Do Joint Support Supplements Work: Here’s Everything You Need to Know

If you are suffering from joint pain, you will surely know that it can just bring you to your knees, both figuratively and literally.

And in that case, you do not have any option left but to turn to joint health supplements that can offer a lot of relief. But the question here is, do they work?

There are several reasons behind experiencing joint pain, with the vast majority of cases where joint pain is a symptom of arthritis.

This is a degenerative condition without a proper cure, and the only relief available is through the best supplements for joints.

Here, we will be looking at what evidence says about joint health supplements when it comes to managing joint pain.

What Do Studies Say?

As per studies, the intake of joint health supplements like chondroitin and glucosamine might make the joints feel worse than doing nothing.

While the evidence of advantages is undoubtedly not very compelling, some studies have concluded that joint health supplements offer modest benefits.

People who believe that these supplements are helping them might not care about what individual studies have to say.

Even if there’s a treatment that is not effective on a larger scale, there are people who are getting relief from these supplements for whatever reason it might be.

So, ultimately, individuals are taking joint health supplements for several conditions and reasons other than osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. The results of different studies do not apply to these people.

Understanding the Downsides of Taking Joint Health Supplements

Generally speaking, joint health supplements are considered to be absolutely safe. Nevertheless, as with any medicine, there are certain potential risks.

There are certain studies where people taking joint health supplements have reported:

• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain or heartburn
• Headaches
• Drowsiness
• Allergic reactions

Yet another problem is drug interaction which might be an issue with any combination of medicines. 

Joint health supplements have chances of interacting with blood thinners like warfarin, and combined use of different supplements can increase the chances of bleeding.

You need to consult your pharmacist or doctor before taking these supplements, as the FDA does not regulate most vitamins A and supplements.

And then, of course, the cost of these supplements also needs to be considered.

So, for the advocates of joint health supplements, studies finding no advantage or slight improvement are unlikely to be the final word.

There are varied doses and types available, and they are taken for varied conditions.

So, there might be situations and cases where these supplements can be specifically useful and certain situations where they might not.

There’s additional research required to know what these supplements are.

Conclusion

So, what do you think? Should you give joint health supplements a try? To start things better, you must consult your doctor regarding the interactions of these supplements with other medicines that you might be taking.

At the same time, remember that the Food and Drug Association does not regulate these supplements, which are considered unproven.

If you are taking these supplements and you do not notice any clear improvement in your condition within a few months, stop their usage.