Five Supplements That Actually Work Vs Arthritis

This is Dr. Diana Girnita, a double board-certified physician (internal medicine & rheumatology) who, in addition to her MD, also has a PhD in immunology—bearing in mind that rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition.

Her mission is to help people with any form of arthritis (rheumatoid or otherwise) and those with many non-arthritic autoimmune conditions (ranging from tendonitis to lupus) to live better.

Today, we’ll be looking at her recommendations of 5 supplements that actually help alleviate arthritis:

Collagen

Collagen famously supports skin, nails, bones, and joint cartilage; Dr. Girnita advises that it’s particularly beneficial for osteoarthritis.

Specifically, she recommends either collagen peptides or hydrolyzed collagen, as they are most absorbable. However, collagen can also be sourced from foods like bone broth, fish with skin and bones, and gelatin-based foods.

If you’re vegetarian/vegan, then it becomes important to simply consume the ingredients for collagen, because like most animals, we can synthesize it ourselves provided we get the necessary nutrients. For more on that, see:

We Are Such Stuff As Fish Are Made Of

Glucosamine & chondroitin

Technically two things, but almost always sold/taken together. Naturally found in joint cartilage, it can slow cartilage breakdown and reduce pain in osteoarthritis.

Studies show pain relief, especially in moderate-to-severe cases; best taken long-term. Additionally, it’s a better option than NSAIDs for patients with heart or gastrointestinal issues.

10almonds tip: something that’s tricker to find as a supplement than glucosamine and chondroitin, but you might want to check it out:

Cucumber Extract Beats Glucosamine & Chondroitin… At 1/135th Of The Dose?!

Omega-3 fatty acids

Dr. Girnita recommends this one because unlike the above recommendations that mainly help reduce/reverse the joint damage itself, omega-3 reduces inflammation, pain, and stiffness, and can decrease or eliminate the need for NSAIDs in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

She recommends 2-4g EPA/DHA daily; ideally taken with a meal for better absorption.

She also recommends to look for mercury-free options—algae-derived are usually better than fish-derived, but check for certification either way! See also:

What Omega-3 Fatty Acids Really Do For Us

Boswellia serrata (frankincense)

Popularly enjoyed as an incense but also available in supplement form, it contains boswellic acid, which reduces inflammation and cartilage damage.

Dr. Girnita recommends 100 mg daily, but advises that it may interact with some antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and NSAIDs—so speak with your pharmacist/doctor if unsure.

We also wrote about this one here:

Science-Based Alternative Pain Relief

Curcumin (turmeric)

Well-known for its potent anti-inflammatory properties, it’s comparable to NSAIDs in pain relief for most common forms of arthritis.

Dr. Girnita recommends 1–1.5g of curcumin daily, ideally combined with black pepper for better absorption:

Why Curcumin (Turmeric) Is Worth Its Weight In Gold

Lastly…

Dr. Girnita advises to not blindly trust supplements, but rather, to test them for 2–3 months while keeping a journal of your symptoms. If it improves things for you, keep it up, if not, discontinue. Humans can be complicated and not everything will work exactly the same way for everyone!

For more on dealing with chronic pain specifically, by the way, check out:

Managing Chronic Pain (Realistically!)

Take care!