Furthermore, most of these supplements majors work on reducing inflammation or shielding cartilage in the joints. In simpler words, cartilage is the material that resides in between bones and stops them from rubbing together. Furthermore, with time cartilage can wear down, causing osteoarthritis.
People often seek doctors for permanent help, and they also suggest supplements for healthy joints. Therefore, we’ve done brief research for your joint health and have come up with the best supplements available across the market.
1. Chondroitin
Chondroitin can be understood as a building block of cartilage, a vital part of cartilage. It is found naturally in the body and helps to provide Cartilage elasticity by helping it retain water. Various studies have shown that it can help prevent cartilage from breaking down and fuel its repair mechanisms. It can help in promoting healthy joints.
Chondroitin itself is impactful for a few symptoms of osteoarthritis. As per the Laboratory studies, chondroitin can decrease the activity of substances and enzymes that break down collagen in joints. Furthermore, other studies have shown that it has many anti-inflammatory properties. It has been tested in at least 22 RCTs for osteoarthritis. Confirmation is inconsistent, but several studies show vital clinical merits in minimizing pain and painkiller use.
Furthermore, it has significantly less risk of severe side effects than other symptom control methods, like NSAIDs. Hence, it is not wrong to conclude that chondroitin is a healthier long-term option in some cases.
2. Glucosamine
A natural chemical compound present in the body, glucosamine, is also a beneficial supplement for joint health. Many supplements consist of this chemical compound specially meant for good joint health. It has two major types one is sulfate, and another is hydrochloride.
The glucosamine present in the body supports keeping up with the health of your cartilage. But as we age, this compound’s presence starts to decline in the body and cause a gradual breakdown of the joint. Some people also use glucosamine to treat rheumatoid arthritis,
inflammatory bowel disease, allergies, asthma, chronic venous insufficiency, temporomandibular joint problems (TMJ), and sports injuries long-term low back pain. But so far, no substantial evidence backs its benefits.
This research also shows that the compound can have a long-term decrease in symptoms and reduce the requirement for other pain medications and (NSAIDs). Glucosamine sulfate is also obtainable over the counter.
3. Boswellia
Boswellia is a tree native to Africa, India, and Arabia, and it is commonly used in various traditional medicines as per Ayurveda. It is yet another effective natural supplement, which is beneficial in keeping healthy joints. It has anti-inflammatory effects and reduces inflammation in joints efficiently.
According to a 12-week study, it was found that comparing a curcumin supplement with a curcumin and Boswellia blend second one was more real in the controlling of osteoarthritis-related pain. Therefore, it is pretty evident that Boswellia, in conjunction with curcumin, is useful for joint pain or osteoarthritis. So if you do not want to go with NSAIDs for combined treatment, you can go for this natural way.
Still, more research about these compounds should be done to clearly define the benefits of these natural supplements for joint problems.
4. Turmeric
Turmeric is also known as Haldi in India, is a yellow color spice that comes from a plant having a yellow-orange stem. This plant has a traditional Indian medical history, and many practitioners in ancient times used turmeric for healing. So you see, this yellow powder is not just for teas and curries. Modern research studies reveal that the active chemical known as curcumin present in turmeric has many benefits for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) symptoms.
Curcumin may have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, and anti-cancer properties.
Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects help you when RA causes the body’s defense system to attack itself.
Turmeric itself is not anti-inflammatory. It’s the turmeric’s curcumin, which is an active chemical that has the researcher’s interests. Research suggests that curcumin helps block some cytokines and enzymes that cause inflammation. It opens the doors for the possibility of curcumin as a complementary treatment for RA.
A study is conducted on 45 people with RA and one-third of the people assigned with curcumin supplements. On the other hand, the remaining groups received a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) known as diclofenac or a combination of both. Results revealed that the group that only consumed 500 milligrams of curcumin shows the most improvement. However, more and trials on a large scale are needed to understand curcumin and RA’s benefits in more clear ways.
Moreover, turmeric is considered safe to consumes in its natural form. You can use it as an excellent addition to your diet. On the other hand, curcumin has benefits for inflammatory diseases, cancer, and depression. These are some common conditions with people having RA.
5. Tamarind seeds
Another natural alternative to traditional joint supplements can be tamarind seeds. Several antioxidants are present in the tamarind seeds, which have an anti-inflammatory effect and can support your joints. There is research present that suggests that it even is anti-arthritic.
A study concluded that tamarind seed extract helps to protect the bone and cartilage by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. While doing this, it also prevents the degeneration of these cells.
Another vital piece of information from studies suggests that tamarind seed extract could be a potential anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, and anti-stress compound.
The study was performed on the effect of giving a combination of turmeric and tamarind seeds on people without arthritis to see if it helps in joint pain or not. The results concluded that there is significant relief from knee pain and improved joint function of the people who took the combination of turmeric and tamarind seeds.
