Are you looking for a real way to relieve your joint pain?
Of all products – supplements are by far my #1 recommendation:
- stronger effect (than creams or topical products)
- highest ingredient dosages
- lower price
But what exact brand should you go for?
Here are my top recommendations: the 9 best joint pain supplements (+ video).
Note: The supplements below are the best choices on the market in terms of quality/price.
#1 Recommendation – Joint Support + ($30.00)
1. Producer: Nuzena
2. Ingredients:
- Glucosamine Sulfate, Chondroitin Sulfate
- MSM, Turmeric, Boswellia Extract, Bromelain
- Quercetin, Methionine
3. Best For: Joint Pain, Cartilage Damage, Stiffness (pretty much every joint problem).
I recommend it mostly to people who want the best joint supplement for the money.
Nuzena's product is definitely the best joint supplement on the market.
It has some major advantages (compared to all competitors):
- Stronger formula with high dosages.
- Lowest price ever (around $15/bottle for a larger pack).
- Installments payment available.
- Works for most joint problems.
Basically – it's a product that is totally worth the money (a lot more than the others).
Plus, it's really suitable for people on a low budget:
- you don't have to pay the whole amount at once
- sellers allows you to pay in 4 monthly installments
- that's as low as $7.50/month
However – its total price is the same (whether you pay at once or in 4 installments).
Tell me another brand that allows this payment type.
For this reason – I strongly recommend Joint Support + for people with any budget.
It's the cheapest supplement with such a high quality.
Price Tip: Use the code below to get $10 off for your order.
If you buy the largest pack, you get 3 free bottles and an overall price of $15/bottle. That's the lowest price I could ever find in a joint supplement.
PROs
- Excellent formula with strong ingredients
- Each compound comes in high dosages
- Ingredients have studies behind
- Pills are easier to swallow (than in other supplements)
- Effective for most joint problems
- Best price on the market (up to almost $15/bottle)
- You can also pay in 4 equal installments
- Worldwide shipping
- Shipping rates are free for orders over $50
CONs
- Most of its reviews are on Nuzena's official website
- You can't find it in most retailers
#2 – ProJoint Plus ($29.95)
1. Producer: VitaBalance
2. Ingredients:
- Glucosamine Sulfate, Chondroitin Sulfate
- MSM, Bromelain, Boswellia Extract, Turmeric
- Quercetin, Methionine (the same as in the previous supplement)
3. Best For: Joint Pain/Stiffness, Damaged Cartilages.
Glucosamine supplements work best for osteoarthritis and cartilage problems (which are the most common causes of joint pain).
VitaBalance's product is one of the best joint supplements I know.
In fact – it's pretty close to my #1 recommendation (it has very similar features):
- Really strong formula and compounds.
- Ingredients have clinical evidence behind.
- Many positive reviews (though some people don't trust them).
- Lower price than most competitors.
Not to mention that it works for most joint problems (from pain to stiffness).
So basically – ProJoint Plus is almost the perfect joint supplement.
It's only that Joint Support + (my #1 recommendation) offers an installments payment option (which is major advantage).
But in terms of ingredients and price, they're almost identical.
For this reason – ProJoint Plus is a product I strongly recommend as well.
You're making a great choice buying it.
Price Tip: You can also get this supplement cheaper. Use the code below to get 5% off.
Then buy the largest pack to get each bottle for about $19.
PROs
- Quality ingredients and high dosages
- All substances have joint-related studies behind
- Easy to swallow pills
- Works for most joint problems (especially cartilage-related)
- Really low price overall
CONs
- Only ships in about 25 countries
- Shipping isn't free for any order amount
- International shipping rates applied for any non-US order ($10)
- Only sold on its official website
- Most authentic reviews are on its official website
#3 – Cardio³ ($24.99)
1. Producer: Newtrition
2. Ingredients:
- Fish Oil (Omega-3 Concentrate)
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA, DHA)
- Fat (Polyunsaturated Fat, Cholesterol)
3. Best For: Most joint-related issues:
- joint pain/arthritis [1]
- muscle & joint stiffness
- inflammation [2]
- skin conditions (including acne)
- minor heart problems
- depression/anxiety
It's also very effective for heart health, general health and for aging prevention.
In case you were looking for an Omega 3 joint supplement – this is my top choice.
Newtrition's Cardio³ has some major advantages:
- Unique formula with a superior technology (Accelon™).
- 3x faster absorption than most fish oil products.
- Excellent price (compared to competitors).
- Additional benefits besides its joint effect.
As you might know – Omega 3 supplements are helpful for mostly anything.
However, their joint benefits are some of their best effects.
That's why including an Omega-3 product on this list was a must.
In fact – I strongly recommend Optima Omega-3 for:
- inflammatory joint pain (including RA)
- preventing future cartilage tear
- maintaining joint health
Besides – it's a 10-in-1 product (helps the joints but it also has numerous other health benefits).
So if you prefer an Omega-3 supplement for your joints, this one is my top recommendation.
PROs
- Superior quality and technology
- 3x faster absorption rate
- High dosages in most ingredients
- Best formula among all Omega-3 products
- Only 1 pill per day
- Really low price for the quality
- You can get a lower price by signing up for auto-shipping
CONs
- Not available in most retailers
- Few reviews outside the official website
#4 – Turmeric Curcumin Plus ($23.95)
1. Producer: VitaBalance
2. Ingredients:
- Organic Turmeric Powder, Turmeric 95% Curcuminoids
- Bioperine
3. Best For: Inflammatory Joint Pain/Arthritis
This includes auto-immune forms of arthritis (especially RA and PsA) or swollen joints.
If you're dealing with swollen joints – turmeric supplements are my top recommendation.
And out of all turmeric supplements, this product would be my first pick:
- Quality formula and dosages.
- Increased absorption (due to bioperine).
- Lowest price among all turmeric supplements (up to $16/bottle)
Besides – turmeric does more than decreasing swollen joints.
It's also helpful for weight loss, high blood pressure, low immunity, etc.
However – in terms of joint pain, it's the best herb for decreasing inflammation:
- strongly recommended in auto-immune forms of arthritis
- also works for nerve pain
So if you suffer from inflammatory arthritis – I strongly recommend turmeric instead of glucosamine supplements (as the first 2 above).
However, inflammatory arthritis is quite rare (mostly RA or PsA).
That's why Turmeric Curcumin Plus is only ranked the 4th on my list.
Price Tip: In order to get this supplement cheaper, use the code below for 5% off.
If you chose to buy the largest pack, you pay around $16/bottle and get an extra one for free.
PROs
- High dosages in all ingredients
- Organic form of turmeric used
- Contains bioperine (which increases absorption considerably)
- Effective for other health problems except joint pain
- Lowest price among turmeric supplements (up to $16/bottle)
CONs
- Few authentic reviews outside its official website
- Doesn't ship in every country
- Shipping rates are $5 (for the US) and $10 (Internationally)
- Not sold on 3rd party retailers like Amazon
#5 – Nuzena's Turmeric Curcumin + ($35.00)
1. Producer: Nuzena
2. Ingredients:
- Turmeric Root Powder, Turmeric 95% Curcuminoids
- Bioperine
3. Best For: People with inflammatory joint pain who are on a tight budget.
It works for the same problems are the previous supplement (auto-immune arthritis and inflamed joints).
This supplement is pretty similar to the previous one (in terms of ingredients).
For this reason – it could make an excellent choice for inflammatory pain anytime:
- great formula & ingredients
- strong dosages
- quality composition
However, it has 2 different aspects:
- Lowest price/bottle is a bit higher (around $18 vs $16).
- Offers 4 monthly installments payment.
Basically – it has both a good and a bad side.
Its best price is a few dollars more compared to my top pick (Turmeric Curcumin Plus).
Still – it's a better choice for lower budgets, because you don't have to pay the whole amount at once.
For this reason, it makes an excellent option among turmeric supplements.
It has an advantage that any other doesn't have (installments payment).
So if you prefer this kind of payment – this product is my #1 recommendation.
Price Tip: You can use the code below to get a better price ($10 off).
This supplement is quite pricey if you buy only one bottle. For this reason, I recommend getting the largest pack (about $20/bottle).
PROs
- Strong formula and high dosages
- Quality producer behind
- Ingredients backed up with studies
- Really good price (mostly if you buy several bottles at once)
- Installments payment available
- Free shipping over $50
- Delivered in any country in the world
CONs
- Few authentic reviews
- Standard price (for 1 bottle) is quite high
- Not available in many retailers
#6 – Super Joint Support ($59.00)
1. Producer: Living Well Nutraceuticals
2. Ingredients:
- Glucosamine Sulfate, Marine Magnesium
- Hydrosylate Collagen, MSM
- Alpha Lipoic Acid, White Willow Bark
- Vitamins
3. Best For: Both inflammatory joint pain and damaged cartilages.
Here's another excellent choice for your joint pain.
Super Joint Support offers a unique formula (compared to most competitors):
- based on collagen
- high quantity of vitamins/minerals
However – to be honest, this formula isn't as good as my top 2 recommended products.
At least in terms of ingredient quality.
Still, Super Joint Support's composition is extremely valuable even so.
But the supplement has other downsides:
- Quite expensive normally ($60/bottle).
- Producing company is pretty unknown.
- Requires taking 6 pills per day.
These are the reasons why Living Well Nutraceuticals' product isn't higher on my list.
But even so – it's totally worth its place here, since it's a worth buying product.
Price Tip: You can get this product for a slightly lower price.
In order to get $50/bottle (instead of $60), order the 6 months supply and you will get a small discount (though I still consider $50 way too much).
PROs
- Quality and unique formula
- Compounds that work really well combined together
- Pretty good dosages
- Enough customer reviews available online
- Price decreases if you buy larger supplies
CONs
- You need to take 6 pills per day
- Quite expensive ($60/bottle normally)
- Producer doesn't have a lot of info behind
#7 – Joint Advantage Gold ($37.49)
1. Producer: Dr. David Williams
2. Ingredients:
- Glucosamine Sulfate, Boswellia Extract
- Eggshell Membrane, Bromelain
- Australian Herbal Blend, International Herbal Blend
3. Best For: Both swollen joints and damaged cartilages.
It's one of the few products that contains about the same quantity of ingredients from both groups.
Dr. David Williams' product is an excellent choice for joint pain:
- Original formula
- High and strong dosages
- Reputable company behind
And even though it's not the best joint formula I have seen – it's still a powerful one.
One of its main advantages is that it contains about 50/50 anti-inflammatory and cartilage re-builders.
Other than that – it's not perfect:
- pills are pretty thick
- you need to take 4 daily
- no discounts when buying larger quantities
Still – the supplements remains a quality one.
So it's totally worth the spot on this best of list.
PROs
- Excellent original formula
- Some trademark ingredients
- Effective for both inflammatory pain and cartilage tear
- Reputable producer
- Enough satisfied customers online
CONs
- 4 pills required daily
- Price is quite high
- No discount offered for larger quantities
- Pills are pretty thick (compared to other supplements)
#8 – Smarter Nutrition Curcumin ($40.00)
1. Producer: Smarter Nutrition
2. Ingredients:
- Curcumin C3 Reduct
- Black Cumin Seed Oil, Ginger Root Extract
- AstraGin
3. Best For: Inflammatory joint pain.
Since it's a pricier product, I mostly recommend it to people who cannot tolerate bioperine (turmeric + bioperine is a much cheaper alternative).
This is one of the best turmeric supplements I actually know:
- Original formula and ingredients.
- Enhanced absorption rates.
- Many studies behind.
- Producer has a great reputation.
It's true that the supplement itself is quite expensive.
And since it's sold on Amazon – there are no discounts for larger quantities.
But except its high price, the product itself is excellent.
In fact – it's a great choice for people with inflammatory pain that are allergic to bioperine (though this is quite rare).
Its technology creates an increased absorption without bioperine.
So overall – it's a really high quality product.
PROs
- Excellent formula with unique compounds
- Contains one trademark ingredients
- Increased absorption without using bioperine
- Only 1 pill per day
- Available in several retailers
CONs
- A bit expensive
- No discount for larger quantities
- Doesn't ship worldwide
#9 – Arthrozene ($49.95)
1. Producer: Fisico
2. Ingredients:
- ApresFlex Boswellia Extract
- Mobilee Natural Chicken Comb Extract
- B-2Cool Native Collagen
3. Best For: Pretty much all kind of joint issues.
It contains both anti-inflammatory and cartilage ingredients, so it can help in most joint problems.
Fisico's product is a very popular choice among joint supplements.
That's probably because it's strongly advertised all over.
Still – the product itself is really good:
- Quality formula and good dosages.
- All 3 active ingredients are trademark substances.
- Studies behind for all ingredients.
However – as with most popular products, Arthrozene is really expensive.
That's why I don't consider it the best choice (with so many cheaper alternatives).
But in terms of effectiveness – it's surely a potent supplement.
PROs
- Strong trademark ingredients
- Only requires one pill per day
- Clinical evidence behind the ingredients
- Available in several retailers
CONs
- Very expensive per bottle
- Few complaints online
- Doesn't work in 5 days (as it claims)
My Verdict – What's The Best Joint Pain Supplement?
Short answer: It depends on your exact problem.
But summing up the recommendations above – here's my list:
- Cartilage Damage: Joint Support +/ProJoint Plus
- Inflammation: Turmeric Curcumin Plus
- Best Omega 3: Optima Omega-3 +
Basically – the top supplement I strongly recommend is Joint Support + from Nuzena:
- excellent formula
- works for both inflammatory pain and damaged cartilages
- lowest price overall (about $17/bottle)
- installments payment available
Other than that, I also listed some alternatives for turmeric and Omega 3 supplements.
If you prefer one of those – they are also extremely effective.
Just keep in mind that:
- turmeric works for inflammatory joint pain (and nothing else)
- it's not going to help damaged cartilages
For this reason – if you have cartilage problems/osteoarthritis, go for a glucosamine supplement (like my #1 recommendation).
If you only have swollen joints (RA or PsA) – turmeric supplements are the best choice.
References:
1 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-pmc/articles/PMC4649492/
2 – https://nccih.nih.gov/health/-turmeric/ataglance.htm
Hi. I’ve been looking for some good joint pain medicine or supplements recommendations. Every website shares random products but none mentions why X is better than Y… You’re the only one that does that, so thank you! You are also a pharmacist so this makes me trust what you recommend, I’m so grateful for that.
The 9 that you listed all have their pluses and minuses and definitely vary in price, but the one I think would best work for me Joint support +. I have some cartilage problems (my mom has that so I think I have the same thing because I have similar but easier symptoms). I think I’m going to choose Joint support + because they allow you to pay it in monthly installments and that would be a relief on my wallet! I could not afford a good product for this very reason. Do you think it would also be helpful for my mom? She has osteoarthritis with some damage in her cartilages.
Kind of curious though, do you know why they generally don’t sell at most retailers? I guess it’s up to their discretion and you can’t beat the monthly installment plan. Thank you again.
Hi Brian, thanks for your feedback, I’m glad you managed to find some useful info here.
As for my recommendations, I always try to find the best products (in terms of formula/quality) for the price. That’s why you probably didn’t find these products recommended on any other websites. Those usually recommend products that are popular (like Arthrozene), but those aren’t really worth buying, if you ask me. You can find very similar formulas for a lot of money less.
Regarding Nuzena’s Joint Support +, it’s actually my top recommendation for osteoarthritis and cartilage damage. So it’s really suitable for your problem, as well as for your mom’s OA. From your description, she seems to have more severe symptoms, so this guide on treating OA naturally might help her. In your case, there’s no need for that (for now).
As for your question – most of the supplements from this list are actually sold on several retailers. For example, Nuzena does sell most of its products on Amazon, but the prices are higher there. Also, you can’t pay in installments and you don’t get a discount for buying more bottles at once. That’s why I think buying the products from Nuzena’s website is way better.
I hope this helps you.
Good evening Olly, My mum has joint pain since around a year ago, and I have been looking for a supplement to ease the situation for some time now. She does not have arthritis and all the tests she has had for joint problems went negative. So her doc said her joints are swollen for an unknown reason and prescribed Tylenol. My mom started getting stomach pain a few months after so she decided to quit it. Then the cramps started getting better but her joint pain returned.
So now I’m trying to find a natural product that would do the same but not cause her stomach cramps. Honestly, your 5th choice, Optima Omega -3 +, is the most appropriate for her, in my opinion. Omega 3 has proven itself by many scientific studies to be beneficial for many health conditions besides joint pain. So I’m sure that if it helps with all those things, it will also help her joints.
And the price of 30$ (or even 17$/bottle per pack) is super low considering what other products I have checked. So I will definitely be ordering this one, thank you!
Hello Nicola, thanks for letting me know your opinion. From your description, I assume your mom has a form of chronic joint pain – which isn’t the same as arthritis. Indeed, her joint pain doesn’t have a major cause – it’s just a chronic inflammation that is kept under control with pain killing medication like NSAIDs (Tylenol for example).
First of all – I advise her to investigate the real cause if the pain continues. It’s not normal for someone to be in pain for one year, there must be a cause behind (which is actually making her joints swollen). So I suggest her to visit other specialists and have several tests.
As for Tylenol and other NSAIDs, their main side effects are stomach cramps and ulcer. So that’s why she experienced that kind of pain. She did the right thing when she stopped taking the drug, because it might have affected her stomach even worse.
Now – the alternative I usually recommend to NSAIDs is turmeric. This herb is the best anti-inflammatory remedy among all natural solutions. So I usually recommend supplements based on it (combined with bioperine, for a better absorption).
On the other hand, fish oil and Omega 3 products also work great against inflammation. Omega 3 Fatty Acids have many studies on inflammation and they usually have positive results. That’s why I think this kind of supplement would also help your mom.
Overall – it’s up to you. Both turmeric and Omega 3 supplements should help, your mom can pick which one she prefers (though turmeric is a stronger anti-inflammatory on paper). Just make sure she see a specialist in the nearby future and continues to investigate on the real cause. I hope this helps.
Thank you for your recommendations. I have RA and pain is worst in my knees and elbows. I’m following the treatment my doctor prescribed and the pain stays under control. But I’m just wondering…if I added a supplement to my treatment, could it have an impact on my flare-ups? I get one weekly and I heard some RA people stay several weeks free without any flare-up. The drugs help with the pain but not with flare-ups and how frequent they are. So what do you think?
Hey there Nigel and thanks for sharing your experience with RA. I’m sorry to hear you’re dealing with this condition, as I know it’s a very frustrating one. But I’m glad to hear you mostly manage to keep the pain under control with the treatment prescribed by your doctor.
Regarding your question – my honest opinion is that adding an extra supplement to your treatment would help. However, I would suggest asking your doctor’s opinion about it (because I don’t know what exact drugs you’re taking, so I can’t tell if there’s a bigger risk of interactions or not).
Now – when it comes to RA, I strongly recommend turmeric supplements. Turmeric is by far the best natural anti-inflammatory, which is extremely helpful in RA (inflammation is the #1 cause behind the pain). Compared to regular anti-inflammatory drugs (especially NSAIDs), it has way less side effects. That’s why many people prefer turmeric supplements to anti-inflammatory medication.
Obviously, I’m not saying you should replace your prescribed treatment. I’m actually against that completely. All I’m saying is that adding turmeric to your treatment may bring you real benefits (also when it comes to reducing your flare-ups frequency).
The only issue is that turmeric can interact with blood-thinning drugs and high blood pressure medication. Normally, you shouldn’t take these kinds of drugs for RA, but you may have other associated affections. That’s why I suggest asking for your doctor’s consent before starting turmeric, as I don’t know the exact medication you’re taking.
If your specialist agrees – out of the turmeric supplements I looked into, I strongly recommend going for Vita Balance’s Turmeric Curcumin +. It has a classic formula (same as many other products) but it’s considerably cheaper. That’s why it’s the best choice on the market, if you ask me.
I also advise you to check out this guide on some natural treatments for your arthritis form. You should also try to have a balanced life, get enough sleep and rest but also eat correctly. This dieting guide for RA could also help. And please keep me updated on your progress and let me know what your doctor says. I hope this helps.
i have degenerative joint disease in both hands,fingers of both hands,osteoarthritis in both knees and pains in all of them.would nuzena be the best supplement for those.would you please reply asap.
thank you,
roger troutman
Hi Roger! Sorry to hear about your issues. Both degenerative joint disease and osteoarthritis have the same cause behind – cartilage damage. So in these case, the best type of supplements for you would be cartilage re-builders (those based on glucosamine + chondroitin). This kind of products would have the best effect on your problem. As for the supplements from this list, the one that repair and re-build damaged cartilages are Nuzena Joint Support +, ProJoint Plus, Super Joint Support, Joint Advantage Gold and maybe even Arthrozene (though in a lower degree, because it doesn’t have classic cartilage re-builders like glucosamine or chondroitin).
To answer your question – yes, Nuzena Joint Support + would be my top recommendation in your case, in terms of effect and quality/price. You may also want to check out these alternative remedies additionally to the supplement, they might help in the long run.
I hope this helps!
What if you need knee surgery to replace your knees
Hi Brenda. In this case, I would normally recommend going for the surgery (if that’s your specialist’s advice as well). That’s because surgery is usually required in severe cases, where supplements and other treatments don’t always help much. So knee replacement surgery is somehow the final solution.
However, if you do not agree with the surgery, you can try glucosamine and chondroitin supplements (like Nuzena Joint Support +, ProJoint Plus and the others from my list – except for those based on turmeric). I cannot guarantee they will help, since your problem is already pretty severe. But some of my readers tried it and apparently it helped with the pain. But again, it depends from person to person and I can’t really tell if it’s going to help in such an advanced state.
My advice is to go for the knee replacement, because it has the highest chances of success. That’s what I would do. If you really don’t want this, glucosamine supplements are my top recommendation. You can also try these home remedies, their effect might add up.
I hope this helps and please keep me updated with your condition!
Hello Olly,
My husband has always had chronic leg pain since he was a child. What doesn’t help is that he is also a good sugar eater. He is taking an anti-coagulant following the phlebitis he had: Eliquis and Tamsulosin Cr for his prostate problem.
Would a natural anti-inflammatory like Turmeric curcumin plus or others help him. What could help him? I would love so much to find a solution.
Hello Lise, thanks for your question. I’m very sorry to hear about your husband’s issues. Now, turmeric is the best anti-inflammatory herb so I would surely recommend it in your husband’s case normally. However, since he’s taking anti-coagulants, turmeric is a big no. That’s because all turmeric-based supplements have a high risk of interaction with anti-coagulants. So I don’t really know what to recommend in the case of your husband. Boswellia Serrata is another really potent anti-inflammatory, but it also has a risk of interactions with blood-thinning medication.
So both of these herbs would work on paper, but the risk is too high because of the treatment he is currently taking. My advice would be to ask your doctor and see what he recommends. Since he prescribed the treatment, he should know best. Sorry I can’t help more.
Hello Olly,
What is your current #1 recommendation for a joint pain supplement?
Grace D.
Hi Grace, I probably have to update this review because it’s been a while since I wrote it and things have changed a bit in the meantime. So my top recommended joint pain supplement was Nuzena’s product, because it had a slightly lower price than ProJoint Plus (my #2 recommendation) and the exact same composition.
However, Nuzena has increased the price since then and ProJoint Plus still costs the same. So at this point, I recommend ProJoint Plus because in terms of quality/price, it has the best value among joint pain supplements. It’s also on the market for several years and I had a lot of readers praising it, so I have a lot of trust in it. Hope this helps!