Mixing Natural Supplements?

Carly

Hello everyone, I've just joined. It's so good to know that help and support are available out there!

My question is, does anyone have any advice on / experience of taking natural supplements to treat arthritis? In particular, how / where to find out whether it's safe to 'mix and match' different types of products?

I have osteoarthritis in both hands, and have been doing some (very amateurish) research on which supplements / products might be best for helping to treat / ease the condition. I decided to start with Seven Seas 'JointCare Complete', which contains Glucosamine, Omega 3 (fish oils), Calcium, Chondroitin, Vitamins C, D, E and K, and Copper. However, my diet's pretty good (incl lots of home-grown organic veg) so I don't think I need the extra calcium, vitamins or minerals, plus the tablets are expensive, so I've decided to ditch those and create my own mixture. NB I'm not on any other form of medication.

A friend makes nettle balm and tincture, so I'm trialling that (I've discovered the benefits of nettle stings!!).

The other day I was looking for good quality supplements such as turmeric, which I wanted to take in tablet form as well as adding the root to various dishes. I found a company called British Supplements, and inevitably, like a kid in a sweetshop, ended up buying several other items which appear to be either 'OK' or 'good' for arthritis: as well as the turmeric, I now have separate bags / tubsful of tablets of Magnesium, Glucosamine, Chondroitin, Marine Collagen, and Omega 3 fish oil.

The thing is, I don't even like taking paracetamol, so if I'm going to swallow a handful of pills every day, I need to know it's likely to do me good - or at least, not make things worse or give rise to adverse reactions.

However, while several online resources cover the effects of taking two different supplements together, I can't find anything that explains the likely effects of combining all of the above / similar.

If you have any ideas / comments, please let me know. Many thanks...

Carly

Anna

Hello @Carly and welcome to the online community,

It sounds like you have been doing a lot of research into which supplements are best to treat osteoarthritis which is affecting both your hands. As you’ve found out, there are a lot of different options around, so it’s a good idea to read from reputable sources. It’s also worth bearing in mind that what works for one, doesn’t necessarily work for others. I’m sure other members will have some useful information for you about what they’ve tried, and you could have a look at the info published by Versus Arthritis, which is a good place to start. I’ve linked to a couple of pages below:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/your-experiences/your-questions-answered/your-questions-on-alternative-supplements/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/complementary-and-alternative-treatments/what-are-complementary-and-alternative-treatments/

Do have a look round the forum and join in any conversations where you feel comfortable.

Anna ( Mod)

Carly

Hi Anna, thank you! I'll look at the links, and am looking forward to travelling around the forum.... Best wishes, Carly

stickywicket

A great question and good that you're researchinģ in advance.

Supplements are not regulated in the way that meds are though I do like the look of your source.

All I can say is that pharmacists are usually an excellent source of info though I don't know how much they'd know about supplements.

I wish you luck and hope it won't all cost too much.