I started working out when I noticed how much time I was spending at my desk at work and how I would automatically just sit and rest for hours when I got home. I felt aches all around my body after a full day’s worth of just sitting down and a rapid deterioration of my overall energy. Exercising and going to the gym has definitely helped improve not only my mood but my physical health as well.
However, it's inevitable to pull a few muscles here and there when using various equipment at the gym. It could even come from something as simple as jogging or any repeated action you do while working out. I’ve been experiencing knee pain after a few months spent at the gym and after visiting my doctor, found out I have tendonitis. While I’ve applied pain-relief, there was nothing that could help the constant knee pain I’ve been experiencing. Moving my injured knee was also proving to be challenging due to the sharp pains I would feel every time I did so.
I’ve made multiple visits to our local clinic and got pain killers to help ease some aches in my knee however, this isn’t really a long-term solution but a temporary bandaid so I’ve scoured the internet on what could be a more effective remedy.
What is Knee Pain?
Knee pain is an injury that can be experienced by people of all ages. A damaged cartilage or a torn ligament might cause knee pain. Knee discomfort can also be brought on by illnesses including arthritis, gout, and infections.
Numerous minor knee pain conditions respond effectively to self-care techniques. Knee braces and physical therapy are additional methods for pain relief. However, there may be times when you need to have surgery on your knee.
Common Causes of Knee Pain
1. Spraining your knee:
Some of the examples are playing sports that require jumping or fast pivots. A blow to the knee or an abrupt twist of the knee results in a sprained or strained knee ligament or muscle. When you have difficulty in walking and notice pain or swelling, this can be an indication that you’ve sprained your knee.
2. Tear in the cartilage: When you sprain your knee, you’ll usually experience a torn cartilage as well. To prevent future damage to the knee during an activity, treatment may involve wearing a brace. The tear might require surgery to be repaired.
3. Tendonitis:
Repeated motion such as bending, walking, and running can cause tendonitis. This is because tendons become inflamed through repeated actions. Playing sports that require jumping or fast pivots may also cause tendonitis.
4. Arthritis: Age-related symptoms such as arthritis can cause knee pains. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease in which the protective cartilage wears away with age and repeated stress on the joints, causing the bones to scrape against one another. This can affect the knees and it's one of the most common type of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis on the other hand is caused by inflamed knee joint and erosion of the knee cartilage.
Remedies I’ve Tried
I’ve tried over-the-counter medications such as Ibuprofen for pain-relief. While it provided me with temporary relief as I went about my day, it wasn’t a long-term solution. I didn’t want to become too dependent on medication, develop a natural resistance due to repeated use, and experience any side effects.
Upon further research, prolonged use of pain relief medicines can have minor side effects such as stomach ache or indigestion which can turn into more serious side effects like gastritis, ulcers, or gastrointestinal hemorrhage. These side effects might be avoided by other medication but as previously mentioned, I didn't want to become too dependent on medications for one health issue.
My next solution was to try a tame and at-home remedy. I’ve tried a combination of heat-cold therapy in which I’ve used a heating bag or a bag of ice to help with pain relief and reduce the inflammation in my knees. This method has worked to provide temporary relief however, as I’m now both living an active lifestyle and equally busy with work, I find that I didn’t have that much time to prepare this remedy.
So I resorted to another quick treatment which was applying essential or herbal oils on my knees. This method however, only lasted a few minutes of relief then I had to re-apply again.
Then I understood that while some of these therapies might offer short-term relief, they are not the best long-term solutions. My knee pain was becoming a hassle in my daily life, therefore I wanted a much more long-lasting fix. I no longer desired to experience discomfort or pain.
This is What Worked for Me
I didn’t think that I needed any drastic medical procedures (and I wanted to avoid doing such things as much as possible) so I went into a deeper internet dive to see if I can find a more natural remedy.
I found that turmeric has been used as an anti-inflammatory in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for thousands of years. Curcumin, the primary active component of turmeric and a compound rich in antioxidants that promotes wound healing, is also present in the spice. Turmeric inhibits some enzymes and proteins that are responsible for inflammation in the body. This herb can also get rid of free radicals and nitric oxide. In addition to lowering neutrophils and platelet aggregation, turmeric also binds with dangerous heavy metals.
Mild to moderate knee joint pain in 68 participants was alleviated after 3 days to 1 week of turmeric medication in a randomized research. Another research has shown that turmeric is more effective than Ibuprofen for treating delayed muscle soreness and inflammation following surgery. Both medications were tried on individuals at doses ranging from 1,500 to 5,000 mg per day.
With this, I searched the internet to find the best turmeric supplements out there. I gave this supplement a few weeks to see if the present research was true. The effects weren’t obvious at first but I felt less pain as days went by. I was still careful as much as I could whenever I worked out or went for a jog. I waited for the familiar pain on my knee but after taking the supplement, the pain wasn’t as prominent as before. I’ve noticed how the pain that my tendonitis is causing is slowly easing. Compared to before, I can easily move my knees and no longer worry about injuring it further.
What Are Supplements?
Supplements can be any kind of vitamin, minerals, herbs, botanicals, and amino acids that you can eat or drink. You can buy supplements that come in various forms like pills, powders, liquids, and capsules to name a few.
Supplementing one's existing nutrition is the main goal of supplements. While supplements like vitamins and pills might be beneficial to health, they shouldn't be used in place of a balanced diet and active lifestyle.
Top 3 Turmeric Supplements for Knee Pain & Inflammation
We here at Superfood Reviews have done the research to find out what the best option for turmeric supplements in the market. We have graded each choice through a stringent grading based on the following criteria:
The Purest Co.'s Ginseng Turmeric Superjuice is the supplement I suggest for my knee pain based on my study and extensive testing.
It is of the highest quality in my opinion and its liquid form factor enhances absorption into the body. After trying a number of different turmeric brands in various forms, this supplement has shown to be the most effective for me.
PROS
Potent formula with 250mg of patented extract CURCUGEN™
With black pepper BioPerine® and ginseng extract for absorption
No unnecessary ingredients, additives or fillers
30 day, 100% satisfaction guarantee Rigorously tested and certified for quality
Suitable for vegans and vegetarians
Made in an FDA-approved, HACCP-certified facility in Taiwan
Manufactured to GMP standards
Highly rated for customer service
Free express delivery on all local orders
CONS
Only available online
Regularly out of stock due to high demand
BOTTOMLINE
With a pure and potent liquid formula and the best customer feedback scores on my list, Ginseng Turmeric Superjuice by The Purest Co is easily my Number 1 pick.
The high strength formula delivers 250mg of premium Turmeric extract CURCUGEN™ per serving as well as black pepper and ginseng for enhanced absorption and efficacy. This product contains no unnecessary fillers, synthetic additives, hidden or artificial ingredients.
The company was highly-rated for customer service and offers a 30-day, risk-free, money-back guarantee which shows they are willing to stand behind the quality of their product.
When compared to other top competitors, Ginseng Turmeric Superjuice was unrivaled in effectiveness, quality, safety and value which makes it my top choice as the best Turmeric supplement on the market today.
PROS
Contains 500mg of industry standard turmeric extract
No unnecessary additives and fillers
Widely available both online and offline
Vegetarian, gluten and yeast free
CONS
Does not use premium turmeric extract
Pills have less bioavailability than liquids
No presence of complementary ingredients, especially BioPerine®
Divisive feedback from some consumers
BOTTOMLINE
Standardized Turmeric Curcumin by GNC is a good option from a brand that is well known in the country for affordable options. Each pill contains 500mg of industry standard turmeric extract, and while not as potent as my first choice, this still provides a good option for consumers.
This vegetarian-friendly formula has no unnecessary additives, but also omits certain complementary ingredients such as BioPerine®, which would help enhance the benefits of the product. I feel that overall, the Standardized Turmeric Curcumin by GNC is a good no-frills choice for a consumer who wants an industry standard turmeric extract in pill form.
PROS
House brand of a reputable medical provider
Affordable option
Widely available online
No added starch
Manufactured in USA
CONS
Low amount of turmeric extract - 50mg
Pills have less bioavailability than liquids
No presence of complementary ingredients, especially BioPerine®
BOTTOMLINE
Raffles Medical is affiliated with Raffles Medical, a well-known healthcare provider in the country. Their house brand turmeric extract is manufactured in the USA and is widely available online to purchase.
Their product contains 450mg of turmeric root, but only 50mg of turmeric extract, which is low. As turmeric extract is the focal point of these supplements, this option will not be as beneficial as other choices with higher quantities of turmeric extract.
Additionally, there is no presence of BioPerine® or any other complementary ingredients. Diving into customer experience, it seems that Raffles Health may not take the customer experience too seriously, and there may be some negative feedback on that front.
That being said, this option is an affordable one and may be for customers who are looking to try a turmeric extract before moving onto higher quality options.
CONCLUSION
The best natural treatment for tendonitis or knee pain, in my experience, is consuming a turmeric supplement. The Purest Co.'s Ginseng Turmeric Superjuice is also, in my opinion, the best supplement currently available in the market today. This product's great list of ingredients includes Black Pepper BioPerine®, which would boost the health benefits of turmeric and improve the bioavailability and effectiveness of all significant active components by a factor of up to 20.
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