Tailoring Joint Supplement Regimens for Advanced Osteoarthritis Management

If you suffer from advanced osteoarthritis, general solutions for achieving relief might not be enough—you need a personalized approach.

Tailoring your joint supplement regimen can improve your success in improving this severe condition.

Today’s SiR article covers how customizing your supplement intake based on specific symptoms and stages of osteoarthritis may lead to significant OA relief as well as a boost in joint health and mobility.

Let’s see how you can adapt supplements for dealing with the progression of osteoarthritis.

What is Advanced Osteoarthritis?

Advanced osteoarthritis (OA) is a severe stage of the condition known for destroying cartilage and other protective joint tissue gradually.¹

Osteoarthritis (OA) affects over 32 million adults in the USA.² Many people with OA don’t experience severe or debilitating symptoms. But in some cases, the cartilage gets worn out so much that there’s very little of it left.

This leads to increased friction when moving, as well as worsening of all the usual symptoms of OA, including pain, stiffness, aches when moving.

OA can affect any joint, but most often people report pain in hands, knees, hips, and ankles.

Currently, there is no known cure for osteoarthritis, but there are treatments to manage the symptoms and slow disease progression or even halt it.

The Role of Joint Supplements in Managing Advanced Osteoarthritis

In advanced osteoarthritis specifically, there are supplements that can work better than others. For example, one of the first concerns of advanced OA is pain and loss of mobility.

In this case, a supplement like glucosamine and chondroitin might not give you significant relief, but you might need something more potent like Boswellia Serrata or curcumin to stop inflammation from wreaking havoc on your cartilage.

Key benefits of supplements for advanced osteoarthritis relief are:

• Pain relief
• Inflammation reduction
• Enhanced mobility

With this in mind, let’s look at key supplements for advanced OA.

Key Supplements for Advanced Osteoarthritis

• Glucosamine and Chondroitin: Glucosamine and chondroitin are among the most popular joint supplements on the market. Both are naturally found in cartilage and play an important role in keeping your joints healthy and strong. When supplemented, they may contribute to pain relief and joint health maintenance, although evidence is mixed.³

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3s (EPA and DHA) are essential fatty acids commonly extracted from fish oil that play a vital role in many aspects of health, including cognitive function, cardiovascular health, and yes, joint health too. Omega-3s fight inflammation, which helps to not only reduce pain and other symptoms of advanced OA, but also helps to prevent further wear of joint tissue.⁴

• Boswellia: Boswellia or Indian Frankincense is a tree resin with potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been shown to block pro-inflammatory molecules, which reduces pain, protects joints from degradation, and provides a relief from other OA symptoms.⁵

• Curcumin: Curcumin is the active component of the Indian spice turmeric. Although turmeric has many beneficial compounds for inflammation and overall health, curcumin is the best studied and seems to be the most potent. Its anti-arthritis effects have been shown to rival some anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).⁶

• MSM: MSM or Methylsulfonylmethane is a sulfur molecule found naturally in humans, animals, and plants. It may boost antioxidants in the body such as glutathione which protects cells, including those in your joints, from inflammation and damage.⁷

Tailoring Supplement Regimens

Tailoring your joint supplement regimen is crucial for effectively combating advanced osteoarthritis. This personalized approach ensures you’re tackling your specific symptoms and needs, which vary from person to person. Here’s how to customize your supplement strategy:

• Assessing Individual Needs: The first step is determining your symptoms. Is pain your main problem? Perhaps you have stiffness? Once you know that, you should consider other health factors such as existing conditions, allergies, and dietary intake, to determine what you can, and can’t take.

• Dosage and Timing: Certain joint supplements have dose-dependent benefits. For example, Boswellia Serrata has an effective dose range of 2,400-3,600, with the higher end being more potent and possibly superior for advanced OA. Timing is also important with some supplements, such as glucosamine and chondroitin, which might absorb more efficiently when taken with meals or before bed for treating nighttime joint pain.

• Combining Supplements: Some supplements work in synergy, the most common example, again, being glucosamine and chondroitin. Adding omega-3s further boosts the anti-inflammatory benefit. But be aware of interactions; for example, omega-3s can thin your blood, which may not be a good idea if you are already taking blood thinning medications.

Monitoring and Adjusting the Regimen

Effective supplement strategy for dealing with advanced OA includes adjusting your approach as you monitor your results over time. Here are some helpful tips:

• Log your symptoms: Note your daily pain levels and mobility changes to gauge supplement effectiveness.
• Set measurable goals: You should set clear, measurable benchmarks, e.g. pain after getting up from bed from 1-10. This helps you measure progress and adjust your regimen accordingly.

In the case of advanced osteoarthritis (OA), it’s especially crucial to keep your physician up to date with your supplement regimen. A well-informed doctor should help you adjust your protocol based on your symptoms and reaction to these products. You may need to do regular blood tests to see how your liver and kidneys react to supplements.

As a last tip, I suggest you to keep up with the latest research that may reveal more effective supplements or blends.

Further Reading:

• Exploring Joint Supplements for Effective Osteoarthritis Relief
• Exploring Supplements Role in Osteoarthritis Relief
• Exploring the Impact of Joint Supplements on Senior Osteoarthritis Relief
• Exploring Natural Joint Supplements for Osteoarthritis Relief
• Joint Supplements for Active Seniors With Osteoarthritis

References

1.

1. Sen R, Hurley JA. Osteoarthritis. [Updated 2023 Feb 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. ↩︎
2. https://oaaction.unc.edu/oa-module/oa-prevalence-and-burden/ ↩︎
3. Zhu X, Sang L, Wu D, Rong J, Jiang L. Effectiveness and safety of glucosamine and chondroitin for the treatment of osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Orthop Surg Res. 2018 Jul 6;13(1):170. doi: 10.1186/s13018-018-0871-5. PMID: 29980200; PMCID: PMC6035477. ↩︎
4. Zivkovic AM, Telis N, German JB, Hammock BD. Dietary omega-3 fatty acids aid in the modulation of inflammation and metabolic health. Calif Agric (Berkeley). 2011 Jul;65(3):106-111. doi: 10.3733/ca.v065n03p106. PMID: 24860193; PMCID: PMC4030645. ↩︎
5. Siddiqui MZ. Boswellia serrata, a potential antiinflammatory agent: an overview. Indian J Pharm Sci. 2011 May;73(3):255-61. doi: 10.4103/0250-474X.93507. PMID: 22457547; PMCID: PMC3309643. ↩︎
6. Hewlings SJ, Kalman DS. Curcumin: A Review of Its Effects on Human Health. Foods. 2017 Oct 22;6(10):92. doi: 10.3390/foods6100092. PMID: 29065496; PMCID: PMC5664031. ↩︎
7. Butawan M, Benjamin RL, Bloomer RJ. Methylsulfonylmethane: Applications and Safety of a Novel Dietary Supplement. Nutrients. 2017 Mar 16;9(3):290. doi: 10.3390/nu9030290. PMID: 28300758; PMCID: PMC5372953. ↩︎