Supplements to Save Cartilage: New Research Shows Glucosamine/Chondroitin Work to Protect Cartilage

Are there supplements to save cartilage? I went to the American Academy of Orthopedic surgeons web-site the other day and looked up glucosamine. Knowing the research on both glucosamine and chondroitin and arthritis well, I was dumbfounded when I saw that the site said that no research showed these supplements protected cartilage, but they could…read more

New BPA Free Research Shows the Claim is Largely BS (or BpS)…

This past few years, after a decade or two of research showing that the plastic BPA was likely causing estrogen like and other effects in humans, the FDA finally banned it from baby bottles. The good news was that, seeing a commercial opportunity, many companies that made plastic bottles made the switch to the safer…read more

Knee Arthritis Natural Treatments? Exercise Beats Glucosamine in Protecting Cartilage

How do knee arthritis natural treatments stack up? Can you protect the knee cartilage you have? Supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin have shown in some studies that they can help protect cartilage. Exercise has also shown some protective effects. How about when you compare the two head to head in a small study? At least…read more

Diet and Arthritis? Taking Fish Oil Counteracts the Arthritis Effects of Bad Fats

Are diet and arthritis linked? There’s an immense amount of research on fish oil as an anti-inflammatory and a substance that seems to help reduce heart disease risk. An interesting study puts a new twist on the fish oil and arthritis research. This study identifies that bad fats (saturated) aid arthritis and that this effect…read more

A Trio of Studies Continues to Show the Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

I don’t normally blog about vascular disease and diet, but I digress every once in awhile, as with a family history chock full of heart disease, these papers always catch my eye. This morning I reviewed three studies that all continue to show the crazy health benefits of dark chocolate. I’ve blogged before that dark…read more

Are There Glucosamine Types? Is a Tiny Chemical Difference Important?

Glucosamine is a supplement commonly used to treat arthritis. However, the clinical research has been all over the map, with some studies showing nice efficacy for those with maladies such as knee arthritis, and other studies showing little benefit in real patients. There is likely a reason that happens-there are two different glucosamine types that work…read more

Why that Huge Bottle of Cheap Fish Oil You Buy at Costco isn’t Doing You Any Good

Ever since researchers noted that native Eskimos were quite stout and yet didn’t have many of the chronic diseases of industrialized society, fish oil has been in the research pipeline. The results of 20 years of publications, on balance, point to fish oil having big health benefits (helping with everything from cardiac disease to knee…read more

Can 20 Mule Team Borax Help Your Arthritis? Can it Be Used as a Supplement to Help Stem Cells?

This week one our physicians spoke to a patient who swore that Borax (yes the household cleaner) helps his knee arthritis. Prior to that, one of our network physicians sent me a new controlled trial showing an ingredient in Borax (Boron) helped knee arthritis patients when given as a supplement. What gives? Can Borax help…read more