In a recent study, it was found that a natural spice beat one of the leading arthritis drugs on the market in pain and swelling reduction as well as limb function.
In addition, you can add it to smoothies, salads, soups, vegetable stews, pizzas, pasta, and almost any other dish.
The best part is, it seems to work for all types of arthritis and has absolutely no side effects.
Scientists have long suspected that curcumin could relieve arthritis pain and halt the progression of disease in rats and mice, but it is only in the last few years that they began to seriously test it on human beings.
From these tests, two studies are especially encouraging.
For osteoarthritis sufferers, Canadian scholars demonstrated in the journal Alternative Medicine Review that curcumin could relieve arthritis pain, reduce inflammation, and improve limb function.
They divided a hundred participants into two groups. One received what they considered the best arthritis treatment available, while the other received the same treatment together with a curcumin supplement. The study continued for eight months so the researchers could also verify that the supplement was safe for long-term use.
By the end of the experiment, the curcumin supplement group was found to have much better limb function, walking ability, and everyday activity performance than the control group. They were also found to have considerably less inflammation and pain.
Two years later, the Phytotherapy Research published a study that compared a curcumin supplement with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory diclofenac sodium (brand name Voltaren).
All 45 of their subjects were all suffering from active rheumatoid arthritis. They divided them into three groups. The first received a curcumin supplement, while the second received diclofenac sodium, and the third received a combination of the two.
By the end of the study, the curcumin groups had improved substantially more than the diclofenac sodium group. Their pain and swelling had reduced significantly, and their limb functions had improved.
The only problem with food-sourced curcumin is that the human body does not absorb it very well. Curcumin powder alone contains enough curcumin, but your body probably won’t absorb enough of it, unless you cram at least three grams per day down your throat. Curry powder does not contain enough curcumin to let your body enjoy these beneficial effects in any capacity.
That leaves curcumin supplements. Both these studies used special bioavailable supplements. These are now becoming commercially available, but you must read the label to confirm that the manufacturer has taken care to make it bioavailable.
I highly recommend buying it in a respectable health food store, even if it costs a little more.