Pain & Inflammation

Nutrients connected to Pain & Inflammation

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.

• Willow barkClinically supported

  Short-term low back pain: standardized extracts were probably better than placebo in two trials; EU rates the dry extract as well-established use.

• ArnicaPreliminary or mixed

  Used on the skin for bruises, sprains and aches; one trial found pain relief similar to ibuprofen gel in hand osteoarthritis, otherwise traditional use.

• BoswelliaPreliminary or mixed

  Used for joint pain and inflammation; trials in osteoarthritis report less pain, but evidence is small and mixed.

• Devil's clawPreliminary or mixed

  Trials of standardized extracts suggest possible short-term pain reduction in low back pain and osteoarthritis; the evidence is low to mixed in quality.

• CorydalisPreliminary or mixed

  Corydalis is traditionally used for pain. One small experimental-pain trial was positive, but no disease trials were found, so the evidence is very limited.

• Cayenne and chili pepperClinically supported

  Defined capsaicin skin products have regulator support for muscle pain; strong patches showed modest benefit in nerve pain.

• ClovesPreliminary or mixed

  Pain relief in dental settings with clove oil, eugenol or gel; evidence is limited.

• Kashmiri chiliClinically supported

  A prescription 8% capsaicin patch helped some people with nerve pain; this is a skin medicine, not cooking.

• Chamomile Oil (Roman and German)Preliminary or mixed

  Pain scores fell after cesarean birth with inhaled chamomile oil in short trials.

• Balneotherapy (Spa Therapy)Preliminary or mixed

  Pain outcomes improved in fibromyalgia and back pain reviews with low-certainty evidence.

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

  Trials measured joint pain; turmeric trials were short and varied.

• Alpha-lipoic acidPreliminary or mixed

  Some trials report less neuropathy pain in diabetes, but reviews are mixed and NCCIH calls the evidence weak.

• Curcumin (turmeric supplements)Preliminary or mixed

  Studied for knee osteoarthritis pain with early positive but unconfirmed results; inflammation effects are lab-based.

• TurmericPreliminary or mixed

  Turmeric is mostly studied for osteoarthritis pain, with early positive but low-quality results. Whether it reduces inflammation in people is not shown by the sources we read.

• California poppyLab or animal research only

  Peripheral pain-relieving effects were seen in mice only.

• FeverfewPreliminary or mixed

  Promoted for headache and minor pain. Only migraine prevention has trial evidence, and it is mixed.

• ComfreyPreliminary or mixed

  Specific comfrey skin products showed short-term pain relief versus placebo in single trials; evidence is limited.

• AjwainPreliminary or mixed

  Small, mixed skin-application trials for neuropathic pain, plus animal anti-inflammatory findings.

• Nirgundi (Chinese chaste tree)Preliminary or mixed

  A branded nirgundi and ginger blend lowered pain scores in two small trials; nirgundi alone is untested in people.

• Angelica dahurica (bai zhi)Lab or animal research only

  Traditionally used for headache and pain; lab and animal work shows pain and inflammation effects, but no human trials were found.

• Angelica pubescens (du huo)Preliminary or mixed

  Traditional pain use; animal studies of its coumarins show pain and inflammation effects, human data for the root are lacking.

• Ajwain (carom seed)Preliminary or mixed

  Small trials of ajwain cream and oil on the skin and gums gave mixed results. Not shown for food amounts.

• Ancho chileClinically supported

  EU regulators accept capsicum skin plasters and gels for muscle pain; this does not apply to ancho eaten as food.

• Neroli OilPreliminary or mixed

  Perceived pain in labor was lower in one trial (88 women); self-rated.

• Rose Oil (Otto and Absolute)Preliminary or mixed

  A meta-analysis found lower acute pain scores with damask rose aromatherapy; low-quality evidence.

• Peppermint OilPreliminary or mixed

  Limited evidence for tension headache with forehead application.

• Clove OilPreliminary or mixed

  Dental-pain studies of clove oil (eugenol) are small or mixed and clinician-applied; reviews call for standard products and larger trials.

• Nettle TeaPreliminary or mixed

  Traditional use for minor joint pain only.

• Burdock Root TeaPreliminary or mixed

  One small tea trial in knee osteoarthritis lowered inflammation blood markers; pain was not reported in the abstract.

• Grapeseed OilPreliminary or mixed

  Inflammation markers fell in one small trial; not pain outcomes.

• Peloids and Mud TherapyPreliminary or mixed

  Pain scores fell in several analyses; mixed quality.

• Bee Venom (Apitherapy)Preliminary or mixed

  Venom acupuncture lowered musculoskeletal pain more than saline in pooled small trials; quality limited.

• Sesame Oil on Skin and HairPreliminary or mixed

  A meta-analysis found larger pain reduction after minor limb injury with sesame oil massage plus usual care.

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

  Pain scores fell more than placebo in one small trial of one blend product in meniscus problems.

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