However, many supplements can also help relieve joint pain. Before you start taking any supplement, talk to your doctor to make sure you're taking the correct dose and that it doesn't interfere with any over-the-counter or prescription medications you're currently using. A number of nutritional supplements have shown promise in relieving pain, stiffness, and other symptoms of arthritis. Glucosamine and chondroitin, omega-3 fatty acids, SAM-e and curcumin are just a few of the natural products that researchers have studied for osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
As with any treatment plan, make your primary care doctor your partner. Whether it's to test your daughter's idea about glucosamine or to follow the recommendations of the American College of Rheumatology, your doctor is there to help, encourage and guide her. That's not to say that all supplements are bad. The best advice is to check with your doctor before taking any supplement or traditional medication to reduce the risk of harmful drug interactions.
Thunder God Vine, for example, has unpleasant side effects that may outweigh any potential joint benefits. The body converts them into anti-inflammatory chemicals called resolvins that can help eliminate joint stiffness and tenderness. So far, there is no evidence that taking antioxidant vitamins improves arthritis symptoms, although eating a diet rich in these nutrients is generally healthy. Learn what supplements and vitamins can help with arthritis symptoms and what risks some may pose.
Daily borage oil supplements can help treat rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and even reduce the dose you need from prescription treatments for joint pain and swelling. The FDA and the Arthritis Foundation also recommend that you consult your doctor before taking any supplement for osteoarthritis or other conditions. When you take supplements as directed and under your doctor's supervision, they're generally safe. It plays a key role in building and maintaining healthy cartilage, the connective tissue between joints.
When you take it as a supplement, it can help increase collagen in your joints to help you better absorb shocks. Back, joint, and muscle pain (musculoskeletal pain) is caused by a variety of genetic and lifestyle factors. Chondroitin and glucosamine are two natural substances found in cartilage and that tend to decrease around the joints as you age. Or you can increase the body's natural collagen level by consuming more foods that contain protein and vitamin C, such as chicken, fish, eggs, and citrus fruits.
You may be one of the many people with osteoarthritis who are considering taking supplements such as vitamins, minerals, animal extracts, enzymes and herbs to supplement traditional medicines to relieve symptoms. Like traditional medications, supplements have side effects and can interact negatively with medications your doctor prescribes.
