Joint Supplements

A good friend of ours has joint pain in his shoulder from swimming, surfing, and playing a lot of high-intensity volleyball. We decided to help out with a list of recommended supplements for joint pain.

First, it is important that you do not come to rely on these supplements. They do not all work on everyone, and your underlying issues should be treated by a trained sports Physical Therapist doctor.

Since there are mixed results with many joint health supplements, we are taking the "kitchen sink" approach, and are going to recommend multiple products.

Recommended Joint Supplements

1. Glucosamine Sulfate, Chondroitin Sulfate, and MSM

   Yes, we know that this is three supplements, but in order to get the latter two, its best to get them in a packaged product. Glucosamine has very mixed results with osteoarthritis patients, but we believe that when it is of the sulfate form and is mixed with chondroitin sulfate, the studies are significantly improved for less pain. See our Glucosamine/Chondroitin Benefits page for more info.

   The product we recommend is a two-month supply of NOW Foods Glucosamine Chondroitin with MSM (browse and add to cart at BB.com now). There are better deals on raw glucosamine sulfate out there, but none that also have chondroitin sulfate and MSM.

   Take 3-4 capsules of this a day, depending on your size and pain. It doesn't really matter when you take them.

2. Omega-3 Fish Oil

   If you have a typical American diet, then there's a big chance that you are getting way too much Omega-6 fatty acids and not enough Omega-3. Studies are finding that the ratio between Omega-3 and Omega-6 is very crucial to many of our critical health systems. Put simply, Omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation, Omega-3 fatty acids reduce it.

   See the Fish Oil Benefits page for more information and studies that show this.

   The product we recommend is Optimum Nutrition's Fish Oil Softgels (browse and add to cart at BB.com now). They are a great deal and do not give fishy burps.

   It doesn't matter when you take them, but just in case of fish burps, take 3-4 softgels every night before bed. Also, if you freeze fish oil pills, they will last longer and will also give less aftertaste.

3. Cissus

   Cissus is our secret weapon and one you will come to love. It is an inexpensive, phenomenal multi-benefit supplement that does not receive enough attention, despite USPLabs' research into proving it as an incredible joint supplement. Not only have bodybuilders experienced vastly decreased joint pain when using it, it also has the benefits of a fat burner and antioxidant!

   Cissus Quadrangularis is the full name of this herbal plant extract, and has been used for centuries in India. See our Cissus benefits page to read about the various benefits of Cissus.

   We recommend USPlabs Super Cissus Rx (browse and add to cart at BB.com now). USPLabs has a patent on the best extract available - meaning that you should stick with for the most potent relief.

   Take two servings before breakfast on an empty stomach.

Cissus Quadrangularis is the full name of this herbal plant extract, and has been used for centuries in India. See our Cissus benefits page to read about the various benefits of Cissus.

4. Ibouprofin or your other favorite anti-inflammatory, follow the label instructions
5. Don't forget to ice!

A big challenge was finding all of the products we want for a good deal from the same store. In this study, BodyBuilding.com had the best overall selection and prices due to its Cissus deal.

At the time of writing this, it is about $46.00 for a 2-month supply -- well worth it to get you back on the playing field!