Cause: Unknown, but often associated with aging.

Useful Supplements: Boron, Chondroitin Sulfate, DHA, DMSO, Glucosamine Sulfate, SAM, Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, Vitamin D.

Useful Herbs: Boswellia, Cayenne, Horsetail, White Willow.

Further information: Osteoarthritis is a disease which causes cartilage and other joint tissue to deteriorate. At the same time, bone spurs (further growth on bones) begin to appear at the same joints. Cartilage begins to wear down, and slowly deteriorates until the point at which the surrounding bones begin to rub against each other. Pain and swelling often result, as well as decreased ease of mobility.

The most effected joints are generally the hands, fingers, hips, knees, and big toe. Osteoarthritis may be triggered by injury or trauma to a joint, rheumatoid arthritis, overuse of a joint, or obesity.

The symptoms of osteoarthritis include gradual onset of joint pain, limitation of movements, and the feeling that bones are scraping against each other when a joint is flexed.

There is no guaranteed way to avoid osteoarthritis. However, controlled weight and regular exercise may decrease its occurrence.

Treatment may include physical therapy, heat therapy, or, in severe cases, surgery to replace or repair a joint. Anti-inflammatories and painkillers may help ease pain associated with osteoarthritis.

Some doctors suggest avoiding meat, dairy, eggs, sugar, and processed foods as a means of treatment.¹ Eliminating foods which contain solanine (tomatoes, white potatoes, peppers, eggplant, and other foods in the nightshade family) may also bring relief.²

In some cases, food allergies exacerbate the symptoms of osteoarthritis.³

The following supplements and herbs may be helpful in the treatment of osteoarthritis:

Antioxidants may slow the rate of joint deterioration in osteoarthritis patients.⁴ Vitamin E in particular has been shown to reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis.^5,6

There appears to be a link between deficiency of Boron, which affects calcium metabolism, and arthritis.⁷ Taken daily for two months, it appears to relieve some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis.⁸

The omega-3 fatty acid DHA, which is found in Fish Oil, works well as an anti-inflammatory in the treatment of arthritis.⁹

DMSO, when applied directly to the skin, appears to act as an anti-inflammatory and relieve pain.¹⁰

Glucosamine Sulfate contains components that aid the repair of joint cartilage. Patients who take a supplement of 500 mg three times daily may notice that their arthritic symptoms lessen.¹¹

SAM acts as an anti-inflammatory and pain relief agent, as well as promoting tissue healing in joints.¹² Studies show that it can help increase the growth of healthy tissue,¹³ and that it reduces pain and swelling as well as medications such as ibuprofen.^14,15

One form of Vitamin B3, niacinamide, appears to increase joint mobility, improve muscle strength, and decrease muscle and joint fatigue in osteoarthritis patients.¹⁶ 250 mg taken at least four times daily appears to show results in three to four months.¹⁷

Vitamin D, taken in a dose of 400 IU daily, slows the development of osteoarthritis in the knee.^18,19

Chondroitin Sulfate has been shown in meta-analysis of clinical trials to be of benefit in patients with osteoarthritis.²⁰

Herbs which act as anti-inflammatories or analgesics may be helpful in the treatment of osteoarthritis. These include boswellia, cayenne, Horsetail, and White Willow. Studies of their efficacy have not been done, however.

References:
¹Warmbrand M. How thousands of my arthritis patients regained their health. New York: Arco Publishing, 1974.
²Childers NF. A relationship of arthritis to the solanaceae (nightshades). J Internat Acad Pre Med Nov 1982:31–7.
³Taylor MR. Food allergy as an etiological factor in arthropathies: a survey. J Internat Acad Prev Med 1983;8:28–38 [review].
⁴McAlindon TE, Jacques P, Azang Y. Do antioxidant micronutrients protect against the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis? Arthrit Rheum 1996;39:648–56.
⁵Blankenhorn G. Klinische Wirtsamkeit von Spondyvit (vitamin E) bei aktiverten arthronsen. Z Orthop 1986;124:340_3.
⁶Machtey I, Ouaknine L. Tocopherol in osteoarthritis: a controlled pilot study. J Am Geriatr Soc 1978;25(7):328–30.
⁷Newnham RE. The role of boron in human nutrition. J Applied Nutr 1994;46:81–5
⁸Travers RL, Rennie GC, Newnham RE. Boron and arthritis: the results of a double-blind pilot study. J Nutr Med 1990;1:127–32.
⁹Altman R, Gray R. Inflammation in osteoarthritis. Clin Rheum Dis 1985;11:353.
¹⁰American Medical Association. Dimethyl sulfoxide. Controversy and Current Status—1981. JAMA 1982;248:1369–71.
¹¹Drovanti A, Bignamini AA, Rovati AL. Therapeutic activity of oral glucosamine sulfate in osteoarthritis: a placebo_controlled double_blind investigation. Clin Ther 1980;3(4):260_72.
¹²Schumacher HR. Osteoarthritis: The clinical picture, pathogenesis, and management with studies on a new therapeutic agent, S-adenosylmethionine. Am J Med 1987;83(suppl 5A):1–4 [review].
¹³Konig H et al. Magnetic resonance tomography of finger polyarthritis: Morphology and cartilage signals after ademetionine therapy. Aktuelle Radiol 1995;5:36–40.
¹⁴Caruso I, Pietrogrande V. Italian double-blind multicenter study comparing S-adenosylmethionine, naproxen, and placebo in the treatment of degenerative joint disease. Am J Med 1987;83(suppl 5A):66–71.
¹⁵Montrone F, Fumagalli M, Sarzi Puttini P, et al. Double-blind study of S-adenosyl-methionine versus placebo in hip and knee arthrosis. Clin Rheumatol 1985;4:484–85.
¹⁶Kaufman W. The use of vitamin therapy to reverse certain concomitants of aging. J Am Geriatr Soc 1955;11:927.
¹⁷Jonas WB, Rapoza CP, Blair WF. The effect of niacinamide on osteoarthritis: A pilot study. Inflamm Res 1996;45:330–4.
¹⁸Gloth, F. Vitamin D deficiency in home-bound elderly persons, JAMA, 274: 1683-6, 1995.
¹⁹McAlindon, T. Relation of dietary intake and serum levels of vitamin D to progression of osteoarthritis of the knee among participants in the Framingham study, Annals of Internal Medicine, 125: 353-9, 1996b.
²⁰Leeb BF; Schweitzer H; Montag K; Smolen JS. A Meta-analysis of Chondroitin Sulfate in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis. J Rheumatol 2000;27:205–11.