Pain Reduction

Natural Ways to Address Pain and Inflammation

Throbbing. Aching. Stabbing. Sharp. Dull. Intermittent. Shooting. Gnawing. Burning. No matter how one experiences or describes it, no one likes to be in pain.

Pain is an inflammatory response that sends a signal to your nervous system that something is not right. And while some inflammation in the body is normal and provides protection from infections or toxins, too much inflammation can lead to widespread, long-lasting pain.

Regardless of its etiology, chronic pain is, unfortunately, a fact of life for many people. Sometimes, pain can be acute, such as a result of a short-term overuse of a muscle or an injury. Other times, pain can be an unwanted side effect of a disease or an auto-immune disorder.

“Chronic systemic inflammation is linked to many health concerns, diseases, and symptoms of aging,” said Tim Hammond, vice president sales & marketing, Bergstrom Nutrition, a manufacturer headquartered in Washington State.

In fact, in 2016, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reported that 50 million

U.S. adults, representing 20.4 percent of the population, had chronic pain, with another 8 percent experiencing high-impact chronic pain. That is one in five Americans who deal with pain on a daily basis.

Over the years, many people have been overprescribed addictive, prescription medication for pain conditions, leading to an out-of-control opioid crisis in this country. But even non-addictive and over-the-counter pain medications can have their downsides, which is why many consumers are seeking alternative ways to control pain and reduce the inflammation leading to the pain response.

 

Pain and Inflammation—A Widespread Issue

Owing to the fact that pain is indeed a prevalent issue for a significant percentage of Americans, Betsy’s Health Foods in Texas carries around 70 products to support pain and inflammation, and that does not include fish oil, glucosamine and chondroitin. These types of products have historically been and continue to be important to customers.

“This category of products has always been popular, especially if you consider the gateway question for this category involves the key word, ‘pain,’” said Ramona Billingslea, marketing and education manager for the store. “People may not associate inflammation support directly with all their areas of pain, however. This is where we get the chance to educate. For example, those with mood and stress issues often don’t understand that they could benefit from a healthier inflammation response, as well as those with heart health and general brain health concerns.”

“Inflammation, the silent killer, is a constant threat to all,” added Herb Lewis, sales vice president with Green Gorilla, a manufacturer based in California. “Due to so many common factors, such as stress, toxins, aging, exertion, etc., we all have a level of microcellular inflammation, negatively affecting gut, NS, arteries, brain and our joints.” Therefore, he added that natural anti- inflammatory products are the most important wellness supplement that people should take daily.

 

Market Trends for Pain/Inflammation Products

As pain does not discriminate among gender or age, supplements for pain and inflammation appeal to a wide demographic. Active people of any age may experience joint aches, making anti- inflammatory relief a top concern.

“Pain and inflammation products appeal to individuals who may be looking to avoid NSAIDs [nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs] or pharmaceuticals. More than 70 million prescriptions for NSAIDs are written each year in the United States. With over-the-counter use included, more than 30 billion doses of NSAIDs are consumed annually in the United States alone,” said Jennifer Weinhardt, BS, MS, senior research and development specialist with Texas-based Bluebonnet Nutrition Corporation.

Weinhardt added that many consumers are looking for complementary or alternative ways to support a normal pain and inflammation response. She said that supplements are one component, as are yoga, acupuncture, tai chi and massage therapy.

Cheryl Myers, head of scientific affairs and education for Terry Naturally/EuroPharma, a manufacturer based in Wisconsin, said that because pain is evergreen, there is a large potential for the pain and inflammation supplement market across a wide consumer group. “You have various demographics experiencing different kinds of pain: Boomers who may have chronic pain conditions, like lower back pain; athletes of all ages who are looking for faster and healthier recovery from exercise; busy people and students who may deal with tension headaches; and pretty much everyone wants an effective alternative to risky drugs for general pain relief,” she said.

Impacting this market is the unfortunate rise of the opioid epidemic and an overall desire for many people to seek out alternative solutions for pain. “The burden of good stewardship is up to the health food stores and supplement manufacturers to provide guidance about natural solutions that work as effectively and quickly without the dangers of side effects,” said Myers. The coronavirus has impacted the retail sector overall, but Lewis said that there is nonetheless an increase in consumers looking for supplements for wellness and stress.

 

CBD’s Rise in Popularity

Over the past several years, CBD has seen a rise in prominence in the pain and inflammation market. “The consumer group has widened as more and more consumers begin to understand the benefits of CBD and learn about the natural plant-based power of hemp,” said Lewis. Still, he said, the market for CBD products specifically has been impacted by lack of regulation, which “… has allowed many companies to sell toxic products due to the lack of uniform standards across the industry.”

Jason Mitchell, ND, co-CEO and cofounder of Hemp Fusion, (Colorado), agreed. “I think that because the CBD market came on so quickly you have companies that have entered the space without a proper understanding of rules and regulations that govern supplements, drugs and cosmetics. For that reason, it has created a lot of confusion for consumers who just want an honest understanding of what to believe. Too many of these companies are making illegal, unsubstantiated claims of what their products can do and creating false hope.”

Kelly Pris, marketing director with Mountain Meadow Herbs, in Montana, agreed that there is a huge market for pain and inflammation supplements, particularly in light of hemp and CBD products. “Companies are trying to educate consumers on natural solutions opposed to NSAIDs and the even more dangers opioid drugs. Hemp and CBD have become major players in this, as well as the tried and true turmeric root,” said Pris.

“Historically these supplements have been most appealing to the older generation, with arthritis and aging bodies playing a major role. We believe the market has widened substantially in recent years due to the increased awareness that there are natural solutions for pain management,” she added, especially as the younger generation is often more willing to try something new and alternative.

Ryan McHargue, technology director with New Mexico-based manufacturer, Aromaland, noted that there is a general increase in people seeking natural products to support health and well- being, and CBD has a role to play.

“As more research provides reports of experience with CBD and more health practitioners work with their patients, the market will only increase for supportive therapies. Since health is the No. 1 concern at the moment, we can only anticipate an increase in supplement sales,” McHargue said.

 

Natural Supplements/Ingredients to Support Pain and Inflammation

Green Gorilla’s bestselling supplement is its 1,500 mg Pure CBD oil. “Organic turmeric, rosemary and extra virgin olive oil act as beneficial ingredients for antioxidants, reducing inflammation and immune system support,” said Lewis. The company’s bestselling topical product is its 300 mg CBD Balm, a salve containing beeswax, eucalyptus, lavender, black seed oil, and curcumin and rosemary, designed to reduce inflammation.

Bergstrom Nutrition has been producing MSM—methylsulfonylmethane—as a raw ingredient for 30 years. Though MSM has a variety of uses, the company focuses on pain and inflammation. “MSM has been shown in multiple studies to reduce oxidative stress, thus protecting the body from advanced aging and other detrimental effects of oxidative stress and inflammation, said Hammond. The company’s product, OptiMSM, the only MSM produced in the USA, is “… a natural anti-inflammatory with antioxidant properties benefiting healthy aging in three key areas: joint, muscle and skin,” said Hammond, adding that research shows it also reduces pain and muscle damage following exercise. Delivery systems for this ingredient include powder drink mixes, capsules, and tablets.

One of Mountain Meadows’ first products was Everyday Joint & Muscle Formula. A newer product in its pain and inflammation category is Hemp+. Pris said that the ‘plus’ in this blend “refers to the addition of essential vitamins that may provide additional support. Calcium, vitamin C, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D are important nutrients for your body any time, but especially when you’re pushing yourself physically on a daily basis.”

Another newer product by Mountain Meadows is Active Joint and Muscle capsules, containing curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric. Pris said that the company’s bestselling supplement is Herbal Calcium, noting it has additional benefits for pain relief, and joint, bone and muscle health.

Bluebonnet’s top-selling product in the pain and management category is Targeted Choice Pain and Inflammation Support Capsules. These contain a unique blend of herbal extracts, including CurcuWin, a bioavailable turmeric root abstract and quercetin, ginger root, bromelain, among others. Importantly, the supplement contains boswellia extract. “New research on Boswellia serrata prompted the research and development team to investigate its benefits for product formulation in the pain and inflammation category,” said Weinhardt. “Specifically, AprèsFlex is a potent and fast-acting boswellia extract that has been clinically shown at 100 mg per day to significantly improve pain scores and physical function scores in subjects with joint discomfort in as early as five days after beginning use. It also demonstrated efficacy at the same dose for inhibiting inflammatory markers and enzymes.”

HempFusion manufactures a line of eight topical products for pain relief; they are considered over-the-counter topicals. “The name HempFusion means that we take hemp, the hero ingredient that includes cannabinoids, like CBD, and combine it with other botanicals and nutraceuticals that provide support to the body to reach a desired outcome and that we are able to market in a compliant way,” said Mitchell.

One of Terry Naturally/EuroPharma’s first launches was a pain-relieving product, Curamin, which remains one of its top sellers. Its main ingredient is BCM-95 curcumin, which is blended with turmeric essential oils for better absorption and blood retention. Plus, Myers said it has the benefit of turmerones, which are “… anti-inflammatory compounds in their own right.” In general, Myers said that Curamin “… changed the landscape of natural pain relief. It delivers ingredients that relieve pain right away and stop the inflammatory damage that causes pain. That, in turn, not only makes people feel better, but it gives them a chance to heal.”

The company’s Curamin Extra Strength formula is paired with a unique boswellia extract, and both formulas contain nattokinase, an enzyme that increases microcirculation, enabling the other ingredients to target the pain where it is needed the most, according to Myers.

“All of this means that people begin to notice a difference sooner than they’d probably expect— and they aren’t setting themselves up for addiction, stomach and liver damage, or increased risk of heart attack, as happens with opioids or prescription and over-the-counter drugs,” said Myers.

She added that one of the reasons the supplements are so popular is that people are surprised by the results and the speed of effectiveness. “The old story for supplemental pain relief was that it took time to reduce the inflammatory damage or build joint tissue that would ultimately result in less pain. In those circumstances, it’s understandable that someone in pain would get impatient and take supplements along with over-the-counter medicines in order to get fast symptom relief while waiting for the supplements to take effect,” she said.

EuroPharma also has a full line of hemp oil supplements called Hemp Select, a full-spectrum hemp oil, containing a complete set of phytocannabinoids. As its name suggests, another supplement combines the benefits of hemp with curcumin: Hemp Select + Curcumin. Another product, Curamin Headache Relief, combines curcumin, boswellia, and DLPA with vitamin B6 along with melatonin.

Aromaland was one of the original aromatherapy companies in the U.S. and branched out into CBD. The company offers three CBD products in both topical and ingestible delivery methods: Capsules 10 mg, Tincture 250 mg and Cream with Arnica and Menthol 100 mg/oz. “Our capsules are a simple formulation, with easy absorption. Our entire line of tinctures is very strong in sales as we offer them in a wide range of strengths (from 125 mg to 1,600 mg/oz.) in three flavors— natural, orange and peppermint, the last two with natural essential oil as flavor,” said McHargue. Aromaland has also added new CBD products with ingredients derived from the hemp plant to its existing skus, including functional terpenes and other cannabinoids, such as CBG and CBN.

 

Staying Informed

“Know Thy Product” is an important commandment for retailers. Knowledge that can be passed on to end consumers is key to building trust and garnering repeat customers. This is a tenet to which Betsy’s Health Foods has long subscribed.

“For the most part, we work with our customers one-on-one to provide information about products. However, I definitely come back to inflammation often as a popular category for health articles and videos for my blog posts. These blogs also get emailed to our customers. Customers can access our blog posts online and through our store’s APP,” said Billingslea.

“Knowledge is power. The more transparent a seller is with their products, the ingredients, and the research, the more willing a consumer is to invest,” added Pris.

Manufacturers often will provide educational opportunities, demos, samples and product information sheets. “Our reps can customize and apply product specials, staff support, as well as place merchandizing aids, shelf talkers and silent sales material to guide shoppers,” said Lewis.

HempFusion assists retailers in promoting the sale of its products by participating in any in-house marketing programs and offers customized materials—from shelf talkers to posters to digital assets—to help promote awareness of items. And Aromaland also offers data sheets, price sheets, brochures and other materials, including a CBD gummy display with opening orders.

 

Tips for Retailers

Designating a specific anti-inflammatory section in the store can go a long way, along with literature displays. The literature should include printed copies of the most relevant research studies, which brings attention and confidence in a purchase, said Lewis.

Myers added that brand blocks make a visual impact in an end cap or specially designated section of the store. “To help punctuate the display, we also furnish ‘Got Pain?’ banners, posters and other signage that makes that message stand out for customers. These are visually appealing, quality collateral pieces that truly add value and can easily help stores boost sales,” she said.

Billingslea said the store depends on product information from manufacturers. “All our suppliers are very transparent with their products, meaning we can ask them questions any time and get good information about products when they are launched to help us make wise buying decisions,” she noted. One challenge in selling these products is being careful with not violating FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) regulations because of the word “pain.” “I even usually try to say, ‘healthy inflammation response’ instead of just inflammation so I don’t cross any lines between supplement and medicine,” Billingslea said.

“The second challenge to this category is getting customers to understand that supplements are not drugs. They are not something you take one or two times and notice a difference. Usually, supplements are working to bring balance back in the body, which takes time. Also, the body probably needs more than just one nutrient to make a significant change,” she added.

 

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By Hilary Daninhirsch

Reference:

www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6736a2.htm

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