Arthritis and Inflammation: Which Vitamins Can Actually Help?

Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the UK. An estimated 10 million people are living with osteoarthritis (“wear and tear” arthritis), and 450,000 people have a recorded diagnosis of autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis (RA) [1]. 

The pain and inflammation of arthritis has a major impact on daily life. Conventional treatments focus on painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs which, while helpful, can have significant side effects, especially in the gut.

Nutrition has much to offer when it comes to joint health and managing inflammation, so let’s dig deeper and find out which vitamins and nutrients can actually help.

Vitamin D3

AKA the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D3 levels are commonly low in the UK thanks to our cooler climate and frequent cloud cover. Because vitamin D receptors are found throughout the body, deficiency is associated with a wide range of symptoms including immune dysregulation, inflammation, and joint problems like arthritis [2]. 

Studies show that D3 interacts with the immune system and inflammatory pathways by promoting anti-inflammatory cytokines (chemical messengers) and inhibiting the release of proinflammatory molecules [2]. 

D3 also influences the gut microbiome, which plays a key role in regulating immunity and inflammation [3]. There are vitamin D receptors throughout the gut, and D3 supplementation appears to modulate the composition of the microbiome, but we don’t yet know how vitamin D directly affects the bacteria [4].

Vitamin C

You might associate vitamin C with immune health and fending off the common cold, and you’d be right. But it also supports joint health and is an essential nutrient for collagen formation in connective tissue. 

Low levels of vitamin C are one of several factors associated with rheumatoid arthritis [5]. The connection between the two appears to lie in the gut microbiome. A recent study conducted on mice demonstrated that certain microbes enhance the progression of RA by degrading vitamin C [6]. Supplementation reversed this effect and suppressed the proinflammatory response.

Omega 3

Omega-3 fats manage inflammation by influencing the balance of prostaglandins – chemical messengers that can be either pro- or anti-inflammatory [7]. Modern Westernized diets are generally low in omega-3 foods and rich in processed meat and seed oils that contain high amounts of omega 6. Omega 6 is just as important for health, but overconsumption skews the balance between the two prostaglandins in favour of inflammation. 

The majority of omega-3 supplements available today are derived from fish oil. Here at Ethical Nutrition we prefer to use omega-3 extracted from sustainably sourced marine algae grown in a controlled environment to guarantee a pure, high-strength product.

Turmeric and curcumin

Turmeric has been used as a natural anti-inflammatory by traditional medicine cultures all over the world for thousands of years. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is a powerful anti-inflammatory, shown to alleviate pain and swelling associated with arthritis [8]. 

However, as a fat-soluble compound curcumin is not easily absorbed, which is why we include piperine from black pepper in our Turmeric Curcumin formula. Piperine has been shown to increase the bioavailability of curcumin by up to 2000% [8], maximising your absorption of this active compound.

We also include ginger, another spice with a long history of traditional use for managing pain and inflammation. Current research backs this tradition, with studies showing ginger to be as effective as Ibuprofen in managing osteoarthritic pain [9] and for lowering inflammatory markers in RA [10]. 

Collagen for connective tissue support

As the most abundant protein in our joints and connective tissue, collagen degradation is a key characteristic of osteoarthritis and RA. 

Collagen supplements have been shown to be effective at reducing pain and stiffness and improving joint function in people with knee osteoarthritis [11]. They may also help reduce joint tissue immune activity in RA [12]. 

Ready-made collagen can only be derived from animal sources like meat and fish, which raises ethical concerns for many people. We feel it’s more appropriate to give your body the building blocks it needs to make its own collagen, which is exactly what our Vegan Collagen Factors do. Each capsule contains the essential nutrients and cofactors needed for every step of the collagen-building process, with no animal derivatives in sight. 

Vegan Glucosamine

Alongside collagen, joint tissues contain glycosaminoglycans in the cartilage, ligaments, and the synovial fluid that keeps joints lubricated. Your body makes glycosaminoglycans from glucosamine, a naturally occurring amino sugar.

The benefits of glucosamine for osteoarthritis are well researched. A 2023 review [13] examining 15 randomized controlled trials using 1500mg glucosamine a day found that it:

• Significantly reduced pain scores.

• Improved knee stiffness and knee function.

• Was safe and well tolerated with no serious side effects.

Most glucosamine supplements are made using shellfish-derived glucosamine in a process that uses a lot of water and generates large amounts of environmentally harmful waste. 

We’re proud to offer an allergen-free, environmentally-sustainable alternative to shellfish glucosamine: GlucosaGreen®. Produced by the natural fermentation of glucose from non-GMO corn, GlucosaGreen® gives you the joint health benefits of glucosamine without the costly environmental price tag.

Arthritis is a complex condition that can be aggravated by stress, overexertion, joint trauma, and heavily processed foods. We hope this article inspires your nutritional journey with insights into the many vitamins and nutrients that can support joint health and mobility.

For more information, check out our Vitamin D3, natural Vitamin C, Vegan Omega-3, Vegan Glucosamine, Turmeric and Curcumin, and Vegan Collagen Factors in our online store.

You may also enjoy reading:

8 Ingredients to Avoid in Your Supplements

What’s The Deal With Vegan Glucosamine?

Vitamin D3 and K2: The Power Couple In your Health Journey

References

1. Versus Arthritis, 2024. The State of Musculoskeletal Health [online] Available at https://versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/data-and-statistics/the-state-of-musculoskeletal-health/ [Accessed 26 Jun 2025].

2. Yin, K., & Agrawal, D. K. 2014. Vitamin D and inflammatory diseases. Journal of Inflammation Research, 7, 69. https://doi.org/10.2147/JIR.S63898 

3. Al Bander, Z., Nitert, M. D., Mousa, A., & Naderpoor, N. 2020. The Gut Microbiota and Inflammation: An Overview. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(20), 7618. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17207618 

4. Bellerba, F., Muzio, V., Gnagnarella, P., Facciotti, F., Chiocca, S., Bossi, P., Cortinovis, D., Chiaradonna, F., Serrano, D., Raimondi, S., Zerbato, B., Palorini, R., Canova, S., Gaeta, A., & Gandini, S. 2021. The Association between Vitamin D and Gut Microbiota: A Systematic Review of Human Studies. Nutrients, 13(10), 3378. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103378 

5. Das, D. C., Jahan, I., Uddin, M. G., Hossain, M. M., Chowdhury, M. A. Z., Fardous, Z., Rahman, M. M., Kabir, A. K. M. H., Deb, S. R., Siddique, M. A. B., & Das, A. 2021. Serum CRP, MDA, Vitamin C, and Trace Elements in Bangladeshi Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Biological Trace Element Research, 199(1), 76–84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02142-7 

6. Zhang, Y., Zhen, S., Xu, H., Sun, S., Wang, Z., Li, M., Zou, L., Zhang, Y., Zhao, Y., Cui, Y., & Han, J. 2024. Vitamin C alleviates rheumatoid arthritis by modulating gut microbiota balance. Bioscience Trends, 18(2), 187–194. https://doi.org/10.5582/bst.2024.01037 

7. Calder, P. C. 2013. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and inflammatory processes: Nutrition or pharmacology? British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 75(3), 645-662. doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04374.x 

8. Hewlings, S. J., & Kalman, D. S. (2017). Curcumin: A Review of Its Effects on Human Health. Foods, 6(10), 92. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6100092  

9. Haghighi, M., Khalvat, A., Toliat, T., & Jallaei, S. H. 2005. Comparing the effects of ginger (Zingiber officinale) extract and ibuprofen on patients with osteoarthritis. Archives of Iranian Medicine, Volume 8, Number 4, 2005: 267 – 271

10. Aryaeian, N., Mahmoudi, M., Shahram, F., Poursani, S., Jamshidi, F., & Tavakoli, H. 2019. The effect of ginger supplementation on IL2, TNFα, and IL1β cytokines gene expression levels in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized controlled trial. Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 33, 154. https://doi.org/10.34171/mjiri.33.154 

11. Lugo, J.P., Saiyed, Z.M. & Lane, N.E. 2015. Efficacy and tolerability of an undenatured type II collagen supplement in modulating knee osteoarthritis symptoms: a multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Nutrition Journal 15, 14 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-016-0130-8 

12. Ouyang, Z., Dong, L., Yao, F., Wang, K., Chen, Y., Li, S., Zhou, R., Zhao, Y., & Hu, W. 2023. Cartilage-Related Collagens in Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis: From Pathogenesis to Therapeutics. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(12), 9841. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24129841

13. Vo, N. X., Le, N. N., Chu, T. D., Pham, H. L., Dinh, K. X., Che, U. T., Ngo, T. T., & Bui, T. T. 2023. Effectiveness and Safety of Glucosamine in Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review. Pharmacy, 11(4), 117. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy11040117