to take fish oil.
The odour of fish oil can be minimized by keeping fish oil refrigerated once open and taking it quickly once the fish oil on juice technique is mastered.
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Should You Try Herbs Supplements And Vitamins
Before your rheumatoid arthritis prescription medication reaches your hands, its gone through medical research. Its also gone through clinical trials and its effectiveness and safety have been proven and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration .
The FDA doesnt currently approve dietary supplements including herbs, minerals, and vitamins. But some people do report temporary relief from their RA symptoms when using some complementary therapies.
The complementary treatments covered in this guide shouldnt replace your current medications. Always talk to a doctor or pharmacist before trying any herbs, supplements, or vitamins. Some remedies can cause serious side effects or cause a dangerous interaction with your current medications.
Also be sure to check youre purchasing these products from reputable sources. Talk with your pharmacist or other healthcare provider about how to find high-quality products.
Fish Oils Benefit Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Many small studies have concluded that fish oil supplementation leads to a marked improvement in rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. However, precisely because these studies have been small, their publication has not had a major impact on the medical treatment of arthritis. A team of researchers from the Harvard Medical School has now combined and analyzed the results of these smaller studies. Their meta-analysis covered 10 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies aimed at determining the effect of fish oil supplementation on 8 measures of arthritis severity including the number of tender joints, number of swollen joints, extent of morning stiffness, grip strength, erythrocyte sedimentation rates, and overall global assessment of disease severity. The studies involved a total of 368 participants who took fish oil supplements for at least three months. The meta-analysis revealed a highly significant decrease in the number of tender joints and a significant shortening in the duration of morning stiffness among patients supplementing with fish oils. No statistically significant changes were observed for the other measured indicators of disease severity.
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Supplements For Arthritis And Joint Pain
Many people take vitamins and supplements to help ease joint pain and arthritis. How effective are these supplements? Here are tips to help you choose the right supplements for your joints.
Arthritis Joint Pain: Supplements and Herbs
Some people use supplements to try to help manage joint pain from arthritis. Glucosamine, chondroitin, omega-3, and green tea are just a few of them.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine helps keep the cartilage in joints healthy and may have an anti-inflammatory effect. Natural glucosamine levels drop as people age.
Chondroitin
Chondroitin is often used with glucosamine as an osteoarthritis treatment. Researchers found that chondroitin appeared to reduce pain, increase joint mobility, and decrease the need for painkillers.
The research into the effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin for arthritis symptoms is mixed. Doctors do not recommend these supplements but are not opposed to their use if a patient gets relief from using them. Doctors recommend against using glucosamine hydrochloride.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oil and other foods, encourage the body to produce chemicals that help control inflammation. This supplement may help ease stiffness caused by inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis, but more research is needed.
Curcumin and/or Boswellia serrata
Curcumin and/or Boswellia serrata provides relief for people with osteoarthritis of the knee. They have anti-inflammatory properties.
What Is The Evidence Of Using Bee Venom Injections For Arthritis Pain
Q) My 37-year-old-daughter has had juvenile idiopathic arthritis since she was two. We tried all avenues to help her, including some visits to a homeopath when she was 1718. The homeopath decided on a course of bee venom injections.
The results were absolutely amazing. Almost overnight she went from being unable to walk short distances without pain to being normal and walking quite a long way.
But the effects seemed short-lived. A combination of leaving for university and one very unpleasant injection, coupled with the miracle wearing off, meant that the injections were no longer pursued.
My daughter now regularly injects herself with an anti-TNF product, which concerns me. Recently she suffered a very nasty streptococcal infection. Id be very interested to hear of any further developments with bee venom trials.
Glynis, via email 2015
A) Bee venom therapy has been around for thousands of years. Reference to the treatment can be found in ancient Egypt and Greek medical writings. Also known as apitherapy, the technique is more widely used in Eastern Europe, Asia and South America.
A number of animal studies have shown that bee venom has significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. High-quality trials in humans are needed to define any future role of bee venom for arthritis but Im not aware of any that are being undertaken.
This answer was provided by Dr Tom Margham in 2015, and was correct at the time of publication.
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Turmeric And Curcumin For Arthritis
Research suggests turmeric and its components can potentially alleviate arthritis inflammation and pain.14
Most people know turmeric as a powdered spice used to give foods flavor and colorit gives many curries their deep golden color. Derived from a plant in the ginger family, turmeric contains a natural chemical compound called curcumin. Scientists have found curcumin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
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For Other Parts Of The Body
Only a small amount of research has been done on glucosamine and chondroitin for osteoarthritis of joints other than the knee and hip. Because there have been only a few relatively small studies, no definite conclusions can be reached.
More information
- Chondroitin for osteoarthritis of the handA 6-month trial of chondroitin in 162 patients with severe osteoarthritis of the hand showed that it may improve pain and function.
- Glucosamine for osteoarthritis of the jawOne study of 45 patients with osteoarthritis of the jaw showed that those given glucosamine had less pain than those given ibuprofen. But another study, which included 59 patients with osteoarthritis of the jaw, found that those taking glucosamine did no better than those taking a placebo .
- Glucosamine for chronic low-back pain and osteoarthritis of the spineA Norwegian trial involving 250 people with chronic low-back pain and osteoarthritis of the lower spine found that participants who received glucosamine fared the same at 6 months as those who received placebo.
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The Ratio Level Of Omega
Health experts believe omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids compete for bodily absorption because they both require the same enzyme for digestion.6 So even if you eat enough omega-3 fatty acids, the omega-6 fatty acids you eat may elbow out the omega-3 during digestion, and you may not derive the omega 3s full anti-inflammatory benefits.
To be clear, just about everyone eats more omega-6 than omega-3, and thats okay. The key is to lower the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3. Experts suspect that for most Americans, that ratio is currently about 16:1,7 so there is lots of room to improve omega-3 intake and absorption, to get the ideal 4:1 ratio7and possibly reduce inflammation and knee pain.
A Healthy Dose Of Vitamin D
Everyone needs vitamin D. It helps your body absorb calcium. It also helps your bones grow properly and stay strong.
Getting enough vitamin D may be especially important for people with RA. Thats because some RA medications can raise your risk of vitamin D deficiencies. This can lead to complications.
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Eat Foods Rich In Vitamin D
You can also get more vitamin D by adjusting your diet. For example, this important vitamin is found in certain types of fish, such as salmon and mackerel. Small amounts of it are also found in egg yolks, cheese, and beef liver.
Few other foods contain vitamin D naturally. However, some are fortified with it. For example, vitamin D is added to many brands of milk, cheese, and breakfast cereals.
Its important for people with RA to get their vitamin D levels checked. If you cant get enough vitamin D from sunlight and diet alone, your doctor may suggest taking a vitamin D supplement.
Glucosamine And Chondroitin Sulfate
Many supplement products aiming to treat arthritis contain both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. These substances are found naturally in human cartilage. Research regarding glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements is mixed,14–16 and doctors opinions of them vary. Positive clinical studies suggest they may provide modest pain relief by helping to rebuild worn-out cartilage in your arthritic joints.
In general, if you take any supplement for 2 to 6 months and dont notice any relief from arthritis symptoms, check with your doctor for other options.
Opinions about the recommended doses for supplements can vary. Before starting a new one, talk to your doctor or pharmacist to make sure the supplements contents and the dosage is right for your condition and wont interact with any other medications and supplements you take. Some supplements can cause serious health problems if they are taken at high doses or combined with other supplements and medications.17
Also, keep in mind that supplements are not a quick fix for your arthritis pain. They may take effect graduallyover weeks or months–and provide only a modest decrease in pain. When you combine supplements with other treatments, such as an anti-inflammatory diet and exercise, there may be more significant pain relief.
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Fatty Acid Modification Of Immune Cell Fatty Acid Composition And Of Eicosanoid Profiles
Fatty acids are constituents of phospholipids and phospholipids are components of cell membranes. The bulk phospholipids of immune cells isolated from the blood of healthy people consuming typical Western diets have been reported to contain about 10 to 20 % of fatty acids as ARA, with about 0·5-1 % of the n-3 PUFA eicosapentaenoic acid and about 1·5-3 % of another n-3 PUFA docosahexaenoic acid . There are, however, differences between the different phospholipid classes in terms of the content of these fatty acids. EPA and DHA are found in seafood, especially oily fish, and in fish oil-type supplements. Thus EPA and DHA may be referred to as marine n-3 PUFAs. The fatty acid composition of human blood leukocytes can be modified by increasing the oral intake of marine n-3 PUFAs. This results in increased proportions of EPA and DHA in blood monocytes, mononuclear cells and neutrophils. Typically the increase in content of marine n-3 PUFAs occurs at the expense of n-6 PUFAs, including ARA. Time-course studies suggest that the incorporation of EPA and DHA into human blood leukocytes begins within days and reaches its peak within one or two weeks of commencing increased intake. Studies using multiple doses of fish oil show that the incorporation of EPA and DHA into human blood leukocytes occurs in a dose-response manner.
Fig. 2 Overview of eicosanoid and resolvin synthesis from eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid . Abbreviations used: LT, leukotriene PG, prostaglandin.
Where Do I Find Omega
- Oily fish, such as tuna, salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel
- Flaxseed and canola oil
- Walnuts
- Foods fortified with omega-3, such as margarines and eggs.
Eating foods rich in omega-3 fats may help you to achieve benefits for your heart and general health. However it is unlikely that you can obtain enough omega-3 fats from your diet to reduce inflammation without fish oil supplements.
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Study Examined Cells From Inflamed Joints
In their journal paper, the researchers explain that previous studies have revealed that vitamin D has potent anti-inflammatory effects, including the ability to suppress activity in some types of immune system T cell that are known to be active in rheumatoid arthritis.
However, those studies have only used immune cells isolated from blood, and so the impact of vitamin D on immune cells at the site of active disease is unclear.
A significant feature of the new study is that it is the first to use immune cells taken from both the blood and from the inflamed joints of people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Unlike previous studies, explains senior study author Karim Raza, a professor in the Institution of Inflammation and Ageing at the University of Birmingham, we isolated different immune cell types from the actual site of disease to determine whether specific subsets of immune cells have equal sensitivity to vitamin D.
Fatty Acids In Fish Oil Are Beneficial In Autoimmune Diseases
Omega 3 fatty acids are found to be beneficial in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
This is primarily because EPA competes with arachidonic acid to produce less inflammatory molecules which reduce activation of immune cells and inhibit autoimmune reactions.
Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil prevents activation of T cells and dendritic cells immune cells that fuel the inflammatory process.
Number of animalstudies show that omega 3 fatty acids decrease activation of immune cells and reduce the severity of autoimmune conditions.
What does this mean? Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil show therapeutic potential in autoimmune reactions by preventing activation of immune cells.
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