Knowledge · Topics
Musculoskeletal System
What has been investigated for joint, back, and muscle complaints?
Musculoskeletal complaints are among the most common reasons for seeking therapeutic care—and among the best-studied applications of natural substances, as pain and mobility can be comparatively well measured.
1. Which Substances Have Been Investigated for This Purpose
The overview shows how many studies exist per substance and type of investigation. A single study may be assigned to multiple topics—therefore, the numbers are not additive but instead describe this specific subset.
| Substance | in humans | of which controlled | human tissue | preliminary work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic inflammation | 635 | 83 | 3 | 316 |
| Vitamin D | 294 | 68 | 0 | 72 |
| Gut microbiome | 192 | 35 | 6 | 223 |
| Turmeric and curcumin | 108 | 59 | 0 | 138 |
| Adaptogens | 80 | 38 | 3 | 141 |
| Humic acid complexes | 71 | 30 | 0 | 15 |
2. All Substances and Therapies with Controlled Studies on Musculoskeletal System
96 substance and therapy pages assign controlled human studies to this area. The number comes from each page; one study can belong to several areas.
3. The Most Robust Studies
Ranked by evidential strength, not by familiarity.
Controlled Human Study
- 1 Efficacy of Turmeric Extracts and Curcumin for Alleviating the Symptoms of Joint Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinic (2016)
- 2 Can supplementation with vitamin D reduce the risk or modify the course of autoimmune diseases? A systematic review of the literature (2012)
- 3 Efficacy and safety of Curcuma domestica extracts compared with ibuprofen in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a multicenter study (2014)
- 4 Short-term effects of highly-bioavailable curcumin for treating knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled prospective study (2014)
- 5 The spice for joint inflammation: anti-inflammatory role of curcumin in treating osteoarthritis (2016)
- 6 Efficacy and safety of curcumin and its combination with boswellic acid in osteoarthritis: a comparative, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled (2018)
- 7 Modulation of Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage, Inflammation, and Oxidative Markers by Curcumin Supplementation in a Physically Active Population: A Systematic Review (2020)
- 8 Anti-inflammatory Diet In Rheumatoid Arthritis (ADIRA)—a randomised, controlled crossover trial indicating effects on disease activity (2020)
- 9 Reduction of delayed onset muscle soreness by a novel curcumin delivery system (Meriva®): a randomised, placebo-controlled trial (2014)
- 10 Efficacy and Safety of Curcumin and Curcuma longa Extract in the Treatment of Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials (2022)
- 11 Effect of Anti-Inflammatory Diets on Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2021)
- 12 Effectiveness of Balneotherapy in Chronic Low Back Pain – a Randomized Single-Blind Controlled Follow-up Study (2005)
- 13 Role of vitamin D supplementation in the management of musculoskeletal diseases: update from the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (2022)
- 14 Curcumin supplementation and human disease: a scoping review of clinical trials (2023)
- 15 Safety and clinical effectiveness of Withania somnifera (Linn.) Dunal root in human ailments (2020)
- 16 The efficacy and safety of Curcuma longa extract and curcumin supplements in osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2021)
- 17 Effect of curcumin on rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2023)
- 18 Relative efficacy of vitamin D₂ and vitamin D₃ in improving vitamin D status: systematic review and meta-analysis (2021)
- 19 Efficacy of curcumin and Boswellia for knee osteoarthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis (2018)
- 20 A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study examining the hormonal and vitality effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in ageing men (2019)
Sources
- 1
- 2Antico A, Tampoia M, Tozzoli R, Bizzaro N · 2012
- 3Kuptniratsaikul V, Dajpratham P, Taechaarpornkul W, Buntragulpoontawee M, Lukkanapichonchut P, Chootip C et al. · 2014
- 4Nakagawa Y, Mukai S, Yamada S, Matsuoka M, Tarumi E, Hashimoto T et al. · 2014
- 5
- 6Haroyan A, Mukuchyan V, Mkrtchyan N, Minasyan N, Gasparyan S, Sargsyan A et al. · 2018
- 7Fernández-Lázaro D, Mielgo-Ayuso J, Seco Calvo J, Córdova Martínez A, Caballero García A, Fernandez-Lazaro CI · 2020
- 8Vadell AKE, Bärebring L, Hulander E, Gjertsson I, Lindqvist HM, Winkvist A · 2020
- 9Drobnic F, Riera J, Appendino G, Togni S, Franceschi F, Valle X et al. · 2014
- 10Zeng L, Yang T, Yang K, Yu G, Li J, Xiang W et al. · 2022
- 11Schönenberger KA, Schüpfer AC, Gloy VL, Hasler P, Stanga Z, Kaegi-Braun N et al. · 2021
- 12Zoltán Balogh, József Ördögh, Attila Gász, László Német, Tamás Bender · Complementary Medicine Research · 2005
- 13Chevalley T, Brandi ML, Cashman KD, Cavalier E, Harvey NC, Maggi S et al. · 2022
- 14Panknin TM, Howe CL, Hauer M, Bucchireddigari B, Rossi AM, Funk JL · 2023
- 15Tandon N, Yadav SS · 2020
- 16Zeng L, Yu G, Hao W, Yang K, Yang K, Chen H · 2021
- 17Kou H, Huang L, Jin M, He Q, Zhang R, Ma J · 2023
- 18Balachandar R, Pullakhandam R, Kulkarni B, Sachdev HS · 2021
- 19Bannuru RR, Osani MC, Al-Eid F, Wang C · 2018
- 20
Every statement on this page carries its evidence tier — proven, plausible or hypothesis — and leads to the original work. The decision in the individual case rests with the practitioner; we provide the connections.