Supplements/Vitamins for Joints??

[Joker]

I do not like taking any kind of medicine/vitamin/supplement. I can't remember the last time I took anything actually. I am the type that must have a headache for days before I even take a Motrin. I just don't like it.

All that said, I'm starting to have some issue with my knees and one foot (pretty sure I broke said foot a few years ago). I have lost quite a bit of weight over the past year and still have a bit more to go. I do a lot of walking as well but recently the knees are starting to really bother me. 

So, are there any supplements or vitamins that actually work and are considered safe? I do think I'm in the very beginning stages of perimenopause if that matters. 

[PeterPan]

When my knees hurt, means I need new shoes or need to go to the chiropractor. And like Tex I like my Altras. You can get fitted in a good running store and they'll pick the brand that is right for you.

Congrats on your weight loss btw! 

Edited November 11, 2019 by PeterPan

[Pawz4me]

I have RA. My rheumatologist advised trying curcumin/turmeric at 500 mg. twice a day. According to him there really is some solid evidence that it might help, and no risk to trying. I took it for seven months and couldn't tell it did a thing for me, but I have relatives with osteoarthritis who believe it helps them.

And ditto the advice about good shoes. I only buy high quality, well fitting athletic shoes. For my RA-affected feet that means New Balance or Brooks. But definitely go to a good store with knowledgeable staff who can advise you on the best choices for you.

[katilac]

I've had good results with turmeric for knees and hands and general achiness. 

[PeterPan]

2 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

curcumin/turmeric at 500 mg. twice a day.

So I take a much higher dose of turmeric, which is great for the inflammation of my asthma, but it really did squat for the arthritis in my back. Some other ladies here on the board suggested Serrazymes, and they help a *bit*.                                             Now Supplements, Serrazimes (Systemic Proteolytic Enzymes) 20,000 Units, 90 Veg Capsules                                       I still ended up doing PT, which got me strengthening exercises which actually helped a LOT. But I still take the serrazimes because they do help a little.

Fwiw, I really would start with new shoes and a trip to the chiropractor. If you lost that much weight, your feet have changed.

[Pen]

Another Altra wearer!  But it has to be right type for individual person.  Different models have different levels of support, compensation for under or over pronation.  A wrong one can make it worse.  Also they need to be gotten used to gradually. 

I  have found some supplements helpful. Gelatin, magnesium, especially maybe others.  Plthat May depend on whether one is low on magnesium for example. 

[PeterPan]

1 minute ago, Pen said:

Gelatin

Ooo jello! I don't know why I don't eat it much anymore. I used to love it when I was in college.

[Joker]

I live pretty much in my Birkenstocks. I did try one pair of Altras for just one day and my Achilles hurt for at least a week. It was awful. I guess I'll keep looking for shoes. I usually just go with Nike when the weather is too bad for my Birks. 

[Pen]

6 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Ooo jello! I don't know why I don't eat it much anymore. I used to love it when I was in college.

 Not  with sugars though.  I add a scoop of plain gelatin powder  to soups and other places where it disappears.  

(Or if making “jello” then homemade with just fruit juice. But I don’t often do that as it doesn’t take much gelatin powder to harden a lot of juice. Whereas in a hot soup a couple of scoops just blend in to the broth.)

[sassenach]

I’ve been taking a glucosamine/chondritin/turmeric/msm supplement and I can’t tell if it’s working. I think maybe but it also might be placebo or the fact that I’m avoiding the things that make me hurt. I’ve found that I cannot do any sort of jumping exercise and nightshades flare me up badly. 

[Arcadia]

55 minutes ago, Joker said:

All that said, I'm starting to have some issue with my knees and one foot (pretty sure I broke said foot a few years ago). I have lost quite a bit of weight over the past year and still have a bit more to go. I do a lot of walking as well but recently the knees are starting to really bother me. 

 

I sprained my right ankle in college. I use a ankle brace when walking longer distances (3 to 6miles) whenever that ankle starts acting up. My ankles do tend to pronate and I have high foot arches. 

As for shoes, I have a pair that is only good for indoor shopping mall walking. Another that is good for general walking. A third pair that is for gravel roads like the footpath from my home to the train station (lovely views but my shoes had lots of gravel stuck to the sole). I also have a pair for muddy, slushy places (e.g tide pools). 

I tend to hit the ground hard on my heels (bad habit) so I look for shoes that has high shock absorbers. I have the most luck with basketball shoes, hi-cut aerobics shoes, hi-cut hiking shoes.

19 minutes ago, katilac said:

I've had good results with turmeric for knees and hands and general achiness. 

 

18 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

So I take a much higher dose of turmeric, which is great for the inflammation of my asthma, but it really did squat for the arthritis in my back

 

I am taking 500mg a day when I remember. It is helping with joint pains. My mom’s rheumatologist says glucosamine helps if taken before or at the onset of RA, not so useful when RA has progressed.

7 minutes ago, Pen said:

(Or if making “jello” then homemade with just fruit juice. But I don’t often do that as it doesn’t take much gelatin powder to harden a lot of juice. 

 

Which brand of gelatin powder and how much to use per cup of juice? I couldn’t get mine to harden well and my kids like homemade jello.

[Carol in Cal.]

I love my Altra road runners for everyday wear.   So cushy, and the zero drop helps me to keep my foot striking forward to help prevent PF.

About 4 months ago I went on a short little hike and hurt my knee, badly.  I googled the symptoms and thought it was a torn meniscus.    I had bad pain under the inside knee cap every time I got up, and sometimes it would develop overnight as well.  Last Wednesday I went to my acupuncturist and now it’s all better.  It’s amazing.

[Pawz4me]

54 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

My mom’s rheumatologist says glucosamine helps if taken before or at the onset of RA, not so useful when RA has progressed.

FWIW -- Both my vet and an internal medicine doctor I used to go to say that only about 50 percent of humans have the enzyme necessary to metabolize glucosamine (all dogs have it).

[Calm37]

1 hour ago, sassenach said:

I’ve been taking a glucosamine/chondritin/turmeric/msm supplement and I can’t tell if it’s working. I think maybe but it also might be placebo or the fact that I’m avoiding the things that make me hurt. I’ve found that I cannot do any sort of jumping exercise and nightshades flare me up badly. 

I wondered the same thing after having improvement in the pain in my hands years ago. I eventually stopped taking it and that same pain returned. While it had given me almost instant relief the first time I took it, restarting it meant many months before it was effective again. I have lots of other pains, but not the ache in my hands, so I keep on it. 🙂

 

[Martha in GA]

I hesitate to throw this out there because it might just be good for me : ). I have had osteoarthritis in my big toe for a long time, and I think I was getting some in my hip (there was pain, but don't know for sure if it was osteoarthritis). Anyway, I have Hashimoto's, so I decided to cut out gluten in particular, lowered my carbs in general, and reduced my added sugar intake, and it just so happened that I realized my toe is much much better, and my hip doesn't bother me anymore. Since I tend to make changes all at the same time, I never know what the real reason for the improvement is, but I'm guessing inflammation was reduced by doing all three of those things.

[Pen]

On 11/11/2019 at 8:31 AM, Arcadia said:

 

I sprained my right ankle in college. I use a ankle brace when walking longer distances (3 to 6miles) whenever that ankle starts acting up. My ankles do tend to pronate and I have high foot arches. 

As for shoes, I have a pair that is only good for indoor shopping mall walking. Another that is good for general walking. A third pair that is for gravel roads like the footpath from my home to the train station (lovely views but my shoes had lots of gravel stuck to the sole). I also have a pair for muddy, slushy places (e.g tide pools). 

I tend to hit the ground hard on my heels (bad habit) so I look for shoes that has high shock absorbers. I have the most luck with basketball shoes, hi-cut aerobics shoes, hi-cut hiking shoes.

 

 

I am taking 500mg a day when I remember. It is helping with joint pains. My mom’s rheumatologist says glucosamine helps if taken before or at the onset of RA, not so useful when RA has progressed.

 

Which brand of gelatin powder and how much to use per cup of juice? I couldn’t get mine to harden well and my kids like homemade jello.

 

My gelatin is “Amandean” grass fed (Amazon has it).   I followed its label directions, plus I put my bowl of juice gelatin in fridge for several hours to firm.  (soup with it turns into a consommé gel if refrigerated, but it reliquifies when reheated)   For fruit flavor dessert I used juice for both the cold and hot liquid in recipe in photo:

 

 

 

Edited March 2, 2020 by Pen

[Pen]

More gelatin powder makes a harder final result (a lot can make gummie bears level hardness) Less comes out softer. 

The bloom part is important.  It’s an initial mix in and expansion .  The amount of hot was quite warm in pot on stove, but not boiled.   I was avoiding extra sugar and used Lakewood organic nothing but juice in it red to purple type juices (berry, cherry, grape etc.) in case that matters

[PeterPan]

27 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

FWIW -- Both my vet and an internal medicine doctor I used to go to say that only about 50 percent of humans have the enzyme necessary to metabolize glucosamine (all dogs have it).

Oh that's interesting.Now I'm falling into the weeds trying to figure out what that enzyme/gene is.  

[gardenmom5]

Dh and I have both had good luck with "wellesse glucosamine".   Costco carries it.  we've tried other brands, this is the one we prefer.

some people will be helped by it, other's won't and it can take awhile to know which group you fall into.

[Pawz4me]

1 hour ago, PeterPan said:

Oh that's interesting.Now I'm falling into the weeds trying to figure out what that enzyme/gene is.  

One or both of them probably told me and then I promptly forgot it! 

I've never researched it. I've just assumed it's true since both of them said it. The doc I never liked or trusted very much, but I puffy heart love my vet and have never been misled by him.

[Katy]

As far as I can tell the only glucosamine supplements with good reviews also contain Turmeric.  Turmeric really reduces inflammation in measurable ways but it also thins your blood. So if you're having very heavy periods you should stop taking it during your cycle.

[Laura Corin]

I've found that yoga is what works for joint aches. I have an arthritic knee that stiffens up at night, but so long as I do two hours of yoga a week, it doesn't bother me during the day and nor do my other joints. Previous to starting yoga, I was experiencing constant daytime hip and knee aches.

[Selkie]

4 hours ago, Martha in GA said:

I hesitate to throw this out there because it might just be good for me : ). I have had osteoarthritis in my big toe for a long time, and I think I was getting some in my hip (there was pain, but don't know for sure if it was osteoarthritis). Anyway, I have Hashimoto's, so I decided to cut out gluten in particular, lowered my carbs in general, and reduced my added sugar intake, and it just so happened that I realized my toe is much much better, and my hip doesn't bother me anymore. Since I tend to make changes all at the same time, I never know what the real reason for the improvement is, but I'm guessing inflammation was reduced by doing all three of those things.

This is what happened for me when I switched to a whole foods plant based diet a few years back. The achiness in my knees and fingers disappeared and has not returned. Same for dh. 

[Ellie]

I don't take any supplements at this point, but I have eliminated dairy products, and that has made a huge difference in the pain in my hands. Like Martha in GA, I have Hashimoto's; when I was [finally] diagnosed with it, I did the Autoimmune Protocol, and discovered that the only food that hurts me is dairy. In any form. I can have cheese on the tacos once in awhile, and a nice cup of hot tea with cream once in awhile, but two or three days in a row of dairy and my hands ache.

[Pen]

1 hour ago, Ellie said:

I don't take any supplements at this point, but I have eliminated dairy products, and that has made a huge difference in the pain in my hands. Like Martha in GA, I have Hashimoto's; when I was [finally] diagnosed with it, I did the Autoimmune Protocol, and discovered that the only food that hurts me is dairy. In any form. I can have cheese on the tacos once in awhile, and a nice cup of hot tea with cream once in awhile, but two or three days in a row of dairy and my hands ache.

 

You are lucky I think!

I have to be wheat free, dairy free, and nightshade free ...   probably more too, but those help.