Boswellia Serrata (Indian Frankincense): Nature’s Answer to Inflammation and Beyond

Secure Ordering | Free Shipping | 20% Off Retail Prices

Along with providing information on whether Boswellia Serrata supplements might be right for you, this article also links to Fullscript where you can buy supplements online through Fullscript’s secure healthcare formulary and get free shipping and 20% off the retail price of professional-grade supplements.

Boswellia, an ancient resin, stands out for its anti-inflammatory properties, offering a natural remedy for chronic conditions like osteoarthritis. This article explores Boswellia supplements, focusing on their potential health benefits, especially in managing joint pain and inflammation. Along with providing information on whether boswellia supplements might be right for you, we examine the scientific evidence behind Boswellia’s effectiveness and discuss how to incorporate it into daily health routines for maximum benefit.

What Is Boswellia Serrata?

Boswellia serrata is a tree that grows in certain parts of Asia and Africa. It’s special because it produces a resin, often called frankincense, that’s been used for hundreds of years in traditional medicine.

The reason why this resin is so useful is that it’s full of something called boswellic acids. These compounds have the ability to help reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. This makes Boswellia serrata a popular choice for dealing with conditions like arthritis, which cause painful swelling in the joints, or asthma, which affects the airways in the lungs.

More recently, Boswellia serrata has been turned into supplements that people can take to help manage their joint health or reduce inflammation in their bodies. You’ll most commonly find it in capsules, but it also comes in creams and lotions that you can apply directly to your skin where it hurts.

Just remember, it’s always a good idea to talk to a doctor or healthcare provider before you start using Boswellia serrata. It might not work well with some other medicines, and it’s not suitable for everyone. Also, make sure you buy your supplements from a trustworthy source to make sure they’re safe and high-quality.

AKBA and The Other Boswellic Acids

Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid, commonly known as AKBA, is a standout component in the resin of the Boswellia serrata tree, the primary source for Boswellia supplements. Celebrated for its potent anti-inflammatory properties, AKBA is often recognized as the most active and beneficial of the boswellic acids. Its effectiveness lies in its ability to inhibit the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), a key player in the body’s inflammatory process. This action makes AKBA particularly valuable in treating conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other inflammatory disorders, as it reduces inflammation and associated pain. In arthritis, for instance, AKBA’s contribution to diminishing joint inflammation and pain is key in improving mobility and quality of life for sufferers.

Beyond joint health, research suggests that AKBA might also play a role in managing other health issues, including certain types of cancer, asthma, and inflammatory bowel diseases, though further studies are needed to confirm these potential benefits. Boswellia supplements, recognizing the importance of AKBA, often standardize their formulations to contain a specific percentage of this compound. The concentration of AKBA can vary, with higher percentages generally indicating a more potent and effective supplement. This emphasis on AKBA in Boswellia supplements underscores its critical role in leveraging the anti-inflammatory and therapeutic properties of Boswellia, making it a key component in health and wellness regimens focused on managing inflammation and pain.

What are the Benefits of Boswellia Serrata?

Boswellia serrata, also known as Indian frankincense, has long been recognized in traditional medicine for its health benefits. Here are some of the key ways it may support human health:

• Joint Health and Osteoarthritis: It is particularly effective in reducing joint pain and inflammation in conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, offering a natural alternative to traditional painkillers and improving joint mobility and quality of life for sufferers. [PMC7368679]
• Chronic Inflammatory Conditions: Boswellia helps manage chronic inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, by reducing inflammation in the digestive tract and alleviating symptoms. [PMID: 9049593]
• Pain Relief: As a natural painkiller, Boswellia provides relief from various forms of pain, including chronic pain, without the side effects often associated with synthetic pain medications.
• Asthma: By reducing inflammation in the airways, Boswellia can decrease the frequency and severity of asthma attacks, offering relief for asthma sufferers.
• Skin Health: Applied topically, it aids in treating skin conditions like eczema, reducing inflammation, and promoting healing, thereby improving the appearance and health of the skin.
• Cancer: Preliminary research suggests that Boswellia might inhibit the growth of certain cancer cells, showing potential as a complementary therapy in cancer treatment.
• Anti-Aging Properties: Its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make Boswellia a potential anti-aging agent, particularly beneficial for maintaining skin health and preventing signs of aging.
• Mental Health: Early studies indicate Boswellia’s potential to positively affect mood disorders due to its impact on brain inflammation, suggesting benefits for mental well-being.
• Cardiovascular Health: Boswellia may improve heart health by positively influencing blood lipid levels, though further research is needed to fully understand its impact on cardiovascular health.
• Immune System Support: Its modulation of inflammatory responses can also support overall immune health, contributing to a more balanced immune system.

Are Boswellia Serrata Supplements Safe?

Boswellia serrata is generally considered safe for most people when used as directed. However, it can interact with certain medications.

Medication Interactions with Boswellia

• Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): These are medications like ibuprofen and aspirin. Boswellia serrata can have similar effects to these drugs, so using them together may increase the risk of side effects, such as stomach upset, heartburn, and ulcers.
• Blood Thinners: These are medications like warfarin and heparin. Boswellia serrata might slow blood clotting, so taking it with these medications could increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
• Immunosuppressants: These are drugs that reduce the body’s immune response, often used to prevent organ rejection after transplantation or to manage autoimmune conditions. As Boswellia serrata may stimulate the immune system, it could reduce the effectiveness of these drugs.

Supplement Interactions with Boswellia

• Turmeric/Curcumin Supplements: Both have anti-inflammatory properties similar to Boswellia serrata. When taken together, they could amplify each other’s effects. This can be beneficial but may also lead to an over-thinning of the blood or digestive issues.
• Fish Oil Supplements: Known for their anti-inflammatory and blood-thinning properties. Taken with Boswellia serrata, these supplements could increase the risk of excessive bleeding due to their combined blood-thinning effects.
• Garlic and Ginkgo Biloba Supplements: Both can slow down blood clotting. Taking Boswellia serrata alongside these supplements may further slow blood clotting, which could heighten the risk of bruising and bleeding.
• Glucosamine Supplements: Commonly used for joint health, similar to Boswellia serrata. Using these supplements together may amplify the benefits for joint health, but it could also enhance potential side effects.

When you purchase linked products presented on this page, Supplement Sciences, LLC receives affiliate fees so that our dietitians can continue to create great content.

Thank you for your support!

Order Boswellia Supplements

Why Professionals Choose the Fullscript Formulary

Your health is on the line. Health professionals know that many other online and retail options set a very low bar for quality–sometimes amazingly low. The Fullscript formulary is the most secure online source for the highest quality brands securely sourced to assure freshness and purity. Here’s what makes Fullscript the best:

• Meticulous vetting of brand quality. Health professionals trust Fullscript to continuously monitor the quality of each item on the platform. Other retailers operate with profit as their highest or only motive when choosing brands. Fullscript cares only about quality and reliability. Unlike discount stores, large online marketplaces, and other retailers you won’t find ingredients sourced from China or other questionable locations or companies.
• Always 20% Discount off the manufacturer’s retail price. When you follow any link from Supplement-Sciences.com, you will automatically get 20% off the retail price.
• Free shipping over $50.
• Freshness. Fullscript prioritizes freshness over bulk buying even if it means an increased risk of briefly being out of stock.
• Top quality phone and online support. When you call, knowledgeable humans at Fullscript answer your questions.
• How It Works:
  • Easy Sign-up & No Spam Email: Click the “View Product” button below to be taken to Fullscript’s login page where you can quickly create your secure account with just your name, email, and phone number. Then you will be taken directly to the product page.
  • Wide variety of supplement options: Once you sign in to your account, you are not limited to the products listed below. You will see similar items listed at the bottom of each product page on Fullscript.
  • Search For What You Want: Once inside Fullscript, you can search for the exact brands and products you want from their wide selection of quality brands.

Food First!

Although this article discusses supplements in detail, don’t forget that we are absolutely committed to the “Food First” approach to nutrition. When it comes to your health, the totality of your eating habits far surpasses the impact of individual nutrients or any single supplement you consume. Even though this article doesn’t delve into the broader picture of your overall diet, it’s crucial to keep this element at the forefront of our minds. Your food needs to provide all the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals to nourish your body systems down to the cellular level.

Food choices, rather than supplements, are the most critical factors for a healthy gut microbiome. These trillions of tiny inhabitants in your gut affect your brain waves; they orchestrate your immune system. They possess the power to create molecules that can switch genes on or off and are even capable of synthesizing neurotransmitters. Opting for organic foods and steering clear of plastic packaging (including those labeled BPA-free) is a smart move to limit toxin exposure. The sum of all these parts leads to a powerful conclusion: the ultimate key to your health lies in the quality and balance of the food you consume. Supplements are secondary.

To Sum It Up

Boswellia supplements have shown a remarkable potential in offering natural relief and therapeutic benefits for a range of health concerns. Notably effective in reducing inflammation, Boswellia has proven especially beneficial for those with joint conditions like arthritis, as well as for managing chronic inflammatory disorders. Beyond its anti-inflammatory properties, its potential in supporting respiratory health, aiding digestion, and possibly contributing to cancer therapy marks it as a versatile herbal remedy. While more research is needed to fully understand its scope and mechanisms, the current evidence positions Boswellia as a promising natural alternative for individuals seeking relief from inflammation and pain.

This Article is Not a Substitute for Medical Advice

Dietary supplements are not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The Supplement Sciences website seeks to provide comprehensive access to the most relevant supplement information along with convenient online ordering. We do not provide medical advice and cannot guarantee that every product suggested is completely without risk. Since each person is unique in their health history and medication use, it is important to discuss supplements with your personal physician. Specifically, pregnant women and individuals being treated for cancer or liver or kidney problems must consult their physician about every nutritional supplement they plan to take. People taking medications for the treatment of HIV or with a history of organ transplant must not take supplements without consulting with their physician.