The short answer: yes and no. To understand this answer, you first need to know the basics of inflammation and what to really expect from dietary supplements.

What is inflammation?

Before you start working to reduce inflammation levels, you should be familiar with the different types of inflammation and their effects on your body.

Simply put, inflammation is your body’s normal and essential response to any harmful or dangerous stimuli. You need inflammation to survive and thrive! Without inflammation how would your body react to a bee sting or other injury? Those are examples of acute inflammation which is characterized by pain, redness, heat, swelling and possibly loss of function or mobility.

Chronic and systemic inflammation is a little more elusive. People may have low-grade inflammation throughout their bodies and not know it for years. This can be dangerous because low-grade chronic inflammation has been linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and obesity and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. Symptoms of chronic inflammation are easily overlooked or written off as something else. Possible symptoms can include fatigue, fever, rashes or chest and abdominal pain.

Determining Your Risk

Chronic inflammation develops over time and can easily go unnoticed. However, certain risk factors can promote chronic inflammation that you should be aware of. These include age, obesity, diet, tobacco use, hormonal imbalances and stress levels. In addition, if you are regularly exposed to toxins or irritants, have an autoimmune disorder or untreated acute inflammation you may also experience chronic inflammation. If you suspect that you might have chronic inflammation, visit your physician and request to have your C-reactive protein (CRP) levels checked.

If you find that your CRP is elevated or just want to improve your health, there are so many ways you can support your body to perform optimally.

Taking Control of Your Lifestyle

There’s no magic pill or potion for a poor lifestyle. Being genuinely healthy and experiencing wellness requires commitment and adequate time to allow your body to heal. Certain nutrients have been shown to help support healthy inflammation, but they can’t wholly overhaul years of processed foods, sedentary lifestyle and stress on their own.

Supporting a healthy inflammation response involves every aspect of your lifestyle. Supplements are intended to be used in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle. This involves eating a healthy anti-inflammatory diet, exercising regularly, drinking plenty of water, reducing stress and improving your mindset and attitude.