Using Fish Oil Supplements For Joint Pain Relief - Is This A Viable Option For Arthritis?

There are countless people using fish oil supplements for joint pain relief, but does it really work? Can a daily supplement honestly reduce joint pain? Many people swear by it, so I would imagine it does work, at least for some people.

Of course it could also be a placebo effect, but even if it is, so what? If taking a supplement means you experience less pain, then why not continue taking that supplement? Also, omega-3 rich fish oil is incredibly beneficial to one's health, so even if it does not reduce the pain in your joints, it is still going to benefit you in other ways.

It is also important to remember that joint pain can be caused by several things, with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis being two of the biggest culprits. To date, there has been a tremendous amount of research done in order to determine the effect fish oil has on these two diseases.

In one 12 week study, rheumatoid arthritis sufferers were given 3 grams of DHA and EPA fish oil per day for the duration of the study. All the volunteers reported a significant reduction in morning stiffness, and many were even able to come off their prescription drugs.

In a more recent study involving 250 osteoarthritis sufferers, the results were also very promising. Again, researchers focused primarily on DHA and EPA, both of which are essential fatty acids found in omega 3. Again, all volunteers reported a dramatic reduction in pain, and many were able to have their regular prescription drug dosages reduced.

The reason why fish oil tends to be effective is because it inhibits the body's ability to synthesize a substance which is known to cause inflammation. This also explains why it is more effective at treating rheumatoid arthritis than it is at treating osteoarthritis, which in essence is a disease which results in the breakdown of cartilage.

Many people remain skeptical about the effectiveness of fish oil supplements for joint pain relief. This is largely because the FDA has not yet endorsed the use of these supplements for treating diseases such as arthritis. However, there is a huge amount of research that shows omega-3 rich fish oil can in many cases reduce joint pain and especially in cases where the pain is being caused by inflammation.

In a nutshell, only you will know if your joint pain responds favorably to daily fish oil supplementation. The good thing is, you will be doing your body a big favor, even if you are still left with the pain.