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, “I am a massage therapist and I am having some trouble with my wrists. The doctor recently diagnosed me with tendonitis. What are the best supplements for this type of issue?” — Dawn R., Westminster, CO

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

To reduce any pain and inflammation, I recommend a combination of curcumin, boswellia, DLPA and nattokinase. Each ingredient works in a slightly different manner to get you comfortable as quickly as possible. I recommend 1 to 2 capsules three times daily. Since curcumin is poorly absorbed, you need to read product labels and find one that has enhanced absorption and the clinical studies to prove it. When looking for a 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 acids, 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.

To correct any nerve dysfunction, I recommend vitamin B6, blended with a highly absorbable magnesium, like magnesium glycinate. The magnesium helps to promote vitamin B6 metabolism. Look for a formula that contains the active form of B6 – pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P-5-P). Many people (some estimate up to 30% of the population) cannot fully utilize B-vitamins from food and supplements, because these forms of B-vitamins must be converted into the active form before they will function. By using the form of vitamin B6 that is identical to the kind your body utilizes, you bypass this problem entirely. I’d recommend taking two capsules of the P-5-P/Magnesium blend twice daily.

To heal the ligaments and tendons and improve their elasticity, I prefer a multi-ingredient formula specific to these tissues. It should include the active forms of vitamins B6 and B12, along with magnesium, manganese, bromelain, zinc, vitamin C, niacinamide, and boswellia. One of the most crucial ingredients is manganese. You need at least 36 mg of manganese to have an impact, so make sure the dosing of this critical mineral is adequate. I recommend taking 2 capsules of this blend daily.

Keep in mind that tendons and ligaments respond slowly because they have a very poor blood supply. Follow this regimen for a minimum of three months. Good luck, and remember to give it time to heal.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally