Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry, “What vitamins would you recommend for the condition called ankylosing spondylitis? Need Help!” ¾ Yevgeniy Y., West Plains, MO

A. Dear Yevgeniy, Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine. It causes inflammation of the spinal joints (vertebrae) that can lead to chronic pain and discomfort. In the most advanced cases, this inflammation may lead to new bone formation on the spine, causing the spine to fuse in a fixed, immobile position.

I am glad to say I do have some recommendations. However, I would encourage you to talk with your doctor and see what they think about the following protocol.

You may want to consider adding curcumin to your daily regimen. Curcumin, a compound found in the spice turmeric, is a potent antioxidant and powerful anti-inflammatory that works, via multiple pathways, to benefit overall health. I suggest taking 750 mg of bioavailable curcumin 1-2 times daily.

I would also recommend adding a formula that contains a special combination of boswellia and curcumin. These two Indian plants exhibit very effective anti-inflammatory properties, which will help to further reduce pain. I recommend taking 670 mg of this combination 3 times daily.

When looking for either formula, keep in mind that standard curcumin is very poorly absorbed, so make sure the products you choose feature a curcumin with excellent absorption that has been proven in published human studies. The best form I have ever found uses micronized curcumin blended with turmeric essential oils in a patented process. This curcumin has been shown in published human studies to be up to 10 times better absorbed than standard curcumin. It’s also important to find formulas that feature a boswellia extract that has filtered out the majority of beta-boswellic acid, to at least 5% or less. Unlike most boswellic acids, beta-boswellic acid is actually pro-inflammatory. Removing it greatly enhances the potency of the boswellia extract. You also want a boswellia extract that includes at least 10% or more of acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA), the most active component of boswellia.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally