Unlocking the Joint Supplement Benefits for Arthritis Sufferers

Arthritis doesn’t have to limit your quality of life.

I want you to read this Supplements in Review article carefully. Today I will share how the right joint supplements could reduce pain, enhance mobility, and restore the joy of free movement.

You might struggle with morning stiffness. Perhaps you have sharp pain or discomfort after activity. While joint supplements are far from a miracle cure, taking advantage of their benefits can make a difference in your day to day life.

I explore how these supplements can give you the arthritis relief as well as protect your long-term joint health and function.

Arthritis Notes

Arthritis is an umbrella term for over 100 conditions affecting joints and their surrounding tissues.¹

The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

1. Osteoarthritis – it is characterized by the wear and tear (gradual destruction) of cartilage, spongy tissue that cushions and protects your joints.
2. Rheumatoid arthritis – this condition is more inflammatory than osteoarthritis in nature, and this inflammation affects other tissues beyond joints, including lungs, bones, heart, and skin.

However, whether it is osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, symptoms are very similar: pain, stiffness, lack of mobility, swelling, and a serious impact on a person’s quality of life.

The good news is that these symptoms can, in many cases, be significantly improved with the use of quality joint supplements. These supplements benefit you in terms of pain and stiffness relief, as well as combat inflammation, cartilage breakdown, and other underlying factors causing these symptoms.

Mobility Benefits of Joint Supplements

One of the first major benefits of joint supplements is that they help to increase your flexibility and range of motion.

Stiffness is not only about pain when moving, but it is also the limitation of how far you can extend your joints and your range of movement during daily activities.

Ingredients in joint supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid can significantly improve your mobility.^{2 3}They achieve this by:

1. Enhancing and supporting the function of cartilage.
2. Lubricating and hydrating joint tissues for smoother movement and extended range of motion.

The most important of all, these three aforementioned supplements are shown to be safe for daily oral consumption. Your doctor might even prescribe to you hyaluronic acid injections, which can work wonders in relieving joint discomfort and freeing your movement.

Inflammation Management

Arguably the most important benefit of joint supplements for arthritis is that they relieve inflammation. This has multiple knock-on benefits, the two most important of which are:

1. Reducing inflammation-related symptoms such as joint achiness.
2. Slowing down and potentially preventing inflammation from causing further damage to joint tissues.

Among the most effective anti-inflammatory supplements are curcumin, bromelain, and Boswellia Serrata. Curcumin, in particular, is known as the active compound of the spice turmeric—its effects on arthritis rival those of anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).^{4 5}

Don’t get discouraged if your supplement is not working immediately; give it a few weeks at the very least. It takes time for these anti-inflammatory effects to show fruit. This is because they address the deep-rooted issues that were going on within the joints for months or years.

Pain Relief

Ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids and MSM may help relieve your arthritis-related joint pain. ^{6 7}They do this through:

• Protecting from oxidative stress and wear and tear of cartilage, which reduces friction when joints move.
• Blocking molecules such as NF-kB and cytokines which trigger pain and inflammation.

Combining multiple ingredients together is the best idea for a stronger pain relief effect.

Impacts and Shocks

Do you remember how we mentioned early on that hyaluronic acid (HA) is one of the joint supplement ingredients that lubricate joints?

It turns out, HA not only relieves pain and stiffness. Thanks to its enhancing effect on synovial fluid (which is what lubricates and nourishes your joint tissues), HA also helps with shock and impact absorption from daily activities, thereby protecting from aggravation of the arthritis condition.⁸

How Joint Supplements Protect and Repair Your Joints

It’s true that joint supplements can relieve arthritis symptoms. However, they also work on deeper issues, such as long-term joint function.

Collagen is one example of a joint supplement that provides your body the building blocks to repair its connective tissues, as well are reduce inflammation and joint pain.⁹ Another example is ginger which may help relieve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis specifically.

These protective effects contribute to the longevity of your joints and fight arthritis from developing further.¹⁰

Conclusion

It’s always best to choose natural joint supplements like curcumin and omega-3 if you plan on taking them long-term for dealing with arthritis.

• However, even natural supplements can lead to side effects or interactions if you have medical condition or are taking medications. It’s always important to check with your physician if a particular supplement is right for you.

With that said, side effects are really rare when it comes to the commonly used joint supplements. Always start with the recommended dosage on the label or even below that (for example, just 1 capsule instead of 2 for the first week or two to gauge how you react).

Choosing the right supplement depends on what your main problem is. Generally speaking, you may get the most potent effect from a supplement that combines multiple well-researched ingredients in optimal dosages.

Make sure to look at the reviews, research the manufacturer, and read the label and see if all ingredient information (including the dosages) are clearly disclosed—this way you will know you’re dealing with a legitimate joint supplement that can provide a relief from your arthritis symptoms.

Further Reading:

• Unlocking the benefits of joint supplements for athletes
• Unlocking Mobility and How Joint Supplements Aid Movement
• Benefits of Natural Joint Supplements
• Boosting Your Sports Performance With Joint Supplements
• Pain Relief Benefits of Joint Supplements
• Boosting Joint Health Improvement Through Supplements
• Unveiling the Benefits of Joint Supplements for Bone Health
• Strengthening Joints With Natural Supplements
• Understanding the Benefits of Supplements for Joint Inflammation

References

1. Senthelal S, Li J, Ardeshirzadeh S, et al. Arthritis. [Updated 2023 Jun 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. ↩︎
2. 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. ↩︎
3. Oe M, Tashiro T, Yoshida H, Nishiyama H, Masuda Y, Maruyama K, Koikeda T, Maruya R, Fukui N. Oral hyaluronan relieves knee pain: a review. Nutr J. 2016 Jan 27;15:11. doi: 10.1186/s12937-016-0128-2. PMID: 26818459; PMCID: PMC4729158. ↩︎
4. 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. ↩︎
5. Paultre K, Cade W, Hernandez D, Reynolds J, Greif D, Best TM. Therapeutic effects of turmeric or curcumin extract on pain and function for individuals with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2021 Jan 13;7(1):e000935. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000935. PMID: 33500785; PMCID: PMC7812094. ↩︎
6. Deng W, Yi Z, Yin E, Lu R, You H, Yuan X. Effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation for patients with osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis. J Orthop Surg Res. 2023 May 24;18(1):381. doi: 10.1186/s13018-023-03855-w. PMID: 37226250; PMCID: PMC10210278. ↩︎
7. Debbi EM, Agar G, Fichman G, Ziv YB, Kardosh R, Halperin N, Elbaz A, Beer Y, Debi R. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane supplementation on osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized controlled study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011 Jun 27;11:50. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-11-50. PMID: 21708034; PMCID: PMC3141601. ↩︎
8. Sprott H, Fleck C. Hyaluronic Acid in Rheumatology. Pharmaceutics. 2023 Aug 30;15(9):2247. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15092247. PMID: 37765216; PMCID: PMC10537104. ↩︎
9. Martínez-Puig D, Costa-Larrión E, Rubio-Rodríguez N, Gálvez-Martín P. Collagen Supplementation for Joint Health: The Link between Composition and Scientific Knowledge. Nutrients. 2023 Mar 8;15(6):1332. doi: 10.3390/nu15061332. PMID: 36986062; PMCID: PMC10058045. ↩︎
10. Szymczak J, Grygiel-Górniak B, Cielecka-Piontek J. Zingiber Officinale Roscoe: The Antiarthritic Potential of a Popular Spice-Preclinical and Clinical Evidence. Nutrients. 2024 Mar 5;16(5):741. doi: 10.3390/nu16050741. PMID: 38474869; PMCID: PMC10933899. ↩︎