Vitamin D is an important vitamin for our health and low levels have been associated with various disease states, including osteoarthritis.
Vitamin D. If you have arthritis pain or are at high risk for arthritis, your doctor may recommend a vitamin D supplement.
Magnesium is widely involved in human physiological processes (inflammation) that may play key roles in the generation and progression of diseases. Magnesium deficiency is considered to be a major risk factor for osteoarthritis development and progression.
A study supported in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) suggests that if you're not getting adequate vitamin D in your diet, you may be at increased risk of developing the painful condition known as "osteoarthritis" in your knees.
In humans, no relationship between vitamin D status and OA initiation has been found in those with mean 25(OH)D ≥50 nmol/L for pain, radiologic OA, and cartilage volume loss [45,46,47,48,49,50,51] (Table 1). Elevating vitamin D status may attenuate joint pain in subjects with lower vitamin D status [52].
Get Physical
Physical activity is the best available treatment for OA. It's also one of the best ways to keep joints healthy in the first place.
The researchers wrote: “improving vitamin D levels in patients may have a protective role against the development of knee osteoarthritis, especially in those patients with low BMD. Further those with more advanced knee osteoarthritis had lower vitamin D levels.
While the recommended daily dose is 800 international units (IU), the American Geriatrics Association recommends at least 1,000 IU. Harvard researcher Edward Giovannucci, MD, suggests up to 2,000 IU a day. A two-year study of osteoarthritis patients found that 50,000 IU per month is safe.
Do you know that one of the most vital nutrients that promote bone health is Vitamin D? Yes, multiple studies show that a deficiency of this vitamin can lead to joint pain and swelling. As Vitamin D is required for bone building and bone health, therefore a deficiency of it will negatively affect the bones.
Osteoarthritis is not. An autoimmune disease occurs when the body's immune system attacks healthy cells. That's exactly what happens with rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is caused by the wearing down of the cartilage that cushions the joints and keeps your bones from rubbing uncomfortably together.
Red meat and fried foods.
Fried foods and red meat contain high levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are known for stimulating inflammation. Red meat is also high in saturated fats, which contribute to high cholesterol and may worsen joint inflammation.
Osteoarthritis is a long-term condition and cannot be cured, but it doesn't necessarily get any worse over time and it can sometimes gradually improve. A number of treatments are also available to reduce the symptoms. Mild symptoms can sometimes be managed with simple measures, including: regular exercise.
Avoid inflammatory foods including sugar, deep-fried foods, saturated fats, full-fat dairy, trans fats, refined carbohydrates, alcohol, and preservatives like MSG. Anti-inflammatory foods can relieve pain from osteoarthritis. These include fruits, vegetables, lean protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and whole grains.
Applying hot or cold packs to the joints can relieve the pain and symptoms of osteoarthritis in some people. A hot-water bottle filled with either hot or cold water and applied to the affected area can be very effective in reducing pain.
Primary osteoarthritis has no known cause. Secondary osteoarthritis is caused by another disease, infection, injury, or deformity. Osteoarthritis starts with the breakdown of cartilage in the joint. As the cartilage wears down, the bone ends may thicken and form bony growths (spurs).
1. Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids , which are abundant in fatty fish such as salmon or tuna, are among the most potent anti-inflammatory supplements. These supplements may help fight several types of inflammation, including vascular inflammation.
Several nutritional supplements have shown promise for relieving pain, stiffness and other arthritis symptoms. Glucosamine and chondroitin, omega-3 fatty acids, SAM-e and curcumin are just some of the natural products researchers have studied for osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Glucosamine, chondroitin, omega-3, and green tea are just a few of them. Glucosamine has been touted as an anti-inflammatory that helps keep the cartilage in joints healthy. Studies have shown some benefit for joint pain, but they are not conclusive. Natural glucosamine levels drop as people age.
But three nutrients are especially useful for several reasons, which we intend to outline in this article. Namely, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and magnesium. And getting enough of them, in combination, couldn't be more timely.
Magnesium chloride: This form of magnesium is often used topically, in the form of lotions or oils, to support muscle and joint health, says Hartnett.
Your doctor can order blood tests to determine whether you're getting enough vitamin D, but here are a few more telltale signs of a deficiency: Chronic pain or aches that last for weeks, similar to symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
Joint injury or overuse—Injury or overuse, such as knee bending and repetitive stress on a joint, can damage a joint and increase the risk of OA in that joint. Age—The risk of developing OA increases with age.
You can't reverse osteoarthritis, but there are things you can do to manage your pain and improve your symptoms. Osteoarthritis occurs when the protective cartilage that acts as cushioning between your bones starts to fray and wear down over time.
There are quite a few differences between vitamin D and vitamin D3, but the main difference between them is that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that regulates calcium and phosphorous levels in the body, whereas the vitamin D3 is the natural form of vitamin D produced by the body from sunlight.