Joint Pain: Nutrition Myths vs. Facts
Are you tired of your knees reminding you about your age? You want to take action to ease that joint pain but when you get on the internet you aren’t sure what to believe!
In case you don’t know, what you eat can directly impact your joints. While arthritis won’t “go away”, many foods can help fight inflammation and improve joint pain and other symptoms and hopefully keep you off of prescription drugs longer. But what really works and what doesn’t?
So let me ask you: Can wrapping your joints with aluminum foil help ease pain? True or false? Yes, this claim is really out there. Proponents suggest that aluminum foil delivers energy to painful joints and relieves pain that way. They suggest you simply use aluminum foil, wrap the painful area on your body with aluminum foil and add a bandage to fix it well. Is there any truth to that? No. Sorry, this is false. Save the foil for your roasting pan.
Ok next. Should you avoid salt if you have joint pain? We know that too much sodium from processed foods can cause issues with high blood pressure and water retention in some individuals. It turns out that excessive salt intake and water retention can increase inflammation in your joints, leading to increased discomfort and reduced mobility. (Nutr Rev, Mar 2021) So this is true. If you suffer from joint pain, reducing your salt intake is a good idea.
Next up: Wheat products like bread and pasta make joint pain worse. True or False? Many studies have showcased the benefits of consuming whole grains for their antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory benefits. (Nutrients, Aug 2019) But for people who are gluten-sensitive, there is evolving evidence through case studies that eliminating gluten from the diet may help to improve joint pain symptoms. (Reumatizam, 2013) So, this is True for certain individuals.
Let me ask the next question: Green tea helps us stop losing cartilage. Is this true or false? There is considerable evidence that EGCG, the predominant plant compound in green tea, stops certain enzyme activities and signaling pathways that impact inflammation and joint destruction in arthritis. (Arthr Res Ther, Jun 2011) So it is true! Green Tea can prevent cartilage from wearing out! J Pharmacol Exp Ther, Feb 2004) Up to three large cups of green tea per day are recommended for joint health and green tea supplements can also be effective. (Nat Med J, Feb 2014)
And the last question: Is Glucosamine the go-to dietary supplement pain reliever when it comes to joint pain? While it is true that glucosamine and chondroitin are proven to help with joint pain—they’ve been around for a while now, but the new kid on the block is UC-II, which prompts immune cells to activate collagen. In one study that lasted 90 days, arthritic adults were split into two groups: the first got UC-II and the second group got 1500 mg of glucosamine and 1200 mg of chondroitin. Those who took the UC-II did better than the glucosamine group on the WOMAC test – this is a standardized measurement of joint pain. Their joint pain scores dropped 33% compared to the glucosamine group who had joint pain scores drop 14%. (Am Coll Nutr, 2008) So, this is false, glucosamine is not the go-to supplement anymore. You might want to refresh your supplements! Our nutrition plans cover all brand recommendations for you.
No one wants to live in pain. I hope knowing some facts about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to joint pain relief will get you started to a pain-free life!