Joint Supplements

Many people ask me if there are supplements that can help with spine and joint healing.  While everyone will benefit from a healthy balanced diet, that is one of the chief recommendations I have when healing from spine and joint problems.  Many people eat far too much sugar and other refined carbohydrates such as white flour.  Among other things, high amounts of this in your diet promote inflammation.  This is a fundamental problem in the type of conditions I see everyday.  So a good diet is really your best supplement.

However, one other supplement can be quite helpful and that is glucosamine.  It is the most widely used supplement for relieving joint pain.  But it also serves as a building block for the development of cartilage molecules.  Glucosamine is well tolerated by most people.  Some forms are derived from shellfish so if you have a shellfish allergy, avoid those.  One study showed that over the long term, glucosamine offered the same level of pain relief as aspirin.  However, aspirin contributed to increased levels of arthritis in joints so affected while glucosamine helped lubricate the surfaces of the joints and thus slowed arthritis.

So many times we see the latest wonder supplement and wonder if it is right for us.  I don't recommend that everyone with a sore back take glucosamine.  But when there are long-term problems such as chronic pain or arthritis, it can be very helpful.  Ask us if you have any questions about whether it is appropriate for you.