A daily spoon of fiber eased their knee pain

Researchers at the University of Nottingham have found that a daily fiber supplement eased knee arthritis pain and improved muscle strength in a six-week trial. The INSPIRE study followed 117 adults with knee osteoarthritis, who were assigned inulin, digitally supported physical therapy, both, or a placebo. Inulin is a prebiotic fiber found in chicory root and Jerusalem artichokes. It feeds gut bacteria, which in turn produce compounds that appear to influence how the body processes pain. Participants taking inulin reported less pain and showed better grip strength. They were also far better at sticking with it. Only 3.6% of the inulin group dropped out, compared with 21% assigned to physical therapy, a gap that tells you something about how most people feel about exercise programs. "People were able to fit this supplement easily into their daily lives," said lead author Dr. Afroditi Kouraki. The trial was small, and larger studies are needed before fiber joins standard arthritis care.