Irvine, CA—A new study published in The Journal of Aging Research and Clinical Practice suggests that a blend of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate and calcium fructoborate (CFB) may be able to provide short-term relief for joint discomfort.

Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are already common components of dietary supplements targeting joint discomfort, and CFB is a natural plant mineral borate complex that has shown strong potential as an anti-inflammatory agent in several previous trials. The study, performed by NutraClinical Inc, had 90 participants, all men and women between the ages of 35 and 65 with mild joint discomfort based off of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) and the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) The participants were split into three groups: one supplemented with glucosamine combined with chondroitin sulfate, one with glucosamine combined with chondroitin sulfate and CFB, and a placebo group. All three groups took the supplements twice a day over a 14-day period.

The results showed that while the glucosamine/chondroitin combination did lower WOMAC and MPQ scores, indicating reduced joint discomfort; it was only when CFB was added that pain appeared to be reduced by a significant amount. Also of scientific importance was the fact that the pain reduction in the non-CFB group also was not as prolonged, with the change in scores no longer present at the 14-day mark and no effect reported on scores in a follow-up period. No unusual effects were recorded in any of the participants.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, February 2015(online 12/12/2014)