Chronic joint pain affects millions of Americans each year, yet unfortunately, the treatment options for relieving joint pain are often ineffective and do not provide adequate relief leaving many in even more pain. Truth is, it doesn’t need to be this way because there are many natural ingredients that science has shown to make a significant difference in helping to overcome painful joints.

Joints are the connections between two bones which are what allow us to move. When joints are injured or cause pain, our range of movement can be seriously affected which can negatively impact our quality of life. The majority of complaints are from knee, shoulder and hip pain, but joint pain can affect any part of your body. Find out what you can do about it so you can start enjoying life again.

Check Out Our Top Rated Joint Supplements For Fast & Effective Relief!

Types Of Joints That Can Be Affected By Pain

Joints are made up of cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and the synovial membrane. They connect two or more bones to each other and they are lubricated to allow for smooth movements. When the cartilage that makes up joints starts breaking down or the joints lose their lubrication, this is when issues with pain and stiffness will arise. There are 6 main types of movable joints that can cause issues with joint pain:

Reasons For Joint Pain

Aches and pain in the joints are a common complaint which becomes increasingly more common as we get older. Joint pain can be the result of many different conditions such as osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis, injuries such as sprains and strains, and just general wear and tear. Pain can range from mildly uncomfortable to debilitating and can have a serious impact on quality of life. The good news is that no matter the cause of the joint pain, it can usually be managed well with the right treatment.

Managing Joint Pain And Finding Relief

When it comes to alleviating joint pain suffering, the most common remedies include:

  • Medications and over-the-counter pain-killers
  • Topical creams
  • Steroid injections
  • Physical therapy
  • Surgery

Although these are the well-known practised ways of treating joint pain, each carry some risk in terms of efficacy or nasty side effects.

Prescribed medications carry the risk of unwanted side effects, and when you are looking to improve your quality of life, this can be disheartening. Not to mention, these prescription medications can be super costly and have no positive impact.

Physical therapy and surgery can be costly, time-consuming, and may not even help, with many people needing repeat surgeries after only a few years.

The relief from topical creams and steroid injections are generally short-lived, needing constant reapplication or treatment.

It is no wonder that so many people are turning to natural joint supplements as a safe alternative.

Check Out Our Top Rated Joint Supplements For Fast & Effective Relief!

Natural Supplements Minimize Side Effects

Drawing upon science and clinical research, it becomes very clear that there are many natural ingredients available that can provide both short and long-term relief from joint pain suffering. They are formulated to help:

  • Relieve pain & redness
  • Reduce swelling & inflammation
  • Rebuild bone density
  • Prevent cartilage damage
  • Lubricate joints

Joint supplements are formulated using key ingredients that have been clinically proven to stop the pain and ensure your joints remain healthy and mobile. They provide nourishment for your joints from the inside to help maintain cartilage and repair damage.

An effective joint supplement should be formulated with ingredients that both relieve pain and inflammation as well as support healthy cartilage to prevent degradation. Read below to learn about the most popular and effective ingredients for joint health.

Key Ingredients For Joint Health

Glucosamine – In supplement form, glucosamine is derived from either shellfish or vegetarian sources. Several studies suggest that Glucosamine helps protect against collagen break down. [1]

Chondroitin – A 2011 study found Chondroitin Sulfate to help relieve pain and improve functioning in individuals with osteoarthritis of the hand. [2] Chondroitin is typically derived from the bones of animals, but the vegan source, Mythocondro®, has been shown to be a less riskier form of Chondroitin.

Hyaluronic Acid – It helps keep the joints lubricated which will help minimize the bones grinding against each other and causing pain. Injecting it into the joints has been found to be risky. [3] Various studies have shown Hyaluronic Acid to be beneficial in reducing knee pain in osteoarthritis sufferers. [4]

Methylsulfonylmethane – Also known as MSM, this sulfur-containing compound is popularly used to reduce joint pain by lowering inflammation. One particular study showed that MSM improved pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints. [5]

Boswellia – Also known as Indian Frankincense, this plant extract has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. One study in particular showed an improvement in knee pain and knee flexion in participants who took Boswellia. [6]

Turmeric – Turmeric contains the active compound curcumin which is what gives it its many health benefits including as an anti-inflammatory agent. Studies have shown it to be beneficial for reducing arthritis symptoms. [7]

White Willow Bark – Willow bark contains the compound salicin which is similar to aspirin, and responsible for its pain-relieving benefits. Several studies have shown an improvement in pain in those taking White Willow. [8]

Finding An Effective Joint Supplement

Taking a supplement for joint health is fast, easy and convenient. They are also easily accessible for purchase as you can buy them online without needing to leave your house.

With so many joint supplements available on the market today, it means doing your own research is imperative. Many manufacturers are just out to make a profit and don’t really put much effort into the formulation of their supplement. However, if the formulation is not top-quality with the most effective ingredients, then you won’t get effective results. The inclusion of unnecessary ingredients may also cause more harm than good.

The most effective joint supplements need to contain a wide variety of ingredients for a dual-action approach to relieving joint pain. These ingredients will target both the immediate pain and the underlying cause of the pain for a total-care solution and long-term results.

We have done the research for you and have provided you with our top recommendations for an effective and high-quality joint supplement.

Our Top 5 Recommended Joint Supplements For Relieving Joint Pain

#1
Jointlax

What Do We Like?

  • Contains 15 key ingredients for optimal joint health including L-glutamic acid, Ginger, Turmeric, Holy Basil, White Willow, Glucosamine (vegan) and MSM.
  • Provides a total-care solution: addresses causal factors as well as managing associated symptoms of bad joints such as pain, inflammation and stiffness.
  • Contains CMO (Cetyl Myristoleate) to lubricate the joints.
  • Contains Mythocondro® as a vegan source of Chondroitin.
  • Contains Boswellia Serrata Extract clinically-proven for its anti-inflammatory effects.
  • Vegan-friendly.
  • Cost-saving purchasing options.
  • 60-day money-back guarantee on both used & unused bottles
  • Manufactured in an FDA-approved & cGMP-certified facility

The Downside

  • Sells out fast.

Our Takeaway

Compared to the other joint health products that we have reviewed, Jointlax stood out as one of the best on the market. It contains a good mix of key ingredients for providing a total care solution for optimum joint health. It tackles the root causes of joint pain from multiple angles addressing all issues associated with joint health. Jointlax contains no additives, preservatives or synthetic ingredients, and its money back guarantee is impeccable. It also contains vegan-friendly ingredients which is a welcome change from the majority of other joint supplements available on the market. Furthermore, the rave customer reviews and testimonials confirmed what we already thought – this is a great product with many happy satisfied customers. If you are looking for a joint health supplement to help eliminate the debilitating symptoms of bad joint health,* this is probably the best value you will get for your money.

#2
Joint Advance

What Do We Like?

  • Contains Ginger, Glucosamine and MSM.
  • 90-day money-back guarantee on both used and unused bottles.
  • Cost-saving purchasing options
  • Manufactured in a GMP-compliant facility

The Downside

  • Does not include CMO (Cetyl Myristoleate), Boswellia Serrata Extract, Turmeric or Holy Basil.
  • Does not address causal factors.

Our Takeaway

The inclusion of a 90-day money-back guarantee is a very positive aspect of this product. Making sure a product has a money-back guarantee is essential when buying online because not all supplements will suit a person’s needs. That said, you also need to make sure the formula of the supplement is top-notch. We like the ingredients included in this product but feel that they could have easily been strengthened with warming herbs such as Turmeric and Holy Basil among other things, which would be an easy addition. The potency of the active ingredients is also not optimal and if a sufferer is battling more than the average joint pain, it is best to look for something with a more total-care solution which addresses both the causal factors of bad joints, as well as the associated symptoms.

#3
Exomine

What Do We Like?

  • Contains Glucosamine, MSM and Boswellia Serrata Extract.
  • Money-back guarantee on unused bottles.
  • Targets joint stiffness.
  • Made from mostly natural ingredients.
  • Cost-saving purchasing options.

The Downside

  • Does not include L-glutamic acid, Holy Basil, CMO (Cetyl Myristoleate).
  • Does not treat joint pain.

Our Takeaway

The 180-day money back guarantee is a big plus for consumers, especially when the desired results are not met. This product is specifically targeted for stiff joints, and we felt that it should have included ingredients that also dealt with other issues such as pain and the strengthening of cartilage. The customer reviews on the product site did not seem very authentic so it is not clear what actual consumers have experienced with this product. We struggled to find customer reviews elsewhere too.

#4
Carlson Nutra-Support Joint

What Do We Like?

  • Contains Glucosamine and MSM.
  • Contains natural ingredients.

The Downside

  • Does not contain Holy Basil, Ginger, Turmeric and White Willow.
  • No cost-saving purchasing options.
  • No money-back guarantee from the manufacturer.
  • No consumer reviews.
  • No pain relieving ingredients such as Holy Basil, Ginger and Turmeric.

Our Takeaway

Although the ingredients found in this product are considered to be effective and essential for optimizing good joint health, we believe there are some key natural ingredients missing from this formula. Warming ingredients for soothing relief such as Holy Basil, Ginger, Turmeric and White Willow are all instrumental in a total care solution to support healthy joints. Also, we didn’t like that the manufacturer cut corners using ingredients that may be cheaper but are allergy-prone. They should take seafood allergies into consideration since there are a lot of people who are allergic and it’s not very difficult to produce supplements that are allergen-free. We thought that this product was a bit expensive, especially since there are no discounts to lower the price. We also did not like that there were no consumer reviews to gauge the overall effectiveness of this product and that there was no money back guarantee provided by the manufacturer.

#5
Himalaya JointCare

What Do We Like?

  • Contains natural ingredients.
  • Contains Greater Galangal (a relative of Ginger).
  • Vegan friendly product.
  • Competitively priced.

The Downside

  • Does not contain Glucosamine and MSM for managing pain, stiffness and swelling and for strengthening joints.
  • No money-back guarantee from the manufacturer.
  • No consumer reviews.

Our Takeaway

The use of natural ingredients is a big plus point for this product considering that a lot of other medications out there can have horrible side effects. The price is also fair, considering the bottle contains 80 tablets and can be used for about a month. We would be more confident, though, if there were customer reviews available on the product’s website. Also, the lack of a guarantee from the manufacturer is worrisome because it shows a lack of confidence in its product. Consumers want to have that sense of security, in terms of money back, if they are not satisfied with the product.

References:

  1. Momomura, Rei, et al. “Evaluation of the Effect of Glucosamine Administration on Biomarkers of Cartilage and Bone Metabolism in Bicycle Racers.” Molecular Medicine Reports, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2013, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23358550.
  2. Cem Gabay, Carole Medinger-Sadowski, Danielle Gascon, Frank Kolo, Axel Finckh. “Symptomatic effect of chondroitin sulfate 4&6 in hand osteoarthritis the finger osteoarthritis chondroitin treatment study (FACTS).” Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2011; DOI: 10.1002/art.30574
  3. Rutjes, Anne W S, et al. “Viscosupplementation for Osteoarthritis of the Knee: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Annals of Internal Medicine, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (UK), 7 Aug. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22868835.
  4. Tashiro, Toshiyuki, et al. “Oral Administration of Polymer Hyaluronic Acid Alleviates Symptoms of Knee Osteoarthritis: a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study over a 12-Month Period.” TheScientificWorldJournal, The Scientific World Journal, 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23226979/.
  5. Xu, Gang, et al. “Evaluation of the Effect of Mega MSM on Improving Joint Function in Populations Experiencing Joint Degeneration.” International Journal of Biomedical Science : IJBS, Master Publishing Group, June 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4502733/.
  6. Kimmatkar, N., et al. “Efficacy and Tolerability of Boswellia Serrata Extract in Treatment of Osteoarthritis of Knee – A Randomized Double Blind Placebo Controlled Trial.” Phytomedicine, Urban & Fischer, 10 Nov. 2004, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711304701890?via%3Dihub.
  7. Daily, James W, et al. “Efficacy of Turmeric Extracts and Curcumin for Alleviating the Symptoms of Joint Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.” Journal of Medicinal Food, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., Aug. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5003001/.
  8. Dragos, Dorin, et al. “Phytomedicine in Joint Disorders.” Nutrients, MDPI, 16 Jan. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5295114/.