Supplements for Joint Pain: Helpful or Harmful?

If you live with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or another joint disease, you may have heard that supplements for joint pain, such as fish oil or vitamin D, can help you find relief. Supplements are natural remedies you can take that may reduce inflammation, knee pain and other arthritis symptoms. You don’t need a prescription to buy them; they are available at most pharmacies and supermarkets. 

While supplements may seem like a great treatment option, you shouldn’t take them without first consulting your provider. Though they are generally safe, researchers have not yet come to a consensus about whether they actually work. Additionally, you might experience worsening symptoms if the supplement you choose to take doesn’t mix well with your prescribed medications. 

Learn how supplements for joint pain work and how your provider might work them into your treatment plan. 

Common Supplements for Joint Pain

Two of the most common supplements for arthritis and other joint-related conditions are glucosamine and chondroitin. Because they are components of cartilage, they are believed to repair cartilage damage, fix connective tissue and ease joint pain. They are frequently used to treat knee osteoarthritis. While some people experience pain relief from taking these supplements, there is no evidence that glucosamine and chondroitin always work to reduce pain and inflammation. Talk to your provider before trying or adding these or any other supplement to your routine. 

Other supplements people use to reduce joint pain include:

• Curcumin – The active compound in turmeric, a yellow-hued spice that is a staple of Indian curries, curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that blocks the same inflammatory-promoting enzyme as the drug celecoxib.
• Fish oil – The polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties. Some studies show that it tends to work better for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rather than osteoarthritis since RA is mainly driven by inflammation.
• Flaxseed – Flaxseed oil and ground flaxseeds have been shown to ease symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis due to anti-inflammatory properties, such as the essential fatty acids, lignans and fiber they contain.
• SAM-e – S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM-e), a natural compound in the body, may have anti-inflammatory, cartilage-protecting and pain-relieving effects, plus it may have a mild to moderate antidepressant effect. 

Antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E, and vitamins D and K have been studied; so far, there has not been any evidence that they improve arthritis. However, eating a diet with foods rich in these vitamins is good for overall health.

Your body absorbs nutrients from whole foods better than supplements. You can easily include more flaxseed, curcumin and fish oil into your daily meals, rather than take those in supplement form. 

What to Know About Supplements

Supplements have not been researched as extensively as conventional medications have. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate supplements the same way it does prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Before you take any supplement, regardless of its intended purpose, remember to:

• Talk to your primary care provider. Certain supplements can interact with other medications you take, such as arthritis medications. They may also cause or worsen some side effects. Your provider will know which supplements may be most effective for you and which ones will have the least impact on your health. 
• Evaluate the cost of taking the supplements. Supplements can be expensive, and while they may appear to help some people, there is no guarantee that they will do the same for you. 
• Remember that supplement labels aren’t always accurate. Remember that the industry is self-regulated. The FDA doesn’t test supplements for purity or strength before they hit store shelves, so it’s up to manufacturers to ensure that the claims on their labels are accurate. Try to always choose a supplement that has undergone third-party purity testing and has a certificate for that product. 

Why Might My Provider Encourage Supplement Usage?

In most cases, supplements are safe, and many provide small health benefits. Some dietary supplements, including flaxseed oil and SAM-e, have benefits beyond easing joint pain and can benefit your health. 

If you are interested in taking supplements, your doctor may recommend remedies that can be taken alongside your current arthritis medication. Since supplements have not yet been proven to successfully lessen joint pain, you should never take them in place of actual medication. Your provider will likely suggest a treatment plan that includes supplements alongside an FDA-approved arthritis medication. 

Home Remedies for Joint Pain

After reviewing the benefits and downsides of joint pain supplements, you may have decided to find an alternative. Fortunately, you can use several different at-home remedies to ease your joint pain. You can:

• Use pillows, cushions or heating pads. You can do a lot to relieve the tension in your muscles and joints by cushioning them properly and regularly applying a heating pad. 
• Stay conscious of when and how you’re overusing your joints. You might not always be aware of small ways that overuse can damage your joints. Try to alter your routine so that you don’t overwork the affected joint.
• Take warm baths or showers. Bathing in warm water can be a great way to ease joint pain.
• Use an ice pack. Using ice on a joint limits blood flow to the area, which can reduce inflammation and swelling. 
• Try simple exercises. Gentle stretching and low-impact joint pain exercises can help keep your joints flexible instead of stiff. If you need suggestions, see a physical therapist.
• Make any other necessary lifestyle adjustments. Place items on lower shelves that are easier to reach if you have shoulder pain. To help with knee or hip pain, avoid stairs whenever possible and use assistive devices, such as canes or braces, that can relieve pressure on those joints. If you have issues with your finger joints and enjoy journaling or drawing, you can purchase soft grips to put on your pencil so that writing will be less painful. 

Beyond Home Remedies

If you have pain in your joints, your first step should be to talk to your primary care provider. They can recommend proven treatment options, answer questions about home remedies and give you a referral to an orthopedic specialist if needed.

Other important things you can do are maintain or get to a healthy weight and stay physically active with aerobic exercises and strength training. In addition to lowering body fat and increasing muscle mass, these activities help support aging joints, improve balance and gait, and prevent falls.

More to Read

• 5 Low-Impact Exercises to Alleviate Joint Pain
• Joints Hurt? Here’s How to Ease Joint Pain When Temps Drop
• 9 Tips for Arthritis Pain Relief and Prevention while Gardening
• Healing Shoulder Pain

Medically reviewed by Sheila Taylor, DO.