Consumers are searching for something that will relieve the hurt and swelling of arthritis. There are hundreds of drugs that have been prescribed for it. There are two related threads that tie these medicines together. They are: the significant number of side effects and the limited number of benefits.

Even the traditional medical profession is beginning to understand this and are recommending that patients take the omega 3s in fish oil for arthritis. Naturally, people who are just starting supplements usually ask: how long does it take for fish oil to kick in for joints?

Those of you who have arthritis probably already know that is related to inflammation. The joint starts to swell and the increased pressure causes the lack of mobility and pain.

Inflammation is a result of an immune system disorder. The body overreacts to a virus, a cut, pollution or basically anything that will trigger our self defense mechanism. The problem is that, if the immune system is out of balance, it will not shut off. It keeps sending white blood cells and chemicals to the affected area to fight a non-existent problem. The result – inflammation.

If it occurs in the:

1] joints – arthritis

2] respiratory tract – allergies and asthma

3] brain – mood disorders, depression, memory problems

4] heart – strokes, heart attacks

The list is actually much longer, but I think you can see why many health professionals believe inflammatory diseases are the biggest problem that we face.

Where do omega 3s come into the picture?

The omega 3s found in fish oil are part of every cell membrane in the body. They have many functions, but one of them is to keep the immune system from over reacting. In short, these essential fatty acids may be the best weapon against inflammation that we have.

Great, but how long does it take for fish oil to kick in for the joints?

It depends on how deep in the inflammation swamp that you are. It takes about 2-to-3 months to recycle the fats in the cell membranes. If you have had arthritis for years and can barely walk, this is a longer term issue and some of the damage may be permanent.

However, the good news is that your body really wants these omega 3s. Even slow relief is better than none. In many cases, people who have been taking fish oil for a while have been able to stop using the other drugs with all their side effects.

A few points on supplementation.

Start slowly. One gram per day for about a month or so should do. If you are planning on taking doses in excess of two grams per day, it is important that you use a quality fish oil product. The ocean contaminants and/or chemical additives in mediocre products are not healthy.

What ever dosage you finally arrive at, stick with it. Omega 3s only stay in the blood a few days. It is better to take one gram per day, than 4-to-5 grams once a week.

In addition, work with a supplement  that contains some anti-oxidants. Free radicals can be one of the side effects of large doses of fish oil. This is the reason that some of the better products add vitamin E or Astaxanthin to each capsule.

Finally, being consistent in your supplementation is just as important as the length of time it takes for fish oil to work.

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