The research held controlled subjects of 22 adults and are all reported to be suffering with severe knee arthritis. Those subjects who took the mineral supplement in the duration of 12 weeks verbalized that they were able to cut down their use of NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They also reported that they had improved their walking ability and the range of motion, such as flexing, of their knees.

Despite of the reports in their preliminary studies, more researches and controls are needed. But still, according to their online publication, the Nutrition Journal, the supplement made from seaweeds, branded as Aquamin, is successful in reducing arthritic patients’s need for NSAIDs.

The research controlled 22 adults with knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative arthritis and degenerative joint disease. It is the degradation of joints, which brings joint pain, tenderness, creaking and locking of joints. Factors that can contribute to the disease include heredity, metabolic abnormalities and mechanical factors.

The first two weeks of the study involved the controlled subjects cutting down in half of their use of NSAIDs to alleviate pain, and then completely stopping the use of the drug for the rest of the research duration.

The findings, however, mentioned that Aquamin “cannot entirely replace” NSAIDs as one of the treatment regimen for arthritis.