Arthritis

Osteoarthritis is an extremely common condition that affects the joints of up to 80 per cent of people over the age of 50. Often put down to 'wear and tear' as a result of the ageing process, the disease destroys cartilage and can lead to deformed bone growth - causing pain and limiting movement.

Knees, hips and fingers are most commonly affected, but any joints, including those in the spine, can be involved. You may experience some crunching or cracking sensations when the arthritic joints are moved and they can sometimes become hot and swollen, but this is usually a temporary symptom.

Fortunately, there are many effective, natural alternatives to drugs and surgery that are backed up by breakthrough clinical studies. In fact, the research findings involving some of these natural remedies are so impressive that you can be sure they'd make newspaper headlines if they were pharmaceutical drugs!

Why anti-inflammatory drugs just make the problem worse
The standard treatment for osteoarthritis is painkillers, such as paracetamol, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin, ibuprofen, indomethacin and naproxen. These drugs are associated with a wide range of nasty side effects such as stomach pain, digestive problems, headaches and dizziness.

However, the worst side effect of NSAIDs is hidden - they actually sabotage your body's own efforts to heal itself by preventing the formation of new cartilage and accelerating the degeneration of the joints. What your doctor won't tell you is that NSAIDs suppress the symptoms of osteoarthritis while making the disease itself worse.

Your doctor may recommend joint replacement surgery if your hip or knee joints have become very worn or deformed, but don't be rushed into this procedure until you have explored other options. Fatal blood clots occur after 3 per cent of hip and knee operations and replacement joints are not as durable as natural ones and can wear out, work loose or malfunction after just a few years.

Glucosamine and chondroitin help protect your joints and can even repair damaged cartilage
A natural treatment approach can bring considerable relief from joint pain. In the last 10 years, glucosamine sulphate has emerged as the top natural treatment for osteoarthritis. Your body naturally produces glucosamine to make new cartilage, the rubbery tissue that covers the ends of your bones, but it becomes less efficient at doing this with age. Unlike pain-killing drugs, glucosamine supports a natural process, is non-toxic and rarely causes any side effects.

A three-year clinical study into the long-term effect of glucosamine concluded that it is able to provide significant improvements in pain relief and joint mobility, and slows the narrowing of the spaces between the bones (Lancet 2001; 357: 251-256). The recommended dosage for glucosamine is two 750mg tablets taken each day with a meal.

Chondroitin is another major cartilage builder, as well as being an essential component of bones and connective tissue. A recent review of all the published clinical trials in which it has been used concluded that it has a pronounced effect in reducing pain and improving joint mobility (Arch Intern Med 2003; 163: 1514-22).

In addition, chondroitin has been shown to be as effective as the drug diclofenac in reducing osteoarthritis symptoms, without the drug's damaging side effects on the digestive system (J Rheumatol 1996; 23: 1385-91). As an added health bonus, chondroitin also stimulates fat burning, reduces clotting, improves blood circulation and reduces cholesterol (Bradford Research Institute, Chula Vista, 1992). The recommended dosage is 400mg of chondroitin taken twice a day. Many supplements now combine both glucosamine and chondroitin in one product - check individual product labels for dosage details.

SAMe outperforms ibuprofen when it comes to pain relief
A natural derivative of the amino-acid methionine, called s-adenosyl methionine or SAMe, has been found to repair damaged cartilage and protect normal cartilage from attack by inflammatory enzymes. A two-year German study found that 400mg of SAMe taken each day brought freedom from the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis and prevented joint deterioration (Am J Med 1987; 83 (Suppl 5A): 89-94). What's more, SAMe has proved better than ibuprofen and several other NSAIDs at relieving arthritis pain, without the drugs' harmful side effects (Am J Med. 1987; 83(5A): 60-65).

Sulphur has always been known to benefit arthritis and now an effective, readily absorbed form of organic sulphur is available as methyl-sulphonyl-methane, or MSM. In one six-week study at the UCLA School of Medicine in the US, arthritis sufferers taking 2,250mg of MSM a day reduced their joint pain by an amazing 82 per cent, compared with an 18 per cent improvement in those given placebo (Int J Anti-Aging Med 1998; 1(1): 50). The recommended dosage for MSM is 500mg taken twice a day.

A trace mineral and a new protein supplement could help end the misery of arthritis
Injecting arthritic joints with hyaluronic acid, a protein found naturally in the synovial fluid that bathes the joints, has been shown to relieve joint pain and significantly improve function (Clin Rheumatol 2003; 22(2): 112-7). It has also been found to rebuild damaged cartilage and to reduce inflammation (Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2001; 9(4): 371-81).

The downside to this treatment approach has been that some people react to the injections with a local skin irritation. But now scientists have found a way of preventing the destruction of hyaluronic acid in the stomach, so that it can be taken as a supplement instead. The recommended dosage is one dropper (3ml) of the liquid supplement ('Synovial-7') in a little water, once a day.

Boron is a little-known trace mineral that according to some researchers can significantly improve osteoarthritis. Boron is an essential factor in the development of bone and cartilage, but intensive farming and food processing methods mean that it is often lacking in the food we eat.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled five-year trial, half the patients taking boron reported a definite improvement in their symptoms - including a reduction in pain and swelling and increased movement -- compared with one tenth of the control group (J Nutr Med 1990; 1: 127-32).

The recommended dosage for boron is one 3mg tablet each day taken with food. This dosage should not be exceeded, however, since boron can be very toxic in doses of more than 30mg.