Yesterday, I explained how mainstream medicine pours its time and money into researching drug treatments for deadly diseases—such as cancer and heart disease. And it woefully neglects chronic health conditions—like lower back pain and arthritis. We also discussed natural strategies for combatting lower back pain.
So, today, let’s focus on two new studies involving several natural and effective remedies for combatting arthritis pain.
Botanical trio works on joint pain in just four weeks
For the first study, researchers looked at the effectiveness of black pepper, ginger, and turmeric extracts for chronic knee osteoarthritis (OA) compared to the commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) naproxen (Aleve®).
First, the researchers randomly divided 60 participants with knee OA into two groups. One group took the botanical extract combination twice a day for four weeks. (The researchers chose these extracts because we already know they work together synergistically to reduce inflammation, the root cause of arthritis.) The second group took a standard dose of naproxen twice a day for four weeks.
After four weeks, the researchers measured the participants’ levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)—a strong cellular marker of inflammation. Research also associates it with swelling to the joint and erosion of cartilage.
Both groups “significantly” reduced their PGE2 levels. Which means the natural, herbal remedy reduced inflammation just as well as the potent drug…but without the side effects.
In second new study, researchers looked at the effect of daily fish oil supplementation on chronic OA pain.
First, the researchers randomly divided 152 older, overweight, and obese adults (ages 50 to 80 years) into four groups.
- The first group took a daily fish oil supplement (2,000 mg DHA and 400 mg EPA, per day).
- The second group took a daily curcumin supplement (160 mg per day).
- The third group took a daily combination of fish oil and curcumin.
- And the fourth group took a placebo.
After 12 weeks, the fish oil group “significantly” improved their OA pain and functionality compared to the placebo group. They also reported improvements in psychological distress, productivity, sleep, and even finances! It appears they also experienced improvements in blood circulation, which makes sense, as previous studies show that fish oil does indeed improve blood flow and arterial elasticity.
Of course, dosing is always important, especially when it comes to fish oil. And the dose of fish oil they used in this study may be marginally sufficient for someone who regularly enjoys some seafood during the week.
But it was far too low for most Americans…who typically don’t eat any seafood during the week. (Here are updated my dosage recommendations for fish oil supplementation, which are sensibly based on how much seafood you eat during the week.)
And of course, curcumin has been a long-standing recommendation of mine for joint pain for years. In fact, it’s part of my “ABCs” for joint pain—as I discussed yesterday.
In addition to the natural remedies covered in these two studies, there are many other natural approaches to combatting the pain, stiffness, and swelling associated with arthritis. You can learn more about them in my Arthritis Relief and Reversal Protocol. This innovative, online learning tool discusses a drug-free plan for easing and eliminating arthritis pain. To learn more, or to enroll today, click here now!
P.S. Join me this Sunday, February 21st at 3:00 PM for my Ultimate Longevity Summit. During this FREE online event, I’ll be showing you how you don’t need to rely on dangerous mainstream “solutions” to combat the troublesome symptoms of “old age.” Don’t miss out on this life-changing opportunity. Click here to reserve your spot today!
Sources:
“Fish oil supplementation reduces osteoarthritis-specific pain in older adults with overweight/obesity.” Rheumatology Advances in Practice, 2020; 4(2): rkaa036. doi.org/10.1093/rap/rkaa036
“Herbal formulation ‘turmeric extract, black pepper, and ginger’ versus Naproxen for chronic knee osteoarthritis: A randomized, double‐blind, controlled clinical trial.” Phytotherapy Research, 2020, August 34(8): 2067 – 2073. doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6671