Health Alert 92
If you’ve been suffering from swelling, pain, and stiffness in your joints any relief is welcome. But many prescription drug solutions create additional problems for you. Today I’m going to tell you about an effective yet gentle and safe solution. I’m talking about an Indian herb called Guggal.
You may have heard of it. Over the last few years, this natural plant gum has established a reputation for lowering cholesterol. But Guggal isn’t just for cholesterol. Recent clinical trials have proven that guggal is also a safe and effective treatment for osteoarthritis.
* Surgery, Drugs, and Side Effects *
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases estimates that a whopping 20 million American suffer from the disease. Doctors prescribe drugs to lessen joint inflammation and pain. But as you well know, these drugs and conventional surgeries can have severe consequences.
Some of my least favorite drugs are corticosteroids. Not only do they cause the serious side effects I’ve listed above; they do something even worse. They make you age. Corticosteroids send the biological message “Live today, damn tomorrow.” This turns off repair and rejuvenation, causing you to age more quickly.
* The Guggal Alternative *
For centuries, people in South East Asia have been using guggal to remedy everything from heart trouble to diarrhea. Western researchers have only recently caught on. Serious research on guggal began in the 1970s.
Researchers performed one of the earliest trials in Germany. They analyzed the effects of NSAIDS (ibuprofen and phenylbutazone) and guggal on arthritic rabbits. The scientists concluded that the guggal worked just as well in easing arthritis than the NSAIDS.1
There have since been several human studies. I just came across a new study proving that guggal significantly reduces the symptoms of osteoarthritis in humans. Researchers
asked volunteers with symptomatic arthritis to take 500mg of guggal extract daily for 2 months. The subjects were tested for pain, stiffness, and mobility before and after the trial. At the end of the trial, patients taking Guggal reported a “significant difference” in their symptoms.2 No serious side effects were observed.One of guggal’s active ingredients is boswellic acid (BA). I believe the BA plays a major role in guggal’s effectiveness. I’ve seen studies illustrating that boswellic acid:
• Prevents the breakdown of connective tissue
• Inhibits inflammatory substances
• Suppresses buildup of tissue in inflamed areas 3
I recommend 500mg of guggal daily to relieve osteoarthritis. Take it with food to avoid any stomach irritation.
Al Sears, MD
1 Sharma J. et al., Comparison of anti-inflammatory activity of Commiphora mukul with those of phenylbutazone and ibuprofen in experimental arthritis induced by mycobacterial adjuvant. Arzneimittelforschung 1977 Jul; 27(7): 1455-1457
2 Singh B. et al., The effectiveness of Commiphora mukul for the osteoarthritis of the knee: an outcomes study. Alternative Therapies 2003 May/Jun; 9(3): 74-79
3 Ammon H. Boswellic acids as the active principle in treatment of chronic inflammatory disease. Wein Med Wochenschr 2002; 152(15-16): 373-378