Arthritis Sufferers Need a Better Solution Than NSAIDs

Anyone who lives on the planet long enough gets at least some arthritis. Many suffer from chronic pain and have developed the habit of taking NSAIDs, which is the exact wrong thing to do. NSAIDs irritate the GI lining, cause ulcers, interfere with bone healing, and destroy cartilage (yes, you are making your arthritis worse by taking pain medications) [1-10].

Address Pain and Inflammation Naturally

Pancreatic enzymes: Taking enzymes with a meal will help to digest the food. On an empty stomach, they do so much more. Enzymes have been extensively studied and have demonstrated an ability to reduce pain and inflammation when taken on an empty stomach. They also speed healing, and do so with few, if any, side effects. Studies have shown enzymes to be comparable to NSAIDs in relieving pain, reducing joint stiffness and improving function [11-20]. Check with your doctor before taking them—especially if you are on anticoagulant medication (blood thinners).

Niacinamide/niacin: Vitamin B3 exists in several forms. Niacin (nicotinic acid) and niacinamide (also called nicotinamide) are the two most common forms. Recent research suggests that vitamin B3 may reduce pain and improve function in people with arthritis [21,22].

MSM is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. It reduces the chemicals produced by inflammation [23-29]. It has also been shown to reduce pain in patients with arthritis [30-32].

Diet and lifestyle: Motion is lotion. Many patients with arthritis protect the joint and avoid movement; this makes things worse. Exercise and strengthen the muscles of the affected joint. Also, dietary choices can either increase inflammation or decrease inflammation. Something as simple as increasing dietary fiber can reduce pain [33]. Follow an anti-inflammatory diet, like the Roadmap to Health.

Natural Arthritis Protocol (Discuss it with your doctor first).

  1. Diet & lifestyle: Follow the Roadmap to Health diet to reduce inflammation. Do light exercise and consider physical therapy (PT) to learn exercises to strengthen the muscles around the affected joint. Strengthening the muscles around the affected joint is a major goal.
  2. Niacinamide: Take 1, 2x/day for a week. Then go to 2, 2x/day.
  3. MSM: Take 1 (500 mg), 3x/day.
  4. Proteolytic enzymes: Take 2 in the AM and 2 in the PM on an empty stomach. Find a product that has at least 25 mg of chymotrypsin.

As you improve, you may find that you need fewer supplements. You may be surprised at how much an anti-inflammatory diet and light exercise helps.

Selected References

  1. (Pol Arch Med Wewn 2014;124(11):628-34). Our prescription drugs kill us in large numbers
  2. Archives of Internal Medicine October 28, 2002;162:2204-2208. Frequency of analgesic use and risk of hypertension in younger women
  3. New England Journal of Medicine December 20, 2001;345:1801-1808. Acetaminophen, Aspirin, and Chronic Renal Failure
  4. Archives of Internal Medicine (February 11, 2002;162:265-270). Association of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs With First Occurrence of Heart Failure and With Relapsing Heart Failure
  5. Arch Intern Med. 1996 Jul 22;156(14):1530-6. Gastrointestinal tract complications of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment in rheumatoid arthritis. A prospective observational cohort study
  6. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (June, 2002 17:963). Cyclo-oxygenase 2 function is essential for bone fracture healing
  7. Am J Gastroenterol. 2000 Jan;95(1):157-65. Risk factors for irritable bowel syndrome: role of analgesics and food sensitivities
  8. Am J Med . 2009 Sep;122(9):836-42. Do NSAIDs affect longitudinal changes in knee cartilage volume and knee cartilage defects in older adults?
  9. Biochem Pharmacol 1991 May 1;41(9):1375-84. Comparison of the effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on proteoglycan synthesis by articular cartilage explant and chondrocyte monolayer cultures
  10. Br J Rheumatol . 1992;31 Suppl 1:13-7. Effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) on glycosyltransferase activity from human osteoarthritic cartilage
  11. Antibiot Khimioter. 2012;57(9-10):25-7, 29-31 [Impact of exogenous proteolytic enzymes on immunogenesis in patients with urogenital infections]
  12. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1983 Jul;90(7):650-3 Polyglycolic acid and catgut sutures, with and without oral proteolytic enzymes, in the healing of episiotomies
  13. Aesthetic Plast Surg. Jan-Feb 1999;23(1):41-4. Orally administered proteases in aesthetic surgery
  14. 1993 Dec;42(12):856-61 [Perioperative enzyme therapy. A significant supplement to postoperative pain therapy?]
  15. Wien Med Wochenschr. 1996;146(5):91-5 [Results of a double-blind, randomized comparative study of Wobenzym-placebo in patients with cervical syndrome]
  16. Wien Med Wochenschr. 1996;146(3):55-8. [Drug therapy of activated arthrosis. On the effectiveness of an enzyme mixture versus diclofenac]
  17. Wien Med Wochenschr. 1999;149(21-22):577-80. [Reducing pain by oral enzyme therapy in rheumatic diseases]
  18. Adv Ther 2018 Jan;35(1):31-42. The Role of Trypsin:Chymotrypsin in Tissue Repair
  19. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2007 Aug;21(3):661-7)
  20. Clinical Experimental Rheumatology (2006 Jan-Feb;24(1):25-30) Efficacy and tolerance of an oral enzyme combination in painful osteoarthritis of the hip. A double-blind, randomised study comparing oral enzymes with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
  21. Inflamm Res 1996 Jul;45(7):330-4. The effect of niacinamide on osteoarthritis: a pilot study
  22. Clin Rheumatol. 2024 Feb;43(2):753-764. Association between niacin intake and knee osteoarthritis pain and function: a longitudinal cohort study.
  23. Msm-the Definitive Guide: A Comprehensive Review of the Science and Therapeutics of Methylsulfonylmethane. Freedom Press; Topanga, CA, USA: 2003
  24. Herschler R.J. Methylsulfonylmethane and Methods of Use. 4,296,130. U.S. Patent. 1979 Aug 30
  25. Methylsulfonylmethane inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in BMMs by suppressing NF-κB and STAT3 activities. PLoS ONE. 2016;11:e0159891.
  26. The anti-inflammatory effects of methylsulfonylmethane on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses in murine macrophages. Biol. Pharm. Bull. 2009;32:651–656.
  27. Methylsulfonylmethane inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Cytokine. 2015;71:223–231.
  28. The effect of distilled methylsulfonylmethane (msm) on human chondrocytes in vitro. Osteoarthr. Cartil. 2007;15:C123.
  29. The anti-inflammatory effects of methylsulfonylmethane on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses in murine macrophages. Biol. Pharm. Bull. 2009;32:651–656.
  30. The role of msm in knee osteoarthritis: A double blind, randomized, prospective study. Osteoarthr. Cartil. 2007;15:C231.
  31. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain of the knee: A pilot clinical trial. Osteoarthr. Cartil. 2006;14:286–294.
  32. The effect of methylsulfonylmethane on osteoarthritic large joints and mobility. Int. J. Orthop. 2014;1:19–24.
  33. J Orthop Surg Res. 2025 Feb 27;20(1):209 The association between dietary fiber intake and osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional study from the 1999-2018 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey