Short-term inflammation is the body’s normal process by which it produces substances to protect you from infection caused by bacteria and viruses.
However, in some diseases, such as arthritis, your body’s defense mechanism, or immune system, causes inflammation even when there are no bacteria or infections.
This is called chronic inflammation or autoimmune condition, when your immune system reacts to healthy cells causing damage.
Therefore, it is beneficial to get additional support from anti-inflammatory supplements to reduce or even prevent inflammation.
1. Curcumin
Curcumin is the key ingredient in turmeric, which is the spice responsible for the yellow color of curry.
The anti-inflammatory compounds in curcumin can reduce the likelihood of heart disease, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and even cancer (1, 2, 3).
Curcumin is also effective in reducing the inflammation of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (4, 5).
A study found that people with metabolic syndrome who took curcumin had lower levels of CRP and MDA inflammation markers compared to those receiving a placebo (6).
In another study, when 150 mg of curcumin was given to 80 people with solid cancerous tumors, most of their inflammatory markers dropped far more than those in the placebo (7).
Curcumin is hard to absorb when taken alone, but by taking it with piperine, a compound found in black pepper, you can increase its absorption by as much as 2,000% (8).
Curcumin topical dose is 500mg per day, but up to 10 grams per day have been studied and are safe, but may cause digestion problems (9).
People who are taking medication should talk to their doctor before using curcumin supplements. The compounds in curcumin can interact with many drugs.
2. Ginger
Ginger root is powdered and added to many dishes as a spice. It is also used to treat vomiting and nausea.
The two anti-inflammatory compounds in ginger, such as gingerol and zingerone, can reduce inflammation associated with kidney damage, diabetes, and breast disease (10, 11, 12, 13, 14).
In one study, a daily dose of 1,600 mg of ginger was given to people with diabetes for twelve weeks, and their levels of CRP, insulin, and HbA1c dropped more than those of the control group (12).
Another study found that, when combined with exercise, women with breast cancer who took ginger supplements had lower levels of CRP and IL-6 (13).
There is also evidence that ginger supplements can decrease inflammation and muscle soreness after exercise (15).
The recommended topical dosage is 1 gram per day, but up to 2 grams is safe (16).
Higher dosages, however, can thin the blood, which may cause bleeding. People taking medication or blood-thinning drugs should avoid taking ginger supplements.
3. Spirulina
Spirulina is a blue-green algae that has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
According to the studies, spirulina reduces inflammation and can enhance the immune system (17, 18, 19,20).
Although most spirulina studies have been conducted on animals. One study has shown that it can reduce inflammatory markers and boost immune function in older adults (21).
However, spirulina has an anticoagulant effect, which means it might thin your blood and increase the time it takes for it to clot.
Spirulina may be critical for people who take blood thinners or have bleeding problems (22, 23, 24).
There are no other serious negative effects of spirulina, but those with autoimmune disorders should avoid it because it has the potential to enhance their illness because of its immune-strengthening qualities (25).
4. Fish Oil
Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for good health. Omega-3 fatty acids can minimize diabetes-related inflammation, heart disease, cancer, and many other conditions (26, 27, 28, 29).
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are two beneficial forms of omega-3s, which are converted into ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) in your body (30).
DHA has anti-inflammatory effects that reduce cytokine levels and promote the health of the gut.
It may also minimize inflammation and muscle damage that occurs after intense exercise (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36).
In one study, the inflammation marker IL-6 was lowered by 32% in individuals taking 2 grams of DHA compared to a control group (33).
In another study, after intense exercise, DHA supplements reduced levels of the inflammatory markers TNF alpha and IL-6 (36).
At higher doses, fish oil can thin the blood, which may increase bleeding. People who take blood thinners should avoid fish oil. Up to 1.5 grams of EPA and DHA omega-3 per day are safe (30).
5. Garlic
Garlic is a well-known anti-inflammatory food. It contains a chemical called allicin, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that may also help strengthen the immune system (31).
In one high-quality trial, they randomly assigned 51 over weight adults to receive 3.6 grams of aged garlic extract or a placebo every day for six weeks.
The inflammatory indicators of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-) and IL-6 improved significantly, according to the researchers (32).
They hypothesized that long-term aged garlic supplementation could help minimize the risk of chronic inflammation-related illnesses.
Garlic supplements are available in a range of dosages, all of which are relatively safe and have few negative effects.
However, garlic interacts with blood pressure medications (antihypertensive medicines). Taking garlic with blood pressure drugs may cause blood pressure to drop too low (33).
Therefore, people on blood pressure-lowering medication should not take garlic. Consuming just 2 grams of fresh garlic every day, or around one clove, may provide some anti-inflammatory benefits.
6. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a necessary vitamin that aids with immunity and inflammation. Because it is a strong antioxidant, it can help reduce inflammation by neutralizing free radicals that cause oxidative damage to your cells (34).
It also helps to improve the immune system in a variety of other ways, which can aid in regulating inflammation, as inflammation is an immunological reaction (35).
They routinely administered high doses intravenously to hospitalized patients suffering from severe respiratory infections, such as influenza, pneumonia, and even COVID-19, to help reduce inflammation (36).
Doses over 2,000 mg, however, may cause diarrhea in healthy adults. Aside from that, vitamin C pills are relatively safe and symptom-free (37).
However, you can easily meet your vitamin C requirements by adding fruits and vegetables to your diet, which are all high in vitamin C.
7. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important for immunological health and may have potent anti-inflammatory actions.
Researchers have discovered a relationship between low vitamin D levels and the prevalence of inflammation in multiple studies (38, 39, 40).
Researchers found that consuming 50,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D every 20 days for four months reduced inflammation compared to a control group in a small, high-quality study of 44 women with low vitamin D levels and premenstrual syndrome (41).
Research has also observed similar outcomes in patients who are vitamin D deficient in addition to being heavy (42).
The National Academy of Medicine in the United States recommends a daily intake of up to 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day for most people, while significantly greater doses may be required temporarily in some people with vitamin insufficiency to raise blood levels (43, 44, 45).
Keep in mind that too much vitamin D can cause hypervitaminosis D, a type of toxicity that can be extremely harmful or even fatal (46, 47, 4).
Conclusion
Chronic inflammation can cause chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders.
Many supplements, which contain anti-inflammatory minerals, antioxidants, or other chemicals, may aid in the reduction of inflammation in your body.
If you have a medical condition or are taking medication, check with your doctor first.
Receiving your anti-inflammatory nutrients from whole foods is good.
However, antioxidants can often help bring things back into balance with severe or chronic inflammation.
