Can a pill help sore knees?
Oral Administration of Polymer Hyaluronic Acid Alleviates Symptoms of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study over a 12-Month Period
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The pill didn’t reduce pain medication use or slow joint damage on X-rays.
People assume OA supplements protect joints or reduce reliance on NSAIDs—this study proves it does neither, despite symptom improvement.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re 50–70 with knee OA, try daily quadriceps exercises—and if you want, add a 200 mg HA pill for up to 4 months to see if it gives you a temporary boost.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The pill didn’t reduce pain medication use or slow joint damage on X-rays.
People assume OA supplements protect joints or reduce reliance on NSAIDs—this study proves it does neither, despite symptom improvement.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re 50–70 with knee OA, try daily quadriceps exercises—and if you want, add a 200 mg HA pill for up to 4 months to see if it gives you a temporary boost.
Publication
Journal
The Scientific World Journal
Year
2012
Authors
T. Tashiro, Satoshi Seino, Toshihide Sato, Ryosuke Matsuoka, Y. Masuda, N. Fukui
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Claims (4)
A study found that older Japanese adults with knee arthritis who took a specific type of hyaluronic acid pill and did daily thigh exercises felt better in their daily activities for the first 4 months, but the improvement went away after that—and people over 70 didn’t benefit at all.
Taking a daily pill of hyaluronic acid for a year doesn't seem to help people with knee arthritis avoid needing more pain meds or shots in the knee, compared to taking a sugar pill.
Taking a daily pill of hyaluronic acid for a year doesn't seem to slow down the worsening of knee arthritis on X-rays, no matter how old you are or which group you were in during the study.
For older adults over 70 with knee arthritis, taking a daily hyaluronic acid pill and doing leg exercises didn’t make their knee pain or stiffness any better than taking a sugar pill over a year.