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Osteo Bi-Flex Review: May Provide Some Relief Through Regular Use
Last Updated on March 7, 2023
Medically Reviewed by Anthony Dugarte, MD
Many people have found relief from knee pain through the use of Osteo Bi-Flex. Before trying it, here are important factors you need to consider.
Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
- Osteo Bi-Flex is a dietary supplement designed to support joint health using well-studied ingredients that effectively improve joint pain and stiffness.
- Many customer reviews across many popular retailers state Osteo Bi-Flex helped relieve their joint pain.
- However, not everyone found relief. The only way to know if this product works for you is to try it. It’s affordable, and the ingredients are generally safe for most people, so trying it for a month or two may be worth considering if you’re dealing with minor joint discomfort.
- If you’re experiencing chronic joint pain, speak with your primary healthcare provider first to see if supplements could be beneficial. They can also help pinpoint the root cause, which may be a more serious underlying condition that requires medical intervention.
What Osteo Bi-Flex Gets Right
- Comes at a very affordable price for most people
- Available at many popular retailers
- Uses well-studied ingredients
Important Considerations
- Lacks third-party testing for ingredient quality and safety
- One of the ingredients is derived from shellfish, so this product may not be safe for people with a shellfish allergy
About Your Joints
Joints are found where two or more bones meet and join together and allow you to bend and move your body at these points. Joints contain cartilage and fluid that prevents the rubbing of bone on bone when you move.
Joint pain refers to any stiffness or soreness in a joint. It can be brought on by overuse, injury, or any other cause of inflammation in a joint. When ignored, joint pain and discomfort may result in decreased physical activity, leading to diminished quality of life.
Several lifestyle factors, including age, an unhealthy diet, excess weight, injury, and a sedentary lifestyle, can impact joint health, resulting in inflammation, stiffness, pain, and reduced mobility. Eventually, these symptoms could result in the development of osteoarthritis.
Although plenty of nutrients are found in food that can support your cartilage and joints, some compounds are not found in food, like glucosamine and chondroitin, which are beneficial in relieving joint discomfort.
Osteo Bi-Flex at a Glance
Osteo Bi-Flex is a dietary supplement designed to support optimal joint health. It comes in several formulations that use key ingredients shown to help strengthen joints, soothe occasional joint stiffness and aches, and support flexibility and mobility.
Osteo Bi-Flex contains several active ingredients, like Glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM, which studies have shown can help nourish and support joint health for increased daily comfort.
Although much of the research surrounding these ingredients has focused on managing osteoarthritis, Osteo Bi-Flex does not specifically target people with arthritis but is for anyone who wants to support their joint health and help improve mild joint discomfort.
The manufacturers of Osteo Bi-Flex claim users will notice a difference in joint comfort within seven days of use. However, people with an inactive lifestyle or whose diet consists of foods that cause inflammation may not experience meaningful benefits after seven days of using this supplement.
How to Take
The serving size for Osteo Bi-Flex is 1 to 2 tablets per day, depending on the formulation. It’s recommended to take the supplement with food.
Osteo Bi-Flex Is One of the Least Expensive Joint Supplements on the Market
Osteo Bi-Flex is available at major retailers like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Rite Aid, and Walgreens.
The price depends on the bottle size and the formulation. It’s affordable no matter which quantity you choose but purchasing a larger bottle is more cost-effective.
Here is a quick overview of prices from popular retailers to help you find the best deal:
Retailer | Cost (80-count Triple Strength) |
---|---|
Walmart | $14.61 |
Amazon | $14.61 |
Target | $17.49 |
Rite Aid | $34.99 |
Walgreens | $35.99 |
The Ingredients in Osteo Bi-Flex Have Been Shown to Benefit Your Joint Health
Osteo Bi-Flex comes in several formulations, but all contain several active ingredients that are well supported by research and may benefit joint health when combined with other lifestyle factors.
- Glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM are well-studied ingredients proven effective at improving joint pain and stiffness.
- Vitamin C, boswellia, manganese, collagen, boron, and hyaluronic acid have well-documented health benefits.
Here is the summary of our research on the most important factors you should know (we use Osteo Bi-Flex Triple Strength for this evaluation):
Glucosamine HCl, 1,500 mg
Glucosamine is a substance naturally found in cartilage. Supplementing with glucosamine helps support the structural integrity of existing joint cartilage. In addition, Glucosamine hydrochloride, in combination with other key ingredients, may be beneficial for improving joint pain. (1)
Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid), 60 mg
Vitamin C is a nutrient essential for good health and displays powerful antioxidant activity in the human body. Studies have shown that Vitamin C may benefit joint health by reducing damage to joints caused by oxidative stress and inflammation. (2, 3)
Manganese (as Manganese Sulfate), 2 mg
One study found that including manganese with a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement improved pain in mild knee osteoarthritis cases. (4)
Joint Shield 5-Loxin Advanced Boswellia Serrata Extract (Resin), 100 mg
Boswellia extract has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that this ingredient helps decrease knee pain and swelling and improve knee flexibility. (5, 6)
Chondroitin/MSM Complex, 1,103 mg
Chondroitin is a naturally occurring substance found in cartilage, and supplementing with it may help protect the structure of existing joint cartilage. Research shows that chondroitin supplementation helps relieve joint pain and improve mobility. Many studies have demonstrated improvements in joint pain related to arthritis with large doses of chondroitin. (7)
MSM refers to methylsulfonylmethane, which is a naturally occurring sulfur-containing compound. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may be effective at reducing joint pain and stiffness in combination with glucosamine and chondroitin in patients with arthritis.
The chondroitin/MSM complex in Osteo Bi-Flex Triple Strength also contains collagen, boron, hyaluronic acid, and additional boswellia extract.
- Collagen is a protein found in abundance in the human body, particularly in connective tissue. Studies have shown collagen supplementation may help with joint pain and relieve stiffness. (8, 9)
- Boron is a trace mineral involved with bone growth and maintenance of bone mass. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that effectively manage arthritic symptoms. (10)
- Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in the body and skin and acts as connective tissue and a gel-like lubricant. Studies show that hyaluronic acid supplementation was effective at reducing joint pain. (11, 12)
Understanding Osteo Bi-Flex’s Product Line
Osteo Bi-Flex comes in several formulations, differentiated by adding ingredients like vitamin D, turmeric, magnesium, and others to their base formula of Triple Strength. So, which Osteo Bi-Flex formulation to choose? We recommend the original Triple Strength formula, which contains the most evidence-backed ingredients for joint health.
Here is an overview of their key differences:
Triple Strength with Vitamin D
Vitamin D is involved in bone growth and maintenance, but research has not found a direct link between supplementation and improvements in joint health. The vitamin D formulation lacks vitamin C, manganese, collagen, boron, hyaluronic acid and contains less chondroitin and MSM than the original Triple Strength formula.
Triple Strength Plus Turmeric
The turmeric formulation contains only glucosamine, boswellia, and turmeric extract. Turmeric contains curcumin, which has powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and pain-relieving properties comparable to NSAIDs.
Triple Strength + Magnesium
The magnesium formulation contains only glucosamine, boswellia, and magnesium. Magnesium involves thousands of bodily processes, including stress response, muscle contraction, and relaxation. Many people are deficient in magnesium, which is believed to contribute to developing inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis. (13)
Triple Strength MSM
The MSM formulation contains only glucosamine, boswellia, and a higher dose of MSM. (The previous section discusses the benefits of each of these ingredients.)
One Per Day
Osteo Bi-Flex One Per Day contains the same amount of glucosamine and boswellia, with the addition of 400 IU of Vitamin D, but lacks all ingredients found in the chondroitin/MSM complex.
Osteo Bi-flex Is Generally Safe but Keep In Mind…
Most people generally tolerate glucosamine chondroitin joint supplements without any serious side effects.
Glucosamine is derived from shellfish ingredients and may not be safe for anyone with a shellfish allergy to consume. Otherwise, adverse effects from glucosamine are rare. (14)
Anyone sensitive to wheat or gluten should be aware that the turmeric version of Osteo Bi-Flex contains wheat, while all other product variations are gluten-free.
Also, you may experience some digestive upset. If you try this product without food and experience an upset stomach or any other digestive issue, follow the recommendation to take it with food and see if the issue resolves itself. You can also split the dose up and take it twice per day.
It’s best to speak with your primary healthcare provider before starting this or any other joint health supplement to ensure it is right for you and to help you find the proper formulation based on your medical history.
Additional Recommendations
Many people have found relief through regular use of glucosamine-chondroitin supplementation, like Oste Bi-Flex.
However, I encourage you to incorporate additional lifestyle habits to care for your joints:
- Engage in regular physical activity
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Avoid foods that cause inflammation
- Eat a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods
- Stay well hydrated
At WellnessVerge, we only use reputable sources, including peer-reviewed medical journals and well-respected academic institutions.
- Glucosamine-containing supplement improves locomotor functions in subjects with knee pain: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26604721/ - Effect of vitamin C on inflammation and metabolic markers in hypertensive and/or diabetic obese adults: a randomized controlled trial - PubMed:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26170625/ - Association between dietary intake of some antioxidant micronutrients with some inflammatory and antioxidant markers in active Rheumatoid Arthritis patients:
https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1024/0300-9831/a000255 - Efficacy of a combination of FCHG49 glucosamine hydrochloride, TRH122 low molecular weight sodium chondroitin sulfate and manganese ascorbate in the management of knee osteoarthritis:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10966840/ - Efficacy and tolerability of Boswellia serrata extract in treatment of osteoarthritis of knee – A randomized double blind placebo controlled trial:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711304701890 - Cellular and molecular mechanisms of anti-inflammatory effect of Aflapin: a novel Boswellia serrata extract - PubMed:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21479939/ - Effectiveness and safety of glucosamine and chondroitin for the treatment of osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6035477/ - Effect of collagen supplementation on osteoarthritis symptoms: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials - PubMed:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30368550/ - The effects of collagen peptide supplementation on body composition, collagen synthesis, and recovery from joint injury and exercise: a systematic review - PMC:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8521576/ - Nothing Boring About Boron:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4712861/ - Oral intake of a liquid high-molecular-weight hyaluronan associated with relief of chronic pain and reduced use of pain medication: results of a randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind pilot study:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25415767/ - Effectiveness and utility of hyaluronic acid in osteoarthritis - PubMed:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26136793/ - Effects of magnesium depletion on inflammation in chronic disease:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25023192/ - Glucosamine:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18756654/