How long does it take to feel better after taking anti-inflammatory supplements?
What’s the connection between inflammation and discomfort?
It’s common to experience joint or muscle discomfort after a tough workout or minor injury. What’s causing this discomfort?
One of the main reasons we experience discomfort is inflammation. Inflammation is the immune system’s way of starting the healing process. During inflammation, immune cells release certain chemicals that tell nerve cells we are injured. This results in us experiencing discomfort.
While we do not want to entirely prevent inflammation, we typically do not want it to continue past the point of being helpful in the healing process. This is where anti-inflammatory foods and herbs can come into play.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications and Supplements
Some people choose to take anti-inflammatory OTC medications like Tylenol, Aleve or Advil (commonly referred to as NSAIDs) to relieve their joint and muscle discomfort caused by inflammation.
Concerned about side effects, some people look for natural alternatives to these OTC drugs and try out anti-inflammatory supplements instead.
Commonly used anti-inflammatory supplements include things like CBD, turmeric, ashwagandha, and boswellia.
While anti-inflammatory medications kick in in less than an hour…how long does it take to get discomfort relief from anti-inflammatory supplements?
Do anti-inflammatory supplements provide quick discomfort relief?
While more research needs to be done in this area, anecdotal evidence suggests that some supplements may offer quicker discomfort relief than others.
CBD has become popular among people who experience chronic knee and back discomfort because it seems to successfully relieve discomfort quickly. This is because in addition to fighting inflammation, CBD positively affects other pathways that result in discomfort.
Some people experience relief within a few minutes or a few hours, depending on the type of product they used. Because CBD can be ingested by mouth or applied topically to skin, people looking for discomfort relief can experiment with both to find what works best for them.
Other anti-inflammatory supplements like turmeric or curcumin extract, boswellia, and ashwagandha may not provide as much discomfort relief in the short term compared to CBD. 
Inflammation relieving benefits from anti-inflammatory supplements made from herbs or functional foods may be more gradual and come from consistent use. This is because it takes time to get excess inflammation under control.
Looking for natural discomfort relief from inflamed knees or sore muscles?
Amari’s formulas are specially designed to help active people feel better today and tomorrow. Our formulas include CBD, turmeric extract, boswellia, rhodiola, and ashwagandha - a combination that may help people get discomfort and relief from inflammation from exercise.
Summary
Anti-inflammatory medications and CBD may provide discomfort relief relatively quickly. While CBD does help resolve inflammation from exercise, it can also positively affect multiple systems in our bodies that are responsible for creating discomfort.
However, relief from other anti-inflammatory supplements like turmeric, boswellia and ashwagandha may come more gradually, especially after taking them on a consistent basis. This is because it takes time to bring excess inflammation from exercise back into balance.
Choosing a supplement that includes both CBD and medicinal herbs like the ones mentioned in this article may provide the best of both worlds for people who want relief from muscle and joint inflammation.
Check with your doctor
Many supplements, including commonly used ones like turmeric, may have undesired interactions with prescription medications or certain health conditions. It’s best to run supplements by your doctor before trying them to ensure it’s safe for you to try them.
Written by Katie Mednick, MBA, RDN
Katie is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who is passionate about helping people who struggle with chronic inflammation and discomfort feel better.
