Bones, Joints & Muscles

Nutrients connected to Bones, Joints & Muscles

A link means the body needs the nutrient for this, or that low intake is linked to it. It does not mean extra supplements help if your intake is already adequate; each link shows how strong the evidence is.

• Vitamin DEstablished role

  Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphate, which bones, teeth and muscles need.

• CalciumEstablished role

  Calcium keeps bones and teeth strong and helps muscles move. A role in the body is not proof that extra pills help.

• MagnesiumEstablished role

  Magnesium is needed for normal muscle function and strong bones. Low levels can cause muscle spasms, cramps and weakness.

• PhosphorusEstablished role

  Most of the body's phosphorus is in bones and teeth, and it also supports muscle contraction. Food normally covers this need.

• CreatineEstablished role

  Muscle stores creatine as phosphocreatine for quick energy. The body makes some and food gives the rest, so supplements are not required by healthy people.

• Creatine in Food (Meat and Fish)Established role

  Most creatine is stored in muscle, and food and the body's own production keep stores up.

• Collagen Peptides (Hydrolyzed Collagen)Preliminary or mixed

  Most research is on joints, bone density, muscle and tendons. Results are small, short and mixed.

• UC-II (Undenatured Type II Collagen)Preliminary or mixed

  Studied for knee osteoarthritis symptoms and exercise-related knee discomfort; scans and long-term joint outcomes were not established in what we read.

• Bone Health FormulasPreliminary or mixed

  The ingredients play roles in bone, but supplement trials show mixed or no fracture benefit.

• Vitamin CEstablished role

  Vitamin C helps repair and maintain cartilage and bones. Supplements have not been shown to add benefit when intake is adequate.

• PotassiumEstablished role

  Potassium is needed for muscle contraction. Low levels can cause cramps and weak or twitching muscles.

• IronEstablished role

  Iron is part of myoglobin, which supplies oxygen to muscles. In haemochromatosis, excess iron can also affect the joints.

• BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, valine)Preliminary or mixed

  Some pooled studies found less soreness after hard exercise and small gains in older adults; results vary and benefits for athletes were minimal.

• Beta-alaninePreliminary or mixed

  Works in muscle through carnosine; effect on exercise capacity is small and best seen in 1 to 4 minute efforts.

• Cod liver oilEstablished role

  Cod liver oil can supply vitamin D, which helps regulate calcium and phosphate for healthy bones, teeth and muscles. The amount varies by product, and too much vitamin A over many years may weaken bones.

• Curcumin (turmeric supplements)Preliminary or mixed

  Early reviews report positive results for knee osteoarthritis pain and stiffness; NCCIH says better studies are needed and the evidence is not conclusive.

• TurmericPreliminary or mixed

  Early studies of turmeric or curcumin taken by mouth report some improvement in knee osteoarthritis pain and stiffness, but NIH says better-quality studies are needed. A review of supplement trials rated the overall evidence very low quality.

• ArnicaPreliminary or mixed

  Applied to the skin over sore joints and muscles; evidence is limited to one hand osteoarthritis trial plus traditional use.

• BoswelliaPreliminary or mixed

  Some trials and pooled analyses of oral boswellia extracts in osteoarthritis report less pain and stiffness, but studies are small, one 2024 analysis found no significant overall effect, and NCCIH says evidence is not enough to call it useful.

• Devil's clawPreliminary or mixed

  Some short-term trials of standardized root extracts found less joint or back pain than placebo, but the Cochrane review rated this evidence low quality and the EU committee accepted it only as traditional use.

• Horny goat weedPreliminary or mixed

  A 2025 meta-analysis found better bone density in osteoporosis, but trials varied and no fracture results were reported.

• Nirgundi (Chinese chaste tree)Preliminary or mixed

  Used traditionally for joint pain. Only a branded nirgundi and ginger blend has been tested in small, company-linked human trials; nirgundi alone has no human trials.

• TurmericPreliminary or mixed

  Early meta-analyses of oral turmeric or curcumin are positive for knee osteoarthritis; better research is needed. Not shown for food amounts.

• Prunes (Dried Plums)Preliminary or mixed

  Bone density trials in postmenopausal women are mixed; no fracture outcomes shown.

• Dead Sea MudPreliminary or mixed

  Knee osteoarthritis and some rheumatic conditions have been studied with mud and Dead Sea programs.

• Peloids and Mud TherapyPreliminary or mixed

  Used mainly for joint and muscle problems; trial support strongest for knee osteoarthritis.

• Balneotherapy (Spa Therapy)Preliminary or mixed

  Promising but limited for osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and low back pain; insufficient for rheumatoid arthritis.

• Sulfur (Sulphur) BathsPreliminary or mixed

  Studied for arthritis pain in spa settings with weak trials.

• Creatine HCl (Hydrochloride)Preliminary or mixed

  Trials looked at strength and muscle size; results for HCl are mixed and small.

• Magnesium Creatine ChelatePreliminary or mixed

  Creatine is stored mainly in muscle. Small trials of this form looked at work, torque and sprints.

• Bovine Collagen (Types I and III)Preliminary or mixed

  One 13-week trial of pork-skin and bovine-bone peptides and a meta-analysis of four high-risk-of-bias trials reported less knee osteoarthritis pain; findings are limited. One 12-month trial in postmenopausal women and a 2025 meta-analysis reported small bone density gains with collagen peptides, with very uneven results; the peptide source in the trial is not stated, so it may not be bovine.

• Chicken Collagen (Type II)Preliminary or mixed

  Studied mainly for knee joint symptoms; evidence is small, short and product-specific.

• Eggshell Membrane (NEM)Preliminary or mixed

  Knee osteoarthritis trials and a meta-analysis point to less pain and better function; small and short.

• Multivitamins for Adults Over 50Documented risk

  Long-term high vitamin A may raise fracture risk; high vitamin D can raise blood calcium and weaken bones.

• Pre-Workout SupplementsPreliminary or mixed

  Ingredients are studied for muscle performance (single ingredients).

• Whey Protein PowderClinically supported

  With resistance training, whey-containing supplements gave small extra gains in fat-free mass and strength in trials; effects are small and trials are short.

• Plant Protein PowdersPreliminary or mixed

  Trials paired plant powders with resistance training and mostly found muscle gains similar to whey; most were small and short.

• Joint Formulas (Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM, Turmeric)Preliminary or mixed

  Studied mainly for knee osteoarthritis; results are mixed and effects small to unclear in size.

• Vitamin AEstablished role

  Vitamin A helps form and maintain bones, but too much preformed vitamin A may raise fracture risk.

• SeleniumDeficiency link

  Selenium deficiency has been linked to Kashin-Beck disease, a joint and bone disease seen in low-selenium regions.

• CopperEstablished role

  Copper helps keep bones healthy, and low intake may lead to osteoporosis. No evidence was read that extra copper helps joints or muscles.

• FluoridePreliminary or mixed

  Fluoride is found mostly in bones and teeth, and too little may lead to weak bones and teeth. Extra supplements are not shown to strengthen bones.

• Fish oilPreliminary or mixed

  A 2022 review of 30 studies in rheumatoid arthritis suggested omega-3-rich foods may improve pain and joint swelling; another 2021 review found lower pain but rated the evidence low.

• Krill oilPreliminary or mixed

  Krill oil has been tested for knee osteoarthritis with mixed results.

• Polyphenols: quercetin and resveratrolPreliminary or mixed

  Small exercise-recovery studies of quercetin; nothing on bones or joints was verified.

• Choline (supplement forms: bitartrate, phosphatidylcholine and others)Deficiency link

  Muscle damage markers rose in controlled studies where choline was withheld. This is a deficiency finding, not a use for supplements.

• Willow barkPreliminary or mixed

  Evidence is mixed: positive for low back pain, negative in a trial for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis pain.

• CistanchePreliminary or mixed

  Small trials looked at strength and walking speed in men and older adults. Evidence is a single small trial of one species; traditional use is not proof of benefit.

• ComfreyPreliminary or mixed

  Single trials of specific skin gels and ointments suggest pain relief in knee osteoarthritis and low back pain; evidence is limited.

• Cinchona barkPreliminary or mixed

  Quinine slightly reduced muscle cramps in a Cochrane review, but serious risks mean it is not recommended for leg cramps.

• Morinda root (ba ji tian)Preliminary or mixed

  Studied for osteoporosis, mostly in herbal combinations.

• Dipsacus (xu duan, Japanese teasel)Preliminary or mixed

  Traditional use for bone, joint and tendon problems; human trial evidence for the herb alone was not found.

• Angelica pubescens (du huo)Preliminary or mixed

  Traditional use for joint and back pain. A multi-herb formula containing du huo showed benefit as an add-on in ankylosing spondylitis, but the single herb has no human trials in the sources we read.

• Bitter kolaPreliminary or mixed

  One small randomized trial (2008) found less knee-osteoarthritis pain than placebo and a result similar to naproxen and celecoxib. It was a single small trial with many dropouts, so the evidence is limited.

• BoragePreliminary or mixed

  Cochrane found moderate evidence that GLA oils, including borage seed oil, give some relief in rheumatoid arthritis. Few trials; applies to the oil only.

• Passion FruitPreliminary or mixed

  Low-certainty trial evidence for peel extract supplements in knee osteoarthritis; not shown for the pulp.

• Thunder god vinePreliminary or mixed

  Studied for rheumatoid arthritis joint symptoms; evidence limited and safety risks serious.

• CabbagePreliminary or mixed

  Studied as a topical leaf wrap for knee osteoarthritis pain in one small trial; not an eaten food effect.

• Cissus quadrangularisPreliminary or mixed

  Studied for bone and fracture healing with mixed, low-certainty results.

• PlumsPreliminary or mixed

  Prune trials on bone density in postmenopausal women are mixed; a trial in older men showed no significant change.

• Nettle TeaPreliminary or mixed

  Traditional use for minor joint pain (EU monograph).

• Rose Hip TeaPreliminary or mixed

  Powder trials in osteoarthritis; extract only.

• Cow's MilkPreliminary or mixed

  Calcium and protein source; fracture studies are mixed.

• Soda & Diet SodaPreliminary or mixed

  One observational study linked cola with lower bone density in women.

• ShilajitPreliminary or mixed

  Small trials on bone density and fracture healing were favourable but limited; muscle and strength results were mixed.

• Mineral WaterPreliminary or mixed

  Small absorption studies of calcium-rich waters; bone outcomes not shown.

• Buffered Creatine (Kre-Alkalyn)Preliminary or mixed

  In one 28-day trial muscle creatine rose over time in all groups, but buffered creatine did not raise it more than creatine monohydrate.

• Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE)Preliminary or mixed

  CEE raised muscle creatine above placebo in one trial but not above monohydrate.

• Creatine NitratePreliminary or mixed

  Creatine fuels muscle effort, and small trials of the nitrate form report some strength gains with mixed results.

• Creatine GummiesPreliminary or mixed

  The only gummy trial measured performance and body composition in athletes; lean mass and skeletal muscle mass showed no significant group differences.

• Multi-Collagen Blends (Types I, II, III, V, X)Preliminary or mixed

  Collagen types I, II and X are structural parts of joint cartilage; one small blend trial reported less pain. Eating them was not shown to feed the tissue.

• Women's and Men's MultivitaminsDocumented risk

  The NHS says a long-term average above 1.5 mg a day of vitamin A (food plus supplements) may make bones more likely to fracture later in life. Older men and postmenopausal women are the groups it highlights.

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