Back pain can be debilitating, impacting you physically, mentally, and socially. While there are several strategies you can use to help alleviate discomfort such as this, back pain supplements can be an incredibly useful tool. Back pain supplements are typically formulated with natural ingredients that may minimize pain and provide you much much-needed relief. Let’s review some of the top five supplements for back pain.
When reaching for a back pain supplement, you’ll want to pay special attention to what ingredients are contained within the supplement. These ingredients should be evidence-backed, meaning that studies have proven that they may support back health. For example, with back pain supplements, research should indicate that their ingredients help to minimize inflammation or relieve pain. Without research, you can’t really know if a supplement will do what it claims.
Studies can also show if the ingredients contained within the supplement are safe, particularly in humans. Supplements without any evidence may have unknown risks.
Thus, when choosing a back pain supplement, you’ll want to opt for one that is supported by research. Below, we will discuss some of our top five supplements to support back comfort.
Curcugen is a branded curcumin extract. Curcumin acts on certain molecules and processes that regulate the cell cycle. It may be supportive for cardiovascular conditions, arthritis, and more. Additionally, it helps to block inflammatory enzymes and cytokines, including cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Celecoxib (Celebrex), a pain reliever, actually targets this same enzyme, meaning that curcumin may work similarly in minimizing pain (1).
One study evaluated the efficacy of curcumin in treating osteoarthritis pain. Published in BMC, this study enrolled as many as 139 individuals with symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. These individuals had to have at least moderately severe symptoms requiring nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Patients were randomized to receive an NSAID (diclofenac 50 mg twice daily) or curcumin (500 mg three times daily). Results indicated that curcumin relieved arthritis symptoms in a similar fashion to diclofenac. As many as 94 percent of those taking curcumin and 97 percent of those taking diclofenac had improvements by as much as 50 percent.
Not only that, but individuals taking curcumin had fewer side effects than those taking diclofenac. Nobody taking curcumin had any stomach upset, while as many as 28 percent of those on diclofenac did. While the main goal of this study was pain relief, it is worth noting that those taking curcumin also lost an average of two percent of their body weight (2).
Although this study evaluated individuals with osteoarthritis, it is clear that curcumin has the potential to alleviate pain, thus making it a great natural option for back pain.
Hyaluronic acid is a slippery substance naturally produced by your body. It is found throughout the body, including in the joints, skin, and eyes. It is helpful for a variety of reasons, including keeping you hydrated and your skin flexible.
When it comes to the joints, think of hyaluronic acid like the oil in a machine. It works on joints to prevent bones from grinding against each other, thus preventing pain and injury (3). Hyaluronic acid injections are sometimes used to alleviate joint pain, and studies have shown that it is effective in doing so.
Hyaluronic acid can alleviate joint pain by lubricating the joint, helping the joint move more freely. Additionally, it can minimize inflammation to potentially help with pain and swelling. Finally, it may also repair damaged cartilage by stimulating cartilage cells to create more natural hyaluronic acid (4).
Glucosamine is a compound found naturally in the body, specifically in the cartilage. The cartilage is the connective tissue that provides cushioning around the joints. Many individuals with pain, specifically osteoarthritis, have cartilage degeneration that leads to pain and swelling.
Individuals look to glucosamine as it is a substance with anti-inflammatory properties. In the body, it protects chondrocytes, which are important for maintaining cartilage structure. In theory, glucosamine supplements may help to delay cartilage deterioration, thus minimizing pain.
While results with regards to pain relief are sometimes mixed, a 2016 study found that combining glucosamine and chondroitin helped relieve knee osteoarthritis pain and swelling. Additionally, it was comparable to celecoxib but without the side effects. Another study in 2015 showed similar results, demonstrating a reduction in joint space narrowing, which is a sign of cartilage degeneration (5).
Boswellia is a tree that originates from Northern Africa, the Middle East, and India. It has historically and traditionally been used to improve arthritis symptoms, decrease pain and inflammation, and improve cardiovascular and respiratory conditions.
Studies indicate that taking Boswellia orally could be effective in lowering pain and inflammation caused by osteoarthritis. However, these were smaller studies, and larger and higher-quality research is needed to confirm these results.
Additionally, Boswellia tends to be safe when taken orally. For example, Boswellia serrata extract doses of as much as 1,000 mg daily have been evaluated in clinical studies lasting as many as six months and were shown to be safe (6).
Benfotiamine resembles Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine. However, the body absorbs benfotiamine better than it does thiamine. It has been shown to be potentially effective in individuals with nerve pain, specifically those with diabetic neuropathy (7).
One study evaluated benfotiamine in treating symptoms associated with diabetic neuropathy, particularly nerve pain. These case studies found that benfotiamine effectively relieved nerve pain symptoms associated with diabetic neuropathy (8).
The Everyday Back Vitamin contains all five of these back pain-relieving ingredients – and more! If you want to take a single supplement that contains as many as 20 research-backed ingredients for pain and inflammation, look no further than the Everyday Back Vitamin.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/curcumin-for-arthritis-does-it-really-work-2019111218290
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22915-hyaluronic-acid
https://www.henryford.com/blog/2024/04/hyaluronic-acid-injections-for-osteoarthritis
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1574/benfotiamine
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