Arthritis is a degenerative disease that comes in 3 main different types, known as osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. They all progress in slightly different ways and can affect one or more joints, but on a base level they all cause the same issue, which is damage to the cartilage in your joints.
When the cartilage is damaged or destroyed, the bones will rub together, leading to joint inflammation. This is what causes arthritis pain and most of its symptoms and, while the level of pain varies between people and versions of the disease, if you don't try to control inflammation levels, it is only going to get worse.
While steroids and other medications with anti inflammatory properties are common options, they can lead to a number of unpleasant side effects, such as an iron deficiency or muscle cramps. That has led to many arthritis patients turning to natural oral supplements to help with their arthritis pain management instead.
Vitamins are a great option for this, as many have either anti inflammatory or pain relieving properties that can help with the condition. That is why we have decided to shine a light on some of the best vitamins, as well as a few other natural ingredients, that people should try when looking to safely reduce arthritis pain.
As a quick aside, if you're looking for some all in one supplements for arthritis we generally recommend FlexAgain, it contains the most important vitamins for joint stiffness and pain relief along with a blend of natural herbal extracts that have all been clinically shown to reduce arthritis symptoms and improve overall joint health. We ranked it as the best joint supplement on the market for 2023 and you can read more about it here.
The Best Vitamins To Treat Arthritis Symptoms
Vitamin D
Vitamin d is a type of fat soluble vitamin that has many uses in the human body, including being able to keep the bones, muscles, skin, teeth, and immune system healthy, promote the growth of cells, and regulate blood calcium levels, all of which allow it to help treat arthritis symptoms.
Maybe a bigger reason than the health benefits it offers for vitamin d to be put in supplements for arthritis though is to stop you from developing a vitamin d deficiency. When you develop a vitamin d deficiency, your testosterone levels will drop and your bones and joints will become weak and prone to damage.
Vitamin d supplementation will stop you from becoming vitamin d deficient, preventing arthritis symptoms from getting any worse and providing modest pain relief (1).
Vitamin d is has been observed increasing Leydig cell function and stimulating the production of LH (luteinizing hormone), these two components control testosterone production-release.
Vitamin K
On its own, vitamin k is vital for the maintenance of healthy blood vessels, bones, and cartilage. It has also been proven to relieve pain in people suffering from arthritis and can help to prevent people who are at an increased risk of developing spine, hip, or knee osteoarthritis from getting the condition.
Vitamin k also serves a secondary function when put in a dietary supplement that contains vitamin d too, as it makes the effects of the latter vitamin far more potent (2).
Vitamin C
Most people who have even a reasonably healthy diet will get some vitamin c each day, as it is common in widely consumed foods and beverages, such as orange juice. However, just because you are getting some vitamin c does not mean that you are getting your full recommended dietary allowance.
Studies show that people who develop a vitamin c deficiency will become far more prone to a number of different health conditions and issues, which includes increases in joint inflammation, a higher risk of joint damage, and a greater likelihood of you developing rheumatoid arthritis.
By taking vitamin c in supplement form, you can not only prevent these issues from occurring, but you can also reverse them if they already have and relieve the chronic pain that usually comes with them (3).
Vitamin E
Vitamin e is most commonly found in plants and is neither a vitamin that people are overly worried about becoming deficient in, nor is it one that is commonly linked to joint health benefits. However, it should be of great interest to people who are either suffering from, or genetically predisposed to, getting osteoarthritis.
Not only does vitamin e have some anti inflammatory properties, but it also has the ability to stimulate the growth of new cartilage and prevent oxidative stress.
This allows it to slow or sometimes completely stop the progression of the condition, relieve much of the pain associated with it, and even repair some of the damage that it has already caused (4).
The Best Nonsteroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs To Relieve Arthritis Pain
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are a type of healthy fat that is most commonly found in fatty fish or fish oil, as well as some beans, nuts, pulses, seeds, and even plants like seaweed.
Omega 3 fatty acids are beneficial for people suffering from arthritis as they have anti inflammatory effects that will protect the bones and joints from damage, keep the joints lubricated, mobile, and flexible, and aid muscle, connective tissue, and bone growth and repair, as well as nerve and muscle function (5) .
Glucosamine Sulfate
Glucosamine sulfate is a natural compound found in cartilage that is extracted from shellfish or sometimes produced in a lab, and which is among the most popular natural remedies to help you treat arthritis pain.
Not only can glucosamine sulfate ease joint pain directly, but it can also prevent or slow the degradation of collagen, the primary component of cartilage, which will help to restore joint function and boost your joint health. It is also particularly effective for treating knee osteoarthritis and stopping it from progressing (6).
Chondroitin Sulfate
Chondroitin sulfate is a substance that is produced naturally by the human body and which is one of the main components of cartilage, the tissues that stop your bones from rubbing against each other.
Taking it in supplement form is a great way for arthritis sufferers to deal with their symptoms, as it can ease joint stiffness and pain, relieve knee osteoarthritis, and boost your natural production of collagen, to help repair any joints that have already been damaged (7).
MSM
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is a natural vegetable extract also found in some fruits and plants that has an extremely high sulphur content and which studies on public health have proven has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
This enables it to boost joint health, relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis, especially knee oa, and prevent inflammation and damage to the rest of the body. Studies by the Arthritis Foundation also show it boosts the effects of both chondroitin and glucosamine as well (8).
Bromelain
Bromelain is an enzyme most often found in pineapples that studies on integrative medicine show can help to reduce inflammation, relieve joint pain, and boost gut health, the production of healthy gut microbiome, the functions of the digestive system, and the metabolism of amino acids.
It can also prevent heart disease, activity related joint degradation, issues with the respiratory system, and the development of a weakened immune system, all of which can have an effect on rheumatoid arthritis symptoms (9).
Curcumin Extract
Curcumin extract is a chemical found in turmeric, a spice produced from the roots of the curcuma longa plant, that has been used for decades in traditional medicines around the globe as it has proven and potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Taking the suggested dose will neutralise free radicals and prevent them from causing any oxidative stress or damage to our bones, cartilage, and organs. It can even reduce any inflammation that has already set in or repair any damage that has already been caused, relieving pain and restoring optimal joint health (10).
Ginger Extract
Ginger extract is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that can prevent oxidative damage and stress to the joints, while reducing the risk of heart disease or a blood clot, and boosting the health of the digestive tract, absorption of healthy foods, and effects of things like blood thinning medications (11).
It can, however, increase bleeding risk if you suffer from clotting issues, which is important to be aware of.
Blue Galangal Extract
Blue galangal extract comes from a root plant native to south Asia that is rich in antioxidants. It can reduce inflammation and joint pain, boost the nervous system, and help prevent disease, activity based joint damage, inflammation, and infection.
It also has the ability to boost the absorption and efficacy of ginger and certain medications, such as blood thinners (12).
Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a substance extracted from grapes, grapevines, almonds, and some berries, which has long been used in traditional medicines in east Asia, due to its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
It can reduce inflammation, prevent oxidative damage, and treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, while offering a variety of other health benefits for the rest of the human body (13).
Boswellic Acid
Boswellic acid is found in the boswellia serrata trees native to India and the Punjab area of Pakistan. Long used ayurvedic and other traditional medicines, it can reduce pain and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis patients, treat the symptoms of osteoarthritis patients, and help ease swelling in the rest of the body (14).
The Best Joint Pain Supplement For Arthritis Patients - FlexAgain
When looking for natural supplements for arthritis pain and symptoms, you will ideally want to find one that has as many of the vitamins and natural extracts that we looked at above as possible. With that in mind, we recommend FlexAgain as the very best supplement for people with osteo, psoriatic, or rheumatoid arthritis.
The FlexAgain formula boasts all of the herbal extracts from above, as well as the two most useful vitamins. It contains omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin d, vitamin k, ginger and blue galangal extracts, bromelain, curcumin extract, resveratrol, glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, and boswellic acid.
This diverse selection of ingredients allows FlexAgain to support the joint in an incredible number of ways, while everything being of a high quality and present in its recommended dietary allowance will ensure maximum potency, without putting you at risk of experiencing any side effects.
It can protect the cartilage and boost its growth and repair, lubricate the joints, ease arthritis pain and joint swelling, prevent you from becoming vitamin d deficient or damaging your joints, and repair any existing damage. The carefully chosen ingredients even work together to make each other more effective.
This wide range of ingredients and effects makes FlexAgain an ideal joint supplement to help treat all of your arthritis symptoms and provide the bones, connective tissues, joints, and muscles maximum support, to keep them totally healthy, while also offering countless other benefits for the rest of the human body.
Unlike most joint supplements that contain fatty acids, it also does not use fish oil, which is an ingredient that can put some people off, and it is even produced in FDA registered and cGMP certified facilities, to give you full confidence that it is a high quality product.
Throw in a full 90 day money back guarantee that the manufacturers offer all customers, to further assure them of both the quality and efficacy of the product, and there really is no reason no to try FlexAgain if you are dealing with osteo, psoriatic, or rheumatoid arthritis, or even if you simply find your joints are hurting.
Final Thoughts On The Best Vitamin Supplements For Arthritis: What To Use For Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis & Osteoarthritis Patients
Osteo, psoriatic, and rheumatoid arthritis are all inflammatory conditions that can cause a lot of joint pain and damage. While sufferers will often be prescribed controlled medications to provide them a significant reduction in their level pain and symptoms, this often is not necessary, as there are safer options out there.
Studies on complementary and integrative health show that, in many cases, vitamins like vitamin d are just as effective. The can reduce inflammation, provide pain relief, and combat all known arthritis symptoms, while not putting you at risk of side effects, assuming that you stick to the recommended dietary allowance.
As far as dietary supplements for arthritis go, we would highly suggest that you give FlexAgain a try. It mixes a potent dose of vitamin d and vitamin k with a range of fatty acids and herbal extracts with proven anti inflammatory properties, to safely and effectively combat your arthritis pain and all the symptoms.
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