How Omega-3 Supplements and Glucosamine Help Arthritis

Ever since the best-selling book "The Arthritis Cure" flew off the shelves in 1994, arthritis sufferers have glucosamine supplements for joint pain relief. This an amino sugar naturally found in joints ad is known to trigger the secretion of cartilage, which is needed for joint repair. Animal studies show that glucosamine sulfate supplements can relieve inflammation, immunological-reactive arthritis, and mechanical arthritis, although its effects are not as powerful as drugs like indomethacin. However, a new study from Germany shows that this nutrient can become an even more powerful remedy for arthritis pain relief if taken together with omega-3 supplements.

The study, which can be found in the journal Advances in Therapy, is the first research project that made use of omega-3 fatty acids with glucosamine among patients with osteoarthritis. The authors recruited 177 patients with moderate to severe knee or hip osteoarthritis. They were randomly assigned to two groups - one that was given a glucosamine sulfate-only supplement (1,500mg/day), and one who got the same dosage of glucosamine sulfate plus 444mg fish oil (200mg of which were omega-3 fats). Since all patients experience moderate to severe pain, there was no placebo group.

Twenty-six weeks later, the patients' pain levels were tested using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthrosis index. Those who received both glucosamine sulfate and omega-3 fats experienced reduced morning pain and stiffness in the hips or knees from 48.5% to 55.6%, compared to the glucosamine-only group at 41.7% to 55.30%.

Most, if not all, joint health supplements contain glucosamine extracted from the shells of shrimp, lobster, and crab. Even if they are not as powerful as arthritis drugs, arthritis patients choose glucosamine supplements over non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs because the former has fewer side effects. And now that omega-3 fats seem to work wonderfully with this nutrient, it makes sense to combine the two for arthritis treatments. After all, omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce swelling and relieve joint pain.

It's important for the two nutrients to be consumed together. Omega-3 fats are effective at relieving pain, but they cannot slow the progression of the disease. Despite consuming them everyday, omega-3 fats can do nothing against progressive joint damage. But with glucosamine, which has restorative properties, omega-3 fatty acids can become an indispensable supplement to arthritis patients. Make sure you select nothing less than pharmaceutical-grade fish oil for your omega-3 needs.