Turmeric for osteoarthritis: Its effectiveness is unproven

If your knee hurts when you move as you age, it may be due to osteoarthritis. In this disease, the joint cartilage becomes thin and no longer provides protection as well [2]. Other joints can also be affected by osteoarthritis, such as the hips, finger joints, and spinal joints.

Supplements containing turmeric are advertised, among other things, for treatment. Because it is said that turmeric has an anti-inflammatory effect. The yellow spice, which is an important ingredient in curry dishes, is said to significantly improve pain and mobility in osteoarthritis. At least that’s what the online providers of these supplements claim. But is this true? This is what the reader wanted to know from us.

Open questions

There are actually a whole series of studies, but only on osteoarthritis of the knee. We found no suitable studies on osteoarthritis in other joints. A research team summarized 15 studies on knee osteoarthritis [1]. However, the results do not lead to a clear answer.

At first glance, it seems as if turmeric helps those affected better than the fake lotion. But at second glance, some questions arise. For example, it is unclear whether the apparent benefit not only exists on paper but is also significant enough to be noticeable.
Studies have also produced contradictory results – without any clear reason for this. In section “Studies in detail” We describe the limitations of the research in more detail.

Therefore, we cannot answer whether turmeric significantly and permanently relieves the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.

In studies, turmeric was tolerated similarly to a placebo preparation without the active ingredient. Whether side effects have been reliably recorded remains an open question.

What helps with knee pain

To date, there are no effective medications that can stop the development of osteoporosis.

To relieve symptoms, exercise and oral pain relievers are appropriate. An ointment containing the active ingredient diclofenac can slightly relieve pain.

Excess weight puts special stress on the joints. To alleviate them, it makes sense to lose weight. A walking stick can also help relieve pressure on the joints. If osteoarthritis is already advanced and these measures are no longer sufficient, an artificial knee joint may also be an option [2–4].

Many questionable treatments are also offered, the benefits of which have not been proven. These include preparations containing cat’s claw, green-lipped mussel, or chondroitin.

You can also find detailed and reliable information about the treatment of knee osteoarthritis on the site health information.de.