To evaluate the effectiveness of Heal n Soothe, let's delve into the individual ingredients found in the supplement. By analyzing the research and clinical trials surrounding each component, we can gain insight into whether these ingredients truly contribute to pain relief.
Enzyme blend - The enzyme blend in Heal n Soothe contains three types of protease, bromelain, and papain. Protease is a digestive enzyme that breaks down protein. While there is no evidence suggesting that proteases reduce pain, a medical review published in the Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis journal suggests that protease may actually increase pain. [1] This finding raises concerns about its presence in Heal n Soothe.
On the other hand, bromelain, a digestive enzyme extracted from pineapple, [2] has shown promise in reducing inflammatory markers, indicating its potential for pain relief. Similarly, papain, sourced from papaya, has been demonstrated to significantly reduce lower back pain in combination with bromelain and an anti-inflammatory drug in a clinical trial.
While bromelain and papain exhibit some potential for pain relief, the inclusion of protease in Heal n Soothe raises questions about its overall effectiveness.
Boswellia serrata extract 150mg - Boswellia dosed effectively at 150 mg, has been shown to be effective for pain relief in the range of 100 mg to 250 mg. Boswellia extract has been shown to be as effective as NSAIDs in clinical trials, [3] which means it is a good inclusion in Heal n Soothe.
Citrus bioflavonoid complex 90 mg - is far from it's effective dosing range, so we won't see any positive from heal n soothe here when it comes to joint pain relief.
Ginger root extract 90mg - This is simply not going to be enough to achieve the desired effects. Clinical trials on ginger extract typically use doses ranging from 600 mg to 2500 mg, significantly higher than the amount found in Heal n Soothe.
Yucca 90mg - yucca in Heal n Soothe is interesting, as it has demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties in animal studies at least, but we don't know how these will translate to humans. Added to which, there is a lack of dosing recommendations for this ingredient.
Turmeric 60mg - Turmeric extract is one of the most well known botanical ingredients for joint supplements, is included in Heal n Soothe but in its raw form, which is less potent than a concentrated extract. Studies on turmeric for pain relief typically utilize doses over 10 times higher than the amount found in Heal n Soothe. The reason for this is that curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric that aids joint pain relief, is only about 4-12% of the compound and you need around 500mg of it to be in the clinical trialled range for joint pain, meaning ones again heal n sooth, under doses horrendously.
Alpha-lipoic acid 50mg - Alpha lipolic acid has been shown to reduce inflammation and arthritis symptoms, but the minimum effective dose of alpha-lipoic acid is 400 mg.
Devil's Claw root extract 30mg - Another horribly under dosed ingredient as the effective Devil's Claw root studies used doses over 30 times higher than the amount in Heal n Soothe.
While some of the botanical ingredients in Heal n Soothe show promise for pain relief, the overall formulation raises concerns about the effectiveness of the supplement.
A concerning aspect of Heal n Soothe is its potential blood-thinning effect. While the manufacturer mentions this warning on their website, they do not specify which ingredients are responsible for this effect. This lack of transparency raises concerns and underscores the importance of consulting with a healthcare professional before starting the supplement, especially for individuals taking blood-thinning medications or with underlying medical conditions.
Heal n Soothe is available for purchase through various online retailers. To find the best price, it's essential to compare different sellers. At the time of writing, the brand's website sells Heal n Soothe for $69.95, while Walmart offers it for $64.95 through a third-party seller. However, Amazon provides the most cost-effective option, with the supplement priced at $49 and free shipping.
To summarize our findings, let's examine the pros and cons of using Heal n Soothe for pain relief.
Pros:
Contains some research-backed ingredients for pain relief
No questionable additive ingredients
Free trial available through the brand's website
Cons:
Some active ingredients may be under-dosed
Potential blood-thinning effect
Questionable claims and citations on the brand's website
Mixed user reviews on Amazon
Protease may increase pain
1 - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36223770/
2 - https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/bromelain
3 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3309643/