Whether you are fighting rheumatoid arthritis or recovering from an injury, inflammation can, unfortunately, be a major factor in your life. Finding a joint health supplement and dietary supplements with anti-inflammatory effects that specifically fight inflammation can also feel like an uphill challenge. However, there are actually quite a few supplements on the market that can help with inflammation, relieve joint pain, and support overall joint health. Let’s dig into them and their health benefits!
What Is the #1 Best Vitamin for Chronic Inflammation?
Chronic inflammation is slow, long-term inflammation lasting several months to years. Inflammation, in general, is part of the body’s defense mechanism, so when your immune system recognizes and removes bad actors, inflammation occurs and can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). It’s important to find the best vitamins for pain and inflammation since one of the best ways to manage chronic inflammation is by taking vitamins and supplements with natural anti-inflammatory agents to support your body’s immune system.
Vitamin D and Its Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Being deficient in, or at least having an insufficient amount of, Vitamin D can not only have an impact on your bone health and overall health but can also contribute to a number of inflammatory diseases. Unfortunately, research has found that up to 41.6% of Americans are Vitamin D deficient. Studies show that Vitamin D is crucial in modulating immune responses and can regulate immune responses in regard to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In acute infections and autoimmune disorders, evidence has suggested that supplementing with Vitamin D can decrease the risk of disease. Other studies have confirmed that Vitamin D does, in fact, have potent anti-inflammatory properties by reducing pro-inflammatory mediators and increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines (immune proteins).
What Is The Role of Vitamin C in Reducing Inflammation?
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that reduces inflammation by neutralizing the free radicals that cause oxidative damage to your cells. Vitamin C is also one of the most powerful supplements to support your immune system, and this can help regulate your body’s immune response.
Other Vitamins
In addition to Vitamin D and Vitamin C, there’s a variety of other vitamins that work to support our bodies' inflammatory response and fight inflammation:
B Vitamins
In particular, vitamins B6, B12, and folate can reduce inflammation in your body, lower C-reactive protein (what your liver releases in response to inflammation), and lower homocysteine.
Vitamin E
This is a powerful antioxidant, meaning it can reduce inflammation. Results from a meta-analysis reported that Vitamin E has strong anti-inflammatory properties and, therefore, that supplementation can help fight the symptoms of inflammatory conditions.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is known for reducing inflammatory markers, helping with blood clots, and protecting bone health.
What Is the Strongest Anti-Inflammatory?
There is a wide variety of vitamins, supplements, and ingredients that help fight inflammation, such as turmeric, boswellia, ginger, omega 3 supplements and more. But the question becomes: what are the best anti-inflammatory supplements?
Natural Supplements
When it comes to fighting inflammation, natural remedies can be your best friend! Things like turmeric, omega-3 fatty acids, and boswellin® are also good.
Turmeric
Coming from the root of Curcuma longa, the main active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Thanks to curcumin, turmeric is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory supplements. In one systematic review, evidence suggested that turmeric can help reduce joint pain and inflammation in those with issues such as osteoarthritis. Curcumin has been shown to have a positive effect on inflammation and may be a safe, long-term treatment option for those with inflammatory conditions (specifically osteoarthritis).
Boswellia
Coming from the bark of the Boswellia tree, Boswellia serrata has been used traditionally in Ayurvedic medicine. It is used to treat inflammatory conditions like arthritis, asthma, and even general inflammation. Boswellin® is also one of the main active ingredients in our joint health supplement, Joint Health PLUS®, and is clinically proven to be a powerful natural anti-inflammatory.
Pharmaceutical vs Natural Remedies
When it comes to pharmaceuticals, the most common anti-inflammatory medications (commonly referred to as NSAIDs) are Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Diclofenac, and Celecoxib. These medications work by blocking a specific enzyme in your body called cyclooxygenase (COX), which is used to make hormone-like chemicals (prostaglandins) that contribute to inflammation. NSAIDs work by reducing the production of prostaglandins and temporarily reducing the inflammation and pain associated with them. NSAIDs are typically used when your body is suffering from acute, short-term inflammation.
However, natural remedies such as turmeric, boswellia, and vitamins contain ingredients that work to address long-term inflammatory conditions and assist in the reduction of inflammation.
What Is the Number One Natural Anti-inflammatory
Benefits of Ginger for Inflammation
Ginger is one of the most powerful antioxidants and is, therefore, a powerhouse supplement to fight inflammation. One review showed that ginger can help reduce pain in those with osteoarthritis. Another trial of those with knee osteoarthritis showed that after three months, participants treated with ginger had a “significant reduction in pain and disease-related disability.” In addition to supporting your immune system, decreasing nausea, and being a powerful antioxidant, ginger can help remedy the long-term effects of inflammation.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Eating an anti-inflammatory diet is one of the best ways to manage inflammation and pain in the body. Here are a few of the best anti-inflammatory foods to support your joint health:
- Fatty fish. In particular, salmon, mackerel, sardines, and trout are all high in Omega-3 fatty acids, which can significantly help decrease inflammation in the body. Since you can only get Omega-3s from your diet, taking a high-quality supplement like Omega Pure PLUS® is a great way to get all those nutrients!
- Healthy fats such as avocados and olives or olive oil. Olives and olive oil are high in the antioxidant oleocanthal and high in oleic acid, making them good for reducing inflammation.
- Turmeric. This spice contains a significant amount of antioxidants, and curcumin is a natural anti-inflammatory compound.
- Bone broth. Glucosamine, chondroitin, and other amino acids are all beneficial in helping to relieve joint pain, and bone broth contains all of these! It also contains calcium, which helps with bone density.
What Is the Highest-Strength OTC Anti-Inflammatory?
According to research, the most effective over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication is naproxen (Aleve) because the pain relief can last longer and, therefore, it may not need to be taken as often. Naproxen is most effective for things like sprains and arthritis. Ibuprofen, on the other hand, is effective for short-term relief of minor aches and pains (such as a headache). Both naproxen and ibuprofen are NSAIDs. Lastly, Aspirin can help manage pain and inflammation in the short term as well.
It is crucial to consult your healthcare professionals before you take these over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, especially if you’re already taking other medications. What is outlined here is simply for educational purposes and should not be taken as medical advice.
Support Your Joints with Supplements That Can Help with Inflammation
As we’ve seen, herbs are nature’s medicine, and lucky for us, most of them are made into supplements! Ingredients such as boswellia, turmeric, and ginger can help decrease joint pain and inflammation in your body. Here at Previnex®, we also have a supplement called Joint Health PLUS®, which combines two ingredients clinically proven to relieve joint pain: NEM® and Boswellin®. Boswellin® is a clinically studied form of Boswellia, and NEM® (natural eggshell membrane) has gone through clinical studies where it has been proven to reduce joint pain, reduce joint stiffness, and improve joint flexibility in as little as 7-10 days. NEM® has also been clinically proven to be up to 5x more effective than glucosamine and chondroitin—both alone and together. NEM® and Boswellin® together make Joint Health PLUS® a powerhouse supplement to support your joints! Grab a bottle to add to your supplement regimen today!