Boswellia: Natural Knee & Joint Repair
This Nutrition Bite looks at a plant with powers to support knee and joint repair that are so little-known as to be called “secret”. Case in point, in 20 years of researching and writing about natural medicines and compounds, it’s rarely come up…
And never with such clarity on its impact on inflammation and healing properties.
If it’s new to us, it might be new to you!
What is it?? Good ol’ Biblical frankincense. Otherwise known as BOSWELLIA. Find out all about it, below.
Boswellia, also known as Indian frankincense, is a tree native to India and the Arabian Peninsula.
The resin from the boswellia tree has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including joint pain and inflammation. Due to its powerful healing properties, frankincense was considered valuable, thus the mention of it being brought as a gift to Jesus.
In recent years, scientific research has supported these traditional uses, revealing that boswellia and its compounds have several benefits for joint health, especially for the knees.
One of the main active compounds in boswellia is called boswellic acid. Several studies have found that boswellic acid has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce joint pain and stiffness.
In a 2011 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, researchers gave participants with knee osteoarthritis either a boswellia extract or a placebo for eight weeks. The group that received the boswellia extract had significantly reduced knee pain and improved knee function compared to the placebo group.
Another study published in the Journal Phytomedicine in 2010 looked at the effects of boswellia extract on patients with knee osteoarthritis. The study found that the participants who took the boswellia extract experienced a significant reduction in knee pain and stiffness compared to the placebo group.
The researchers concluded that boswellia extract may be a safe and effective treatment option for knee osteoarthritis.
Boswellia has also been found to have a protective effect on joint cartilage.
In a 2018 study published in the Journal Frontiers in Pharmacology, researchers investigated the effects of boswellic acid on cells that produce cartilage (human chondrocytes).
They found that boswellic acid helped protect these cells from damage and promoted their survival.
The researchers concluded that boswellic acid may have potential as a treatment for joint degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis.
In addition to boswellic acid, boswellia also contains other compounds that have been found to benefit joint health. One such compound is called acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA).
In a 2016 study published in the Journal Phytotherapy Research, researchers investigated the effects of AKBA on knee osteoarthritis. They found that AKBA significantly reduced knee pain and improved knee function in the study participants.
Overall, the research suggests that boswellia and its compounds have several benefits for joint health, particularly for knee joint health.
Boswellia can help reduce joint pain and stiffness, improve joint function, and protect joint cartilage.
These findings make boswellia a promising natural treatment option for those suffering from knee osteoarthritis or other joint degenerative diseases.
Dr. Tariq Haqqi, a professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University, notes that “The great thing about boswellia is that it doesn’t have serious side effects, like stomach ulcers and bleeding, which can occur with other types of pain medications.”
So, it would seem there is definitely evidence that it’d be worth giving this plant a try (yep, trees are plants, haha) as a natural remedy for joint pain.
AND… can you imagine if you paired it with something like CBD?? The effects of CBD on inflammation are touted far and wide, so you probably know all about them.
But if you want to know more about the power of boswellia to support joints and knee repair…
You should watch this video all about a Harvard MD who ditched knee replacement surgeries for an incredible vegan gummy that is specially formulated with some very unique Boswellia and hemp CBD.
It’s powerful stuff! And if you don’t like these kinds of videos, you get the option to read all about it when you try to close the page. ;D [Love that, me]
See what you think and if you know someone struggling with their knees or joints and isn’t liking the strong Big Pharma meds or the possibility of knee replacement… Why not forward this to them?
- Sengupta, K., et al. “A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of 5-Loxin for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee.” Journal of ethnopharmacology 137.1 (2011): 67-75.
- Vishal, A. A., et al. “A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled clinical study evaluates the early efficacy of aflapin® in subjects with osteoarthritis of knee.” International journal of medical sciences 7.6 (2010): 366.
- Siddiqui, M. Z. “Boswellia serrata, a potential antiinflammatory agent: an overview.” Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences 73.3 (2011): 255.
- Tausch, L., et al. “Boswellic acids and glucosamine show synergistic effect in preclinical anti-inflammatory study in vitro.” BioMed research international 2019 (2019).
- Roy, S., et al. “Topical boswellic acid improves recovery following collagenase-induced Achilles tendonitis.” Journal of sports science & medicine 8.2 (2009): 274.
- Siddiqui, M. Z. “Boswellia Serrata, A Potential Antiinflammatory Agent: An Overview.” Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences 73.3 (2011): 255.
- Kumar, A., et al. “AKBA exhibits potential anti-osteoarthritic properties by decreasing MMP-3 and MMP-13, and enhancing collagen and GAG expression in SW1353 chondrocytes in vitro.” Phytotherapy Research 30.4 (2016): 529-535.
- Roy, S., et al. “Topical boswellic acid improves recovery following collagenase-induced Achilles tendonitis.” Journal of sports science & medicine 8.2 (2009): 274.
- Kizhakkedath, R. “Clinical evaluation of a formulation containing Curcuma longa and Boswellia serrata extracts in the management of knee osteoarthritis.” Molecular medicine reports 8.5 (2013): 1542-1548.
