Spice It Up for Arthritis!

By Dr. Sean M. Wells, PT, DPT, OCS, ATC/L, CSCS, CNPT, Cert-DN

In prior blog posts we have talked about turmeric and its amazing benefits for arthritis. As Modern Doctors of Physical Therapy, we know that combining nutrition interventions with our manual therapy, exercise, and dry needling can make an even bigger impact than simply traditional therapy alone. Well, there’s good news about spices: a large meta analysis of meta analyses has shown that turmeric can help our clients with osteoarthritis and osteopenia. This meta analysis is significant as it is the first to our team’s knowledge looking at turmeric for those with osteopenia. 

A New Study

This mega meta-analysis pooled data from 11 previously published meta-analyses on the effects of curcumin on OA. The analysis showed that curcumin supplementation significantly decreased the following physical therapy and arthritis scores compared to placebo:

• Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain
• Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) total score
• WOMAC subscores for function, pain, and stiffness

The results strongly support the use of curcumin supplements in relieving pain, improving joint mobility and stiffness, and reducing medication usage in OA and osteopenia patients. Physical therapists should encourage their patients to discuss this supplement with their physician, orthopedist, and/or dietician. 

So, what are the mechanisms behind this spice? Turmeric and its active compound curcumin have shown promising effects in reducing arthritis symptoms and inflammation, according to several studies.

Potential Benefits of Turmeric for Arthritis

1. Anti-inflammatory effects: Curcumin has potent anti-inflammatory properties that can help alleviate joint inflammation and pain associated with arthritis. It works by inhibiting the production of inflammatory molecules like NF-kappa B, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha.
2. Pain relief: Several clinical trials have found that turmeric/curcumin supplements can significantly reduce joint pain, stiffness, and improve physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis. The pain-relieving effects are comparable to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) but with fewer side effects.
3. Cartilage protection: Laboratory studies suggest that curcumin may have chondroprotective effects, meaning it can protect cartilage from degradation and promote cartilage repair. It does this by regulating enzymes that break down cartilage and stimulating the production of components that make up cartilage.
4. Safer alternative to NSAIDs: Unlike NSAIDs, which can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and kidney problems with long-term use, turmeric has an excellent safety profile and is well-tolerated by most people.

Considerations

While the evidence is promising, more large-scale clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy and optimal dosage of turmeric/curcumin for arthritis management. Additionally, curcumin has poor bioavailability, meaning it is not easily absorbed by the body. Taking it with black pepper or healthy fats can enhance absorption.

In summary, turmeric and its active compound curcumin show potential as a natural, safe, and effective supplement for reducing inflammation, pain, and possibly slowing cartilage degradation in arthritis patients. DPTs can recommend turmeric to some of their clients, and learn more about dosing, safety, and other PT practice essentials in our nutrition continuing education courses.

If you like what you see here then know there is more in our 3 board-approved continuing education courses on Nutrition specific for Physical Therapists. Enroll today in our new bundled course offering and save 20%, a value of $60!

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Learn about the Top 5 Functional Foods to Fight Inflammation and Pain in Physical Therapy. 

Keywords:

Turmeric, arthritis, physical therapy, nutrition interventions, manual therapy, exercise, osteoarthritis, osteopenia, curcumin supplementation, anti-inflammatory properties, CEU, Continuing education