Consumers are seeking natural relief for pain and inflammation.
One of the lesser-known facts about pain is that pain is a symptom. According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pain piggybacks inflammation or changes to the nervous system because of poor health or injury, which then sends signals to the brain that there has been damage to the body. A 2010 article published in the journal Surgical Neurology International noted, “Pain, heat, redness and swelling (dolor, calor, rubor, tumor) are the classic manifestations of the inflammatory process. Abnormalities of the joints of the spine, associated muscles, tendons, ligaments and bone structural abnormalities can all result in pain.” Recent data from a report by the CDC and NCHS suggest substantial rates of pain from multiple causes. In the U.S., adults who reported pain, causes include: severe headache or migraine (16.1 percent), lower back pain (28.1 percent), neck pain (15.1 percent), knee pain (19.5 percent), shoulder pain (9 percent), finger pain (7.6 percent) and hip pain (7.1 percent).
Today, 100 million more Americans are affected by pain than any other health condition, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. The Institute of Medicine of The National Academies describes two types of pain–chronic and acute. “While acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert you to possible injury and the need to take care of yourself, chronic pain is different. Chronic pain persists. Pain signals keep firing in the nervous system for weeks, months, even years. There may have been an initial mishap—sprained back, serious infection, or there may be an ongoing cause of pain—arthritis, cancer, ear infection, but some people suffer chronic pain in the absence of any past injury or evidence of body damage.”
According to President and Chief of Research for New York-based Topical BioMedics, Inc. (Topricin), Certified B-Corp., Lou Paradise, most people are not aware that inflammation plays an essential role as the body’s main protector in joint, nerve and muscle tissue, as well as for all our vital organs. “That is why using anti-inflammatory pain pills are so damaging to your overall health.”
Natural remedies for pain and inflammation are a growing market for several reasons. Consumers are turning away from prescription drugs because they are looked at as a gateway to future drug addictions, and also because the side effects from narcotics are very much similar to a hangover. “People are more focused on reducing pain than they may have been willing to just accept in the past, and many prefer not to use prescription painkillers due to concerns over addiction and other negative side effects. Ultimately, these factors have led to an increased interest in inflammation and pain supplement market,” said Dan Lifton, CEO for New York-based Quality of Life.
Adding to the Market
Pain and inflammation affects everyone and, as the NCHS pointed out, it is always subjective. “Although it is a physical sensation, perceptions of pain are influenced by social, cultural, and psychological factors, producing different sensations in different people,” NCHS reported. Lifestyle factors play a substantial role in inflammation, including smoking, diet, stress, obesity, anxiety, poor sleep quality and environmental issues, said Darrell Jones, business development, Earth’s Creation USA in Miami, FL. “Aside from the obvious aging population market, we are seeing more interest from younger, educated customers who are doing their due diligence and are looking for prevention alternatives to chronic inflammation and the associated aches and pains of an active lifestyle,” he continued. “Other factors contributing to the growth of the inflammation and pain market are the aging U.S. demographics with the advancing Baby Boomers combined with increased longevity.”
While a growing number of consumers are looking for natural ways to relieve inflammation, they are also interested in supplements that target more than just pain and inflammation. This is because people are discovering a direct link to other imbalances due to inflammatory response, said Waseem Goreja, president and CEO, Amazing Herbs (Atlanta, GA). That being said, consumers are also becoming more confused about supplements and their ingredients.
According to Paradise, “because there are so many supplement choices regarding minerals alone, for example, it is confusing what, when and how to choose the right product and appropriate course of action.” This is why appropriately marketing products and providing statistical information on ingredients is important. “Several of the products that are popular in our stores have been the subject of numerous human clinical trials for their ability to support normal inflammatory response as well as general immune health,” said Ramona Billingslea, marketing manager, Betsy’s Health Foods in Houston, TX.
Products for Pain
Quality of Life Labs offers consumers a pain reliever made with naturally effective ingredients. “We have been able to constantly improve our products,” Jones said. An example is its MicroActive Curcumin found in the Curcumin-SR product. “Curcumin is quickly gaining ground as a proven anti-inflammatory and pain reducer,” he noted. “Numerous studies have demonstrated the ability of curcumin to reduce inflammation in a variety of conditions, including ulcerative colitis. Despite its inherent benefits, curcumin supplements often struggle with the low bioavailability of the compound. To get around this, our Curcumin-SR product uses MicroActive Curcumin, which has been shown to be 10 times more readily absorbed than regular curcumin reaches peak blood levels more quickly (two hours versus four hours for regular curcumin) and delivers a sustained release of over 12 hours.”
According to Dan Chapman, founder and CEO of Illinois-based Redd Remedies, many successful ingredients target more than one facet of pain. Ashwagandha, for instance, addresses pain by managing the stress response and promoting overall emotional health, he noted. Corydalis works by blocking the pain signals that are relayed to the brain for processing and turmeric, which is also popular, works as an anti-inflammatory. “Pain T4 combines those two ingredients plus traditional Chinese herbs to create a holistic approach to pain—one that goes beyond the implications of inflammation and addresses the roles that stress and brain function play in pain as well as healthy circulation,” he explained. In addition, “curcumin C3 Complex, the patented turmeric extract, not only provides anti-inflammatory benefits, but also liver-protecting benefits and antioxidant protection. It is the most clinically studied turmeric extract in the world and the only patented turmeric extract with GRAS status. This holistic approach widens the applications of Pain T4 to all types of pain, not just those associated with inflammation.” With more than 25 years of clinical research, there has been proven results that Curcumin C3 Complex is effective in inflammation, brain function, immune system function, liver health and more.
Another example of curcumin, New Jersey-based Proprietary Nutritional, Inc. (PNI) offers CurQlife to decrease inflammation at the beginning stages. “CurQlife was first launched in an easy to swallow 400 mg soft gel and has been awarded a U.S. patent for the unique emulsification process that protects the curcuminoids on a molecular level, thus enhancing the stability, solubility and greatly increasing the bio-availability. This process allows for more free curcumin to be delivered into the bloodstream, 10 times more than the market leader,” explained David Foreman, RPh, the herbal pharmacist for PNI.
A two-month, double-blind study on CurQlife, showed a WOMAC (pain) score with a 94 percent improvement in knee stiffness with a reduction of 110.5 percent over placebo. Also, the change in physical functioning was found to have an 85.42 percent improvement over placebo. CurQlife also had an excellent 300 percent reduction in LFI score. “The study’s conclusion suggests that CurQlife is effective in the management of osteoarthritis and is showed to have clinical relevance, and is a promising candidate for long-term management of pain.”
Life Extension also provides consumers with an all-natural remedy for inflammation. According to Senior Scientific Development Associate for Florida-based Life Extension, Emily Gonzalez, “Life Extension is known to be the company that consumers turn to for the latest scientific and clinical information about natural products, and we consistently use the most innovative and clinically researched ingredients available. This includes adding sesame lignans and olive fruit extract to an omega-3 formulation to extend the stability of DHA in the body and better promote a healthy inflammatory response. Life Extension uses the BCM-95 form of turmeric, which has been shown to absorb seven times better than conventional curcumin. Also, the company’s formulations target multiple inflammatory pathways, such as the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways, for comprehensive support for a healthy inflammatory response. Paying attention to the importance of bioavailability and enhancing function once the nutrient is absorbed are just a few of the ways Life Extension makes sure their ingredients are unsurpassed for efficacy and innovation.”
Their BCM-95 Bio-Curcumin extract in Advanced Bio-Curcumin is formulated with plant-derived compounds, which complement the benefits of curcumin, and help to improve absorption and potency. Once curcumin is extracted from turmeric, the remaining oil is rich with turmerons, and with the combination of BCM-95, it supports curcumin absorption and increases the cellular curcumin concentrations. Life Extension also offers Black Cumin Seed Oil, which contains a wide variety of active compounds for immune and anti-inflammatory health.
Black cumin seed is another ingredient, new to the market, for pain and inflammation. According to Amazing Herb’s Goreja, “recent attention has been directed to black cumin seed oil (Nigella sativa), which has been the subject of hundreds of studies and may provide additional and possibly a more effective option to inflammatory related conditions as well as immune system responses.” The ingredient contains thymoquinone (TQ), an antioxidant and potent anti-inflammatory agent in-vitro, which may reduce the release of inflammatory cytokines, Goreja reported. In another human study, black cumin seed oil was found to help manage rheumatoid arthritis, a highly inflammatory condition. Amazing Herbs anti-inflammatory, Amazing Herbs 5X-TQ Premium Black Cumin Seed oil is the only nutraceutical on the market that offers the highest percentage of naturally occurring TQ— as much as 1.3 percent, the company stated. It is available in 500 mg and 1250 mg soft gels, as well as liquid, and helps restore youth and healthy inflammatory balance.
Topical Products
In addition to oral supplementation, Topical BioMedics, Inc. offers topical homeopathic products that work well with other nutrient recommendations, and most do not interfere with other medications. “Topricin products all work by first treating the skin,” Paradise said. “The skin plays important roles in immune function and reducing the heat of inflammation. Topricin uses a combination of homeopathic biomedicines that stimulate draining toxins and excess fluids from the pain site, relaxing the capillaries, and doing so restoring normal blood flow, oxygen and nutrients back into the cells. The body’s healing process needs the inflammatory response and oxygen-rich blood flow to maintain cell integrity and to heal and repair damaged cells causing the pain,” he explained.
The products have been popular for those who want to maintain an active lifestyle or who want to become active through resolving or preventing pain. “Topricin pain relief technology includes the original patented formula Topricin Pain Relief and Healing cream, Topricin Foot Therapy Cream and Topricin for Children (5 percent of sales of Topricin for Children are donated to a pediatric cancer foundation). For 21 years our products have provided doctors and patients a viable option to all classes of oral pain pills, reducing chemical dependency and eliminating side effects for the individual and restoring hope and quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people.”
With the advancement of ingredient research, there are many natural remedies for people to choose from, however, retailer education is vital. “Educating retail sales associates is key for the new and innovative products that are coming to market,” said Earth Creation’s Jones. The company provides retailers a series of product videos and seminars. Paradise agreed. “The fact that the New York State attorney general’s office recently accused four major retailers of selling fraudulent and potentially dangerous herbal supplements and demanded that they remove the products from their shelves has only caused more confusion and uncertainty,” he said. VR
For more information:
Amazing Herbs, (770) 982-4780
Earth Creations USA, (305) 953-9901
Life Extension, (954) 766-8433
Proprietary Nutritional, Inc., (519) 647-2071
Quality of Life Labs, (877) 937-2422
Redd Remedies, (888) 453-5058
Topical BioMedics, Inc., (845) 871-4900
