Omega 3 fatty acids used for joint health is gaining in popularity as ever more people are opting for healthy, natural remedies over dangerous side effects laden pharmaceutical drugs.

The question is: do omega 3 fatty acids benefit joint health, stiffness, and aches and pains?

Although numerous studies have been done, and not all of them exclusive, overall it appears that omega 3 fatty acids does help alleviate tender joints in people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

This may actually help people who were relying on corticosteroids to reduce what they need to use.

Omega 3 fatty acids, such as those found in high quality fish oils, act as anti-inflammatories which, as anyone with arthritis or stiffness knows, is often caused or worsened by inflammation of the joints.

Even though omega 3 fatty acids used for joint health derived from fish oils can be useful, there is another natural substance that has been proved to be much more beneficial.

What is this natural substance?

It's the green lipped mussel from New Zealand. In that country it is renamed, but less well known in the United States even though it can be purchased or obtained by people in the US.

Green lipped mussel also contains omega 3 fatty acids. In addition to certain studies of people using omega 3 fatty acids showing reduced morning joint aches, and joint tenderness, green lipped mussel has been shown to alleviate joint stiffness, improve walking pace in people with osteoarthritis, and increase the strength of grip for sufferers.

Some of these studies have been stated at prestigious universities in the United States, such as the University of Maryland Medical Center: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm is one of the pages If you're curious.

One downside reported at the University of Maryland Medical Center website is that in some participants using green lipped mussel, the symptoms can worsen temporarily before they improve. Which is a common trait with remedies for other conditions as well.

On the other hand, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports that omega 3 fatty acids may "reduce the activity of enzymes that destroy cartilage" when "cartilage-containing cells" were studied in test tubes.

If you are curious enough to think omega 3 fatty acids used for joint health is something you might want to try, our recommendation would be to find a product that contains both purified omega 3 fish oils and New Zealand green lipped mussel.

And, in addition to possible benefits for joint health and stiffness, omega 3 fatty acids have numerous well researched benefits for heart and brain health as well.