Supplements for Joint Pain

Medically Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD on November 25, 2022

This amino sugar is a natural part of the cartilage in your joints. Taking it as a supplement may help slow down cartilage loss, as well as ease stiffness, swelling, and pain. You can find it in capsules, tablets, liquid, or powder form. Your doctor may recommend you take it in combination with another supplement, chondroitin.

This substance is a natural part of the connective tissue in your bones and cartilage. When you take it as a supplement, it can help boost the collagen in your joints to help you absorb shock better. It may help hold water in your cartilage too. That can make the tissue operate more smoothly. A little extra chondroitin could also help protect you from cartilage loss. The supplement form comes from animal cartilage.

These amber-colored oily supplements block proteins and fatty acids that can turn on inflammation. Your body turns them into anti-inflammatory chemicals called resolvins that can help take away joint stiffness and tenderness.

This sulfuric compound is naturally present in fruits, vegetables, grains, animals, and humans. Sulfur helps your body make connective tissue. Taking 1,000 to 3,000 mg or more of this natural chemical every day may help with symptoms of knee osteoarthritis, such as pain and swelling.

Scientists who study rheumatoid arthritis have found that people who have the condition often lack vitamin D. Low levels of this essential nutrient may lead to chronic pain. When you take it as a supplement, it could help your arthritis treatment work better.

This spice gives curry its yellow color. It may give you some pain relief too. A chemical in turmeric called curcumin blocks certain proteins that can cause inflammation. Over time, it can help joints ache less and help you move better.

This extract from seeds of the borago plant is high in gamma linolenic acid, a fatty acid that fights inflammation in the body. Daily borage oil supplements may help treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and even reduce the dose you need of your prescription treatments for joint pain and swelling.

Your liver produces this chemical compound. When you take it as a supplement, studies show SAMe can work as well as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. It may also help repair cartilage damage that causes arthritis symptoms.

Also called Indian frankincense, this plant extract has been a part of African and Asian folk medicine for centuries. The active ingredient in Boswellia can help with pain and improve movement in your joints. Research also shows it can slow down cartilage loss.

This woody vine from Central and South America contains chemicals called tannins and sterols that may soothe inflammation. Studies show it might help with knee pain in osteoarthritis without side effects. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, cat’s claw could help ease pain and swelling in your joints.

Your joints are lined with special cells called synovial cells. ASU helps protect them so they can promote the growth of healthy connective tissue. Studies show that over time, people with osteoarthritis who take ASU supplements may need less pain medication than they did before.

Supplements, like any medicine, come with risks. Thunder god vine, for example, has unpleasant side effects that may outweigh any potential benefit to your joints. Chaparral, arnica, and homemade kombucha tea can be toxic to your liver. Talk to your doctor before trying supplements of any kind — even if you’ve heard they’re good for joint pain.

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SOURCES: 

Arthritis Foundation: “Supplement and Herb Guide for Arthritis Symptoms,” “10 Supplements for Arthritis.”

Keck Medicine of USC: “Can Vitamin D Help Relieve Your Rheumatoid Arthritis?”

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: “Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Marine and Botanical Oils: An 18-Month, Randomized, and Double-Blind Trial.”

Mayo Clinic: “SAMe.”

Mount Sinai: “Cat’s Claw.”

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: “Thunder God Vine.”

Dietary Supplements: A Framework for Evaluating Safety: “Prototype Focused Monograph: Review of Liver-Related Risks for Chaparral. ”

Medline Plus: “Arnica.”

Journal of General Internal Medicine: “Probably Gastrointestinal Toxicity of Kombucha Tea.”

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The 6 Best Vitamins and Supplements for Joint Health

Getting up in the morning can be a pain — literally. If you find that your joints are stiff and achy, you aren’t alone. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 15 million Americans with arthritis experience severe joint pain and about twice that many say it’s persistent. 

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Taking care of your bones and joints can be done with a healthy lifestyle — like eating a well-balanced diet and regularly engaging in low-impact exercise — and also with supplements that aid in joint health. Ahead, we’ll get into a handful of vitamins and joint health supplements that can help take care of your bones and joints so the mornings are a little less rough.

Best joint supplements

Viktoriia Ponomarenko/Getty Images

Many of the best joint supplements are substances already found in your body! Learn more about the best vitamins for your joints.

Collagen

Collagen is a protein your body makes — and as you age, you have less and less of it. It’s what keeps your skin tight and firm and what keeps your joints working smoothly. But as you get older, there’s less collagen in your joints, which is where joint supplements could help. Though there isn’t a lot of research on whether collagen can actually help your joints, doctors largely think that it won’t hurt either — if it makes you feel better while paired with low-impact exercises like swimming, then go for it. This supplement is generally safe to take, as the side effects are mild such as stomach discomfort or diarrhea. However, it’s not monitored by the Food and Drug Administation, so take care when choosing what to take. 

$25 at Amazon

Omega-3s 

Omega-3s are fatty acids that can alleviate inflammation and joint pain. Research has shown that these supplements can reduce stiffness in people with arthritis and also combat joint pain. Studies have been conducted on how omega-3s work with arthritis, and it’s been proven that this fatty acid can “prevent experimental arthritis and may decrease disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.” Omega-3s are largely safe to take but can cause side effects like heartburn, nausea or diarrhea. If you currently take a blood thinner, speak to your doctor before taking an omega-3, as there is a slight risk of bleeding when you combine the two.

$16 at Amazon

Glucosamine

You already have glucosamine naturally occurring in your body. It’s in your cartilage and helps your joints function. A glucosamine supplement is believed to help with arthritis in that it can bring down some of the pain brought on by osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Because it’s a substance naturally found in the body, a supplement is generally considered safe. It has the potential to cause side effects like nausea and heartburn, and because it’s often made from shellfish, it should be avoided if you have an allergy. There is also a risk of interaction with blood thinners that could cause bleeding issues.

$20 at Amazon

Vitamin D 

Vitamin D is known to support bone health, which is why some believe a vitamin D supplement could be useful in aiding in joint health. There is some research that suggests taking a vitamin D supplement can help with arthritis pain and inflammation, but the result doesn’t necessarily lend itself to a definitive answer. However, this supplement could help. 

Vitamin D is a great resource for the body, helping you retain calcium, which also helps out your teeth! Take care when adding a vitamin D supplement to your routine, though, as high levels of this vitamin can interact with several drugs. Most notably, high levels of vitamin D can be highly problematic if you’re on Lanoxin, as it can put you at risk for hypercalcemia. Other medications mixed with a vitamin D supplement can also affect how your body processes the supplement.

$12 at Amazon

Chondroitin 

You’ll often see chondroitin mentioned alongside glucosamine, as they’re similar. Chondroitin is also found in the cartilage in your body, which is why it’s believed to be beneficial in boosting joint health. Research into chondroitin has had largely inconclusive results, but it’s still accepted as a supplement that could be beneficial in aiding joint health. It’s generally viewed as a safe supplement, though, like many others, it can interact with blood thinners like Warfarin and put you at risk for bleeding.

$28 at Amazon

Vitamin E 

People often turn to vitamin E to support their immune systems, as this vitamin is an antioxidant. However, there is some research on how vitamin E can slow the progression of osteoarthritis and promote the growth of new cartilage cells. However, much of this research requires further study. That being said, vitamin E is a good supplement to keep in your rotation, as it also promotes good vision and brain health. Just note that it can interact with blood thinners and put you at risk for bleeding.

$8 at Amazon

Risks of supplements for joint health 

As mentioned, most supplements are generally considered safe for people to take, as they’re vitamins that your body requires. However, you should always research supplements before you start taking them, especially if you’re on medication. Even though these are vitamins, many of them can interact with prescription medications, and you want to know that beforehand. 

Checking with your doctor is always a good idea, as they can help you navigate which supplements might work best for you. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, you’ll also want to go over any supplements with your doctor before you start taking them.

Sports nutrition for joints and ligaments from Fit Health

The most important in the motor and physical activity of a person are connective tissues that provide comfort during movement. These tissues include cartilage, joints, and ligaments.

By themselves, they are a rather fragile structure (for example, a meniscus or a shoulder joint), and their healing is usually painful and never complete: probably everyone has heard the phrase “old injuries come back.” Therefore, it is very important to train in such a way as not only to keep them healthy, but also to strengthen them if possible.

Why do joint and ligament injuries occur?

Basically, all connective tissue injuries occur due to:

• Insufficient warm-up . Taking a lot of weight with insufficiently warmed muscles, there is a high risk of injury.
• Incorrect technique for performing exercise . If performed incorrectly, the entire load falls not on the muscles, but on the ligaments and tendons, thereby contributing to the occurrence of injury.
• Wrong diet . Ligaments and joints consist of connective tissue, which, in turn, consists of collagen – protein filaments, so improper nutrition contributes to its degradation.

A cartilage or joint injury will make you, if not completely put off playing sports, then significantly slow down your progress. Therefore, the main way to maintain the health of your joints and ligaments is timely prevention.

Risk group

Obviously, when playing sports, athletes are required to pay enough attention to the joints and ligaments. But often, in pursuit of mass or strength indicators, athletes use methods to quickly increase weights: as a result, muscles adapted to loads cope with their task, they grow, but our ligaments, not adapted by nature to such loads, are often injured.

At risk are all other athletes whose movements are directly related to a large load on the joints. These are not only power sports (powerlifting, athletics, bodybuilding), but also running, football, jumping rope, martial arts: representatives of these sports are most prone to injury.

Prevention of injuries of the joints and ligaments implies a thorough warm-up before training, as well as eating substances that are useful for the joints and ligaments and various special sports nutrition complexes.

Three Essential Substances for Healthy Joints and Ligaments

The main substance that you should pay close attention to products containing is glucosamine . Glucosamine-rich products have proven to be some of the most effective on the market.

Glucosamine is produced by cartilage in the joints and is the main building block of cartilage, ligaments and joints. It makes them more durable, flexible and resistant to stretching. It is also part of the joint fluid, tendons, bones, skin, nails, hair, muscles and blood vessels.

The effectiveness of glucosamine has been proven by hundreds of studies and the experience of the greatest bodybuilders. It has been proven that taking glucosamine affects the metabolism of cartilage tissue, preventing its degradation. In our store you will find individual glucosamine products such as Glucosamine Sulfate by Ultimate Nutrition or Glucosamine Sulfate by Universal Nutrition.

However, the most popular are products that combine glucosamine with chondroitin. Chondroitin is part of the synovial fluid, and when taken additionally, it will provide improved gliding of the articular surfaces. By itself, chondroitin improves the nutrition of cartilage, significantly reduces pain during inflammation, increases the strength and flexibility of the joints. Taking chondroitin is extremely important in creating new cartilage tissue. A large amount of chondroitin is found in shark cartilage. Our store has a supplement of this natural source of chondroitin – Shark Cartilage from Scitec Nutrition.

The duo of chondroitin and glucosamine is the most popular in this group of drugs. It is in the line of all leading brands: Glucosamine Plus CSA from Optimum Nutrition, Glucosamine-Chondroitin (Joint Support) from Power System, Glucosamine + Chondroitin from Weider, etc.

Another essential supplement to include in your diet if you want to help your joints is Collagen . Collagen is the most common type of protein in our body, it is found in all tissues, in fact it is the main structural protein that binds cells together.

Many athletes supplement their diets with highly absorbable hydrolyzed collagen, such as Scitec Nutrition’s Collagen Liquid (fortified with vitamin B6 and amino acids) or Olimp’s Kolagen Activ Plus (also contains vitamin B6 plus calcium and vitamin C).

Other beneficial nutrients

A number of active and nutrient substances are known, the intake of which will have a beneficial effect on the health of your ligamentous apparatus. They may contain various complex additives, so look in the composition:

• Fatty acids (especially Omega 3). They have a positive effect on the entire body, but they produce a significant healing effect on the joints and ligaments. Scientists have proven that the use of fatty acids helps to significantly reduce pain in the joints, as well as improve their mobility and flexibility.
• Methylsulfonylmethane (or MSM). It has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, which is sometimes simply necessary in the treatment of joints. But note that it does not restore the connective tissue itself, so it is almost always found in combination with the above components.
• Vitamins C and E . Vitamin C is involved in the synthesis of collagen – without vitamin C, collagen is not synthesized by the body! Vitamin E helps joints maintain elasticity and flexibility. In addition, these vitamins are antioxidants and reduce oxidative processes in the body. Clinical studies have proven the effectiveness of these vitamins in reducing joint pain after exercise.
• Calcium and vitamin D . Calcium strengthens bones, but for better absorption, it should be taken in combination with vitamin D. Scientists have found that a lack of vitamin D leads to inflammation of the ligaments and joints.

To relieve pain symptoms and provide prompt assistance in case of injuries, you can use Ice Power gels and sprays, which will quickly anesthetize and relieve inflammation. But this measure should be used only in addition to the immediate restoration of cartilage and joints “from the inside” (glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen are required, and, better, serious complexes like Animal Flex from Universal Nutrition).

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Nutritional supplements for joint health – Article

When your joints become stiff, inflamed, performing any activity can be painful. Sometimes the pain is temporary, such as the kind of soreness you may feel after a long day at your desk. But for the millions of people with arthritis, joint pain is a chronic condition that needs to be treated. For some, over-the-counter medications provide relief by reducing pain and reducing inflammation. But long-term use of these painkillers can lead to unpleasant side effects. This is why many doctors suggest exploring other ways to relieve pain. For example, a balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, strength training, and maintaining a healthy weight. In addition to lifestyle changes, we recommend turning to nutritional supplements to improve the health of your joints. Their use will contribute to the activation of the processes of restoration of cartilage tissue.

1. Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are known to help fight inflammation. As an added bonus, they are also good for heart health. Reducing inflammation is the key to pain management. Omega-3s may be especially helpful for people with rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory arthritis that causes joint swelling.

In its natural environment, it is found in: fatty fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel and herring), walnuts.

2. Calcium

Calcium is essential for maintaining healthy and strong bones. It also helps with muscle control and circulation. Our body does not naturally produce calcium, so we must get it from the food we eat. When we don’t get enough calcium, our body starts extracting it from the bones. This can eventually weaken bones and lead to osteoporosis.

Most people get their calcium from dairy products, but there are also non-dairy foods that contain calcium.

In its natural environment, it is found in: dairy products (milk, cheese and yogurt), dark leafy greens (spinach and kale).

3. Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 goes hand in hand with calcium – your body needs vitamin D3 to properly absorb calcium from food. Our bodies produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but too much sunlight at the same time exposes our skin to excessive UV radiation, which can lead to skin cancer. This is why it is recommended to get vitamin D from food or supplements.

Naturally found in: oily fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel and herring), fortified orange juice; egg yolks.

4. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is helpful in reducing the risk of inflammatory arthritis and maintaining joint health. The point is to get the right amount – not too much and not too little. The recommended daily intake of vitamin C is 75 milligrams for women and 90 milligrams for men.

In the natural environment is found in: oranges, grapefruits, limes, strawberries, mangoes, pineapples, bell peppers.

5. Anthocyanins

Anthocyanins are antioxidants found in red and purple fruits. Not only do anthocyanins give fruits their pigment, they may also be helpful in lowering levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation.

In their natural environment, they are found in: red and purple fruits such as cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.

6. Polyphenols

Polyphenols are antioxidants that can help reduce joint inflammation and slow down cartilage breakdown. They can also improve bone strength and help the body fight infections, which can be helpful for rheumatoid arthritis patients who need to take immunosuppressants.

It can be found in tea (green, black, oolong and white).

7. Sulforaphane

Studies have shown that sulforaphane can block enzymes that break down joint cartilage and help reduce inflammation. Sulforaphane is especially useful for patients with osteoarthritis.

Found naturally in: cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower.

8. Diallyl disulfide

Research has also shown that diallyl disulfide can limit cartilage-damaging enzymes.