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Inflammation simply put, is your body’s immune response to an irritant or injury. Inflammation in essence is complex and can manifest in various forms, from physical symptoms like aches, pains, fluid retention and weight gain to mental health challenges. Research shows chronic inflammation drives “changes in neurotransmitters and neurocircuits that lead to depressive symptoms”1, such as anxiety, ability to feel pleasure, slower physical and mental responsiveness.

The issue with inflammation arises when what was designed as a mechanism for our body to protect itself from infection and tissue damage post injury, becomes chronic and consistent. This is due to the body being unable to halt the inflammatory response and restore normal function, as a result inflammation can become systemic (low-grade inflammation throughout the body) and can often continue for years before being noticed or becoming chronic.

How does Inflammation become rampant?

Inflammation is now intrinsic to our lifestyles, due to the high consumption of processed foods, refined carbohydrates and pro-inflammatory fats like Omega 6, saturated fats and trans fats. It is connected to the way that we live with reduced sun exposure and vitamin D being associated with systemic low-grade inflammation. You can read more about this in our article.

Supporting your body with high quality supplements can help bridge the gap between inflammation and wellness.

What supplements are good for inflammation?

As a Nutritional Therapist, when speaking about inflammation it is crucial to understand what is driving your inflammation. Understanding the drivers can help you choose which supplements will support your health best. Here are some key questions to help you understand what may be impacting your inflammation:

• Is your diet lacking variety?
• Are you consuming anti-inflammatory nutrients e.g. omega 3, anti-oxidants, magnesium?
• Are you getting 6-8 hours of good quality sleep?
• Is your lifestyle active or sedentary?
• Do you have a stress toolkit?
• Are you spending time in nature?

Supporting the 4 key cornerstones to health (sleep, nutrition, relaxation & exercise) is essential to managing inflammation.

What supplements should I take for inflammation?

When selecting supplements for inflammation, consider how the nutrients and/or phytonutrients work in the body. For instance:

• Supplements that enhance a healthy immune response.
• Protective nutrients and plant compounds, such as antioxidants.
• Supplements that aid in the immune system's communication.

Immune Support

Vitamin D

Vitamin D does more than just help with calcium and bone health, deficiency in this vitamin is linked to increased inflammatory markers and higher risk of inflammatory diseases. Keeping your vitamin D levels within the optimal range can be challenging in the UK & Ireland, particularly during the months of September through March where sun exposure is minimal. As vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, the body can store it. You can check your vitamin D status with a simple finger prick test or blood test with your GP, Nutritional Therapist or pharmacist. Knowing your levels will determine the dosage of vitamin D supplementation you need.

Omega-3

Your immune system plays a pivotal role in how your body produces an inflammatory response. Communication between the cells of your immune system lets your body know if it is under attack by an “invader” like bacteria, viruses, fungi or if something is askew as often seen in food intolerances or allergies. When things are not right, your immune system may launch an inflammatory cascade, where cells are prepped and primed to attack. Omega-3s have anti-inflammatory properties helping your body to modulate its inflammatory response.

Magnesium

Good levels of magnesium are essential for a healthy immune response. Low levels are very common due to the lack of magnesium sources in the diet and intensive farming practices stripping the soil of this essential mineral. Low levels have been linked to increased production of immune substances such as cytokines, enhanced activity of epithelial cells and phagocytes all of which promote inflammation. Magnesium deficiency also impacts how reactive the immune system is to immune challenges, which research shows is implicated in the pathophysiology of many common chronic diseases.2

Protective antioxidants

Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that get produced as part of the inflammation process. In their highly reactive state they can damage cells within the body. They seek to stabilize themselves by stealing electrons from other molecules, causing a chain reaction of damage that can lead to inflammation, aging, and various diseases.

Vitamin C

Also known as ascorbic acid, is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your body from the harmful effects of free radicals. It neutralizes free radicals by donating electrons, thereby preventing them from damaging cells. Besides its antioxidant properties, vitamin C can also boost your immune system, repair tissue and promote faster wound healing.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

This antioxidant can reduce inflammation and improve conditions related to oxidative stress, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. It helps lower levels of inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein (CRP).

Herbal support for inflammation

Ginger, Turmeric, Rosemary

Known for their excellent anti-inflammatory properties. In chronic inflammation, cell damaging and carcinogenic reactive species like peroxynitrite and nitrite get produced within the body. A study3 showed that EGCG from Green tea, Curcumin in Turmeric and Carnosol from Rosemary when combined reduced the production of these reactive species from lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-γ (IFNγ) in mice by more than 50%.

Boswellia

Also known as Indian frankincense, has been found to reduce inflammation by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines, while also having a protective antioxidant effect on the body in conditions like Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory disease.4

Milk Thistle

Glutathione is often referred to as the “master” antioxidant, it not only helps neutralize harmful free radicals, it also regenerates other antioxidants, like vitamins C and E. Milk Thistle has been shown to increase our body’s production of glutathione by more than 35%. It also prevents the depletion of glutathione, which is induced by alcohol and other toxins. By reducing oxidative stress, glutathione lowers inflammation and can help manage conditions associated with chronic inflammation, such as autoimmune diseases, heart disease, and arthritis.

References:
1. Salim S., Chugh G., Asghar M., Chapter One - Inflammation in Anxiety Advances in Protein Chemistry and Structural Biology. Volume 88, 2012, Pages 1-25.
2. Maier J., Castiglioni S., Locatelli L., Zocchi M., Mazur A., Magnesium and inflammation: Advances and perspectives. Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology, Volume 115. July 2021, Pages 37-44.
3. Man-Ying Chan M., Chi-Tang H., Effects of three dietary phytochemicals from tea, rosemary and turmeric on inflammation-induced nitrite production. Science Direct, Volume 96, Issue 1. 4 Sept 1995.
4. Umar S., Umar K., Hasnath Md. A., Sarwar G., Khan A., Ahmad N., Ahmad S., Kant Katiyar S., Husain S., Khan H., Boswellia serrata extract attenuates inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress in collagen induced arthritis. Phytomedicine Volume 21, Issue 6, 15 May 2014, Pages 847-856

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