There is no doubt that joint disease is on the rise and a primary concern for many people. It often hinders the quality of life that people once enjoyed and desire to achieve.
Reviewing the efficacy of health products is a key role that registered dietitians are trained to do. I have reviewed the ingredients in OmegaFlex™ in terms of their efficacy in relation to osteoarthritis, joint pain and anti-inflammatory capacity. I have access to a natural medicine database that consolidates evidence from strong research on a variety of herb and supplements. I have summarized what I have found below.
The ingredients found within OmegaFlex™ vary in their effectiveness to “treat” the disease states and symptoms noted above. Indian Frankincense, or Boswellia Serrata, has been used for arthritis and joint inflammation for many, many moons within ayurvedic medicine. The current research evaluated and recommends oral intake of 100-250mg of the extract, 5-Loxin, per day to treat these conditions. The only drawback is that it can cause some GI upset (nausea).
Omega-3 Fatty acids, including DHA, are potent anti-inflammatory agents and somewhat independent of source. We do know that DHA from fatty fish such as salmon and anchovies tend to produce the best results, and squid may also be in this category. Squid oil is now popular, as you know, due to the percentage of the oil that is DHA. Despite, DHA’s anti-inflammatory action there is little research to suggest that it is useful in combatting osteoarthritis because it functions at a more systemic level. This supplement has 430mg of DHA per soft gel and thus 860mg per dose. This is a large amount of DHA, that will promote decreased inflammation, but may not improve overall joint health and will not affect the pain.
Calcium fructoborate is a compound of boron, fructose and calcium found naturally in plant foods, but is also made synthetically. Research on calcium fructoborate is relatively new but suggests it may reduce inflammation and oxidation and treat osteoporosis with few side effects. It is difficult to evaluate the dose recommended in this supplement since it is a compound. Overall, there is weak evidence for t his ingredient.
Hyaluronic Acid is recommended for a variety of joint disorders, including osteoarthritis, however the recommendation is based on injections. There is limited research supporting its use as an oral supplement. That being said, it does not provide much benefit in this supplement. Overall, I would not purchase this supplement. It appears to be just a combination of popular supplements with some research to its use in joint health.
I would recommend a Boswellia Serrata supplement that provides 250mg of 5-Loxin. I also would recommend taking a high quality Fish Oil sourced from fatty fish with at least 3g of DHA and EPA. Please note that this is not the “total omega 3 fatty acids” but rather the sum of DHA and EPA. For example, Omegaflex™ lists that it has 360mg of DHA and 140mg of EPA per 2 soft gels and thus has an actual total of 500mg DHA+EPA per dose.
If there are any products that you are interested in, please contact me and I will gladly review them and post my findings.
