I am a great believer in natural supplements - to a point. So, with aches and pains in my joints, I have heard a great deal about glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and hyaluronic acid. My research on these supplements have done nothing but opened up more questions about their effectiveness.

Glucosamine is used to treat knee osteoarthritis. Some patients claim to have reduced joint pain after using glucosamine, but the medical profession is not convinced - even though people tell me their physician prescribed it. A form of glucosamine is found in cartilage and surrounding fluids.

Chondroitin is considered a building block of joint structure. Here again, studies since 2005 conclude that chondroitin is not effective in treating osteoarthritis.

MSM (methysulfonylmethane) is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have show MSM to reduce pain and swelling, but has no effect on joint stiffness.

Hyaluroinc Acid (HA) like other supplements is found naturally in the human body. Its highest concentration is found in the eyes and joints. I could not find any studies done by respected labs, but comments on the WebMD site say that 4 out of 5 people responding found relief using HA.

For any of these supplements to be effective, they should be taken from four to eight weeks before expecting to see any results.

In addition to supplements, natural foods and herbs may prove to be helpful.

What should we be eating? The same food that should be in everyone's diet are basically the same foods that the American Arthritis Association recommends.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and veggies supply antioxidants. They also contain lots of water. As we grow older we need to keep hydrated.

Fatty Fish

Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and makeral - any that is rich in omega3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation and joint stiffness.

Whole Grains

When shopping for whole grains check the package to make sure whole grains are the primary ingredient.Some other examples of whole grains are old fashioned oatmeal, wild rice and brown rice.

Vitamins and minerals recommended are: zinc, selenium. Vitamins A, C, E, and B.

Herbs recommended are: St. Mary's Thistle, garlic, green tea, and sirtuins (these are not herbs but enzymes as found in red wine).

In summing up, there is still confusion about the effectiveness of supplements and which herbs and vitamins to take. As always, a healthy diet is recommended.

It should go without saying but consult your physician as to what you plan to do. Between your doctor and pharmacist, they can tell you if there is any reason you should not take certain meds, supplements, herbs, etc. I would hate to think that in order to improve our way of life, we start doing or taking something that would make it worse.

I would welcome any comments or suggestions you have concerning this article