Nutraceuticals in Arthritis

Currently, more than 46 million adults in the United States suffer from some form of arthritis. Arthritis is also prevalent in other species, including canine and equine. Among all forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form, afflicting nearly 27 million adults. The other common form of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis. Among animal species, canine and equine are more prone to arthritis than other species. A large number of factors, such as aging, excessive exercise, obesity, genetic predisposition, immune disorders, poor nutrition, injury, and infection, can lead to OA. Presently, the use of nutraceuticals appears to be a good option to treat or manage OA, because they are taken orally, well-tolerated, and safe. Of course, some nutraceuticals exert adverse effects. This chapter describes, in brief, the characteristics of OA, pathophysiology of OA, and efficacy, safety, and toxicity of some commonly used nutraceuticals.