By Taylor Wolfram, MS, RDN, LDN
We recently updated our collagen article with a few studies investigating curcumin in the management of osteoarthritis.
Two meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials found that turmeric extract and curcumin significantly decreased joint pain, stiffness, and function in people with osteoarthritis, similar to that of ibuprofen (Daily, 2016; Wu, 2019). A more recent randomized controlled trial found that bioavailable turmeric extract was as effective as acetaminophen at reducing joint pain, stiffness, and function scores in people with knee osteoarthritis (Singhal, 2021). These supplements are promising plant-based options for treating osteoarthritis and may reduce the reliance on the animal product collagen for this purpose.
We encourage people with osteoarthritis to speak with their physician before changing regimens.
