If your knees have been slowing you down with stiffness in the morning, aching after a walk, that grinding feeling going up stairs — you’re not imagining it, and you’re not alone. Joint discomfort is one of the most common things my clients come to me about. The good news is there are real, practical steps you can take. Some involve what you eat and weight management. Some involve targeted supplements. Some involve regular exercise and stretching.
What You Need to Know
- Joint pain and stiffness are often caused by the breakdown of cartilage and loss of joint-lubricating fluid — a chronic low-grade inflammatory process that progresses with age and weight gain.
- An anti-inflammatory diet, particularly the Mediterranean diet, may help reduce joint inflammation from the inside out.
- Glucosamine and chondroitin are naturally occurring building blocks of cartilage and joint fluid; supplementing them may help support joint comfort and cartilage health.†
- Curcumin (from turmeric) and boswellia have extensive research for managing joint inflammation and discomfort.†
- Cartigenix HP is a cutting edge supplement combining boswellia and celery seed extract, backed by published human trials showing improvements in joint comfort and joint flexibility and cartilage regeneration.†
- Supplements work best as part of a bigger picture, along with food, movement, and weight management, not instead of them.
What Causes Joint Pain and Stiffness?
Joint pain usually comes down to three things: loss of cartilage, loss of synovial fluid, and inflammation. Cartilage is the smooth, rubbery cushion at the end of your bones. Synovial fluid is the thick, gel-like liquid that lubricates the joint and keeps it moving smoothly. When either one breaks down, joints become stiff, painful, and inflamed.
Osteoarthritis is the most common reason for knee and other joint pain. It’s not an autoimmune disease — it’s a wear-and-tear condition where the cartilage gradually wears down over time. Age is an unavoidable risk factor. Extra body weight speeds the process, because every pound puts several pounds of pressure on the knee joint with each step. The knee is a weight bearing joint, so osteoarthritis often shows up there before other joints.
Food for Healthy Joints and Cartilage
Before we talk supplements, I want to say this clearly: food matters. Chronic inflammation, the kind that quietly drives joint pain and stiffness, is directly influenced by what you eat every day.
What Is the Best Diet for Joint Health?
The Mediterranean diet is the dietary pattern with the most researched support for managing inflammation. It is a whole foods diet that emphasizes:
- Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel — rich in omega-3s, which have natural anti-inflammatory properties
- Colorful vegetables and fruits packed with antioxidants, plant pigments and polyphenols that help neutralize inflammatory compounds, and fiber that supports a healthy gut microbiome
- Olive oil as the primary fat — a source of oleocanthal, a compound studied for its anti-inflammatory effects
- Whole grains, unrefined carbohydrates, legumes, nuts and seeds
- Occasional red meat and very limited processed food and added sugars
On the other hand, ultra-processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and excess sugar can drive inflammation. This may be related to the fact that what you eat affects the gut microbiome and gut health.
How Does Gut Health Affect Joint Pain?
Did you know that there is a gut-joint axis? According to the Arthritis Foundation, the microbiome in the gut can impact osteoarthritis.
For example, excesses of pro-inflammatory gut bacteria (and low levels of beneficial bacteria), can result in intestinal permeability and consequential systemic low-grade inflammation. This inflammation can reach the joints, resulting in cartilage degradation and pain.
Supplements for Joint Pain
Glucosamine and Chondroitin: Structural Support and Building Blocks for Joint Health
Glucosamine and chondroitin are naturally occurring compounds found in healthy cartilage and synovial fluid. Your body makes them on its own, but production declines with age which is part of why joint health becomes harder to maintain over time.
Glucosamine helps build and maintain cartilage. Chondroitin acts to retain water, needed for the synovial fluid to give cartilage its shock-absorbing properties and its resistance to compression. Together, they’re among the most widely used joint support supplements; recommended by both patients and clinicians who have seen results with them.
Supplementing with glucosamine and chondroitin may support cartilage health and help maintain joint comfort, particularly for people experiencing the effects of age-related joint wear. Results tend to develop gradually — most people who notice a benefit do so after a month to a few months of consistent use. If you’re starting them, give them time.
I carry both Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate and a Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and MSM combination for clients who prefer to include MSM. MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is a naturally occurring sulfur compound that supports healthy joint tissue and cartilage.
Curcumin and Boswellia: Targeting Joint Inflammation
If your joints are actively inflamed and painful, addressing the structural support is not enough…you also need to address the pain and inflammation.
Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, has been studied for reducing joint pain and inflammation. It works by helping to modulate inflammatory pathways in the body. A practical note: curcumin on its own is poorly absorbed since it is a large molecule. Look for a formula that has proven bioavailability, either through phospholipid complexing (like BCM-95) or a specialized delivery system, otherwise you may not be getting the full benefit. CuraPro is a curcumin only BCM-95 product.
Boswellia (also called Indian frankincense) is an herbal extract with a long history of use for joint and inflammatory conditions. Research shows that it supports a healthy inflammatory response in joint tissue.
Curaphen combines clinically studied curcumin with boswellia in one formula. Many of my clients notice a meaningful difference in how their joints feel within the first few days of taking it. Curaphen also comes in Curaphen Extra Strength.
Cartigenix HP: Targets Inflammation and Rebuilds Cartilage
Cartigenix HP is a supplement I’ve recently added to my practice, a plant-based formula with solid clinical backing.
It contains a proprietary blend which combines standardized Boswellia extract with wild celery seed extract from Northern India. Together these ingredients provide 13 bioactive compounds (including standardized serratol, tirucallic acids, and aplin) that work synergistically to support joint health.
The clinical research behind Cartigenix HP includes three published human trials — including two randomized, placebo-controlled studies — showing improvements in joint comfort, mobility, and cartilage support. Some participants reported noticeable improvement in as little as 15 days, with statistically significant results at 90 days.
Particularly impressive is that knee x-rays before and after Cartigenix HP show cartilage rebuilding; lab tests before and after Cartigenix HP show lower levels of inflammatory markers and higher levels of anti-inflammatory markers.† (See the Cartigenix HP product page for info on the study results).
The Takeaway: My Multi-prong Approach to Joint Health and Osteoarthritis
Supplements are one tool, not the whole toolbox. The clients I see make the most progress when they’re working on food, movement, and weight alongside any supplementation.
Which combination makes sense depends on the individual — their symptoms, their other health conditions, and what they’re already taking.
When I work with clients, I try to manage their pain while also supporting the underlying health and inflammation of the joint.
At the same time, maintaining a healthy weight is also important. Losing even a small amount of weight can meaningfully reduce the load on your knees and the pain that comes with it.
Joint health is one of those areas where there’s no single magic answer, but there’s a lot you can do. A Mediterranean-style diet, maintaining a healthy weight, staying active with low-impact movement, and the right supplement support can add up to a real difference in how you feel and how you move.
If you’d like personalized guidance on which supplements make sense for your situation, I’d love to talk. Book a free 10-minute intro call to get started.
References
Arthritis Foundation. (2023, December 7). Microbiome’s role in osteoarthritis. https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/more-about/microbiomes-role-in-osteoarthritis
Dr. Anish Desai, Dr. Parshuram Shendge, Dr. Sunaina Anand and Dr. Sreeni Nair. Clinical effectiveness and tolerability of Celery seed and Boswellia serrata extract in osteoarthritis. Int. J. Orthop. Sci. 2022;8(2):248-252. DOI: 10.22271/ortho.2022.v8.i2d.3143
Desai, A., Anand, S., Nair, S., Chorghe, P. (2024). Assessing the effectiveness and NSAIDs sparing effect of celery seeds and Boswellia serrata in osteoarthritis management. Indian Journal of Orthopaedics Surgery, 10(4), 318-323. https://doi.org/10.18231/j.ijos.2024.052
Kanthawang, T., Bodden, J., Joseph, G. B., Lane, N. E., Nevitt, M., McCulloch, C. E., & Link, T. M. (2021). Obese and overweight individuals have greater knee synovial inflammation and associated structural and cartilage compositional degeneration: data from the osteoarthritis initiative. Skeletal Radiology, 50(1), 217–229. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-020-03550-5
Liao, X., Chen, X., Zhou, Y., Xing, L., Shi, Y., & Huang, G. (2024). Added sugars and risk of osteoarthritis in adults: A case-control study based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2018. PloS One, 19(11), e0313754. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313754
Limongi, F., Cilona, L., Guberti, E., Volpe, M., Maggi, S., Onder, G., Silano, M., Zanetti, M., Sieber, C., Gianfredi, V., Nucci, D., Ragusa, F. S., & Veronese, N. (2026). Efficacy of Mediterranean diet in musculoskeletal disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis for primary and tertiary prevention featured in the Italian National Guidelines “La Dieta Mediterranea.” Nutrition, 142, 112950. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2025.112950
Messier, S. P., Gutekunst, D. J., Davis, C., & DeVita, P. (2005). Weight loss reduces knee-joint loads in overweight and obese older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Arthritis and Rheumatism, 52(7), 2026–2032. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.21139
Singhal, S., Hasan, N., Nirmal, K., Chawla, R., Chawla, S., Kalra, B. S., & Dhal, A. (2021). Bioavailable turmeric extract for knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, non-inferiority trial versus paracetamol. Trials, 22(1), 105. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-021-05053-7
Vaidya, N., Agarwal, R., Dipankar, D. G., Patkar, H., Ganu, G., Nagore, D., Godse, C., Mehta, A., Mehta, D., & Nair, S. (2025). Efficacy and Safety of Boswellia serrata and Apium graveolens L. Extract Against Knee Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Degeneration: A Randomized, Double-blind, Multicenter, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Pharmaceutical research, 42(2), 249–269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-025-03818-2
† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
