Common Fiber Supplement Eases Arthritis Pain in Six Weeks
WHO:
ZME Science - The University of Nottingham research team tested inulin in adults with knee osteoarthritis; lead researcher Afroditi Kouraki was a research fellow.
ZME Science - Ana Valdes, a study author and professor of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, discussed the observed connection between GLP-1 and grip strength.
ZME Science - Lucy Donaldson, director of research at Arthritis UK, was not involved in the trial and called the findings “exciting preliminary research.”
ZME Science - The randomized INSPIRE trial assigned 136 adults; 117 completed it. Participants averaged approximately 68 years old, and 58 percent were women.
WHAT:
ZME Science - Inulin and physiotherapy each reduced knee pain compared with placebo. Inulin was associated with a 1.11-point reduction on a 10-point pain scale; physiotherapy produced a 1.55-point reduction. Both results were statistically significant, but the study did not establish that either treatment was superior.
ZME Science - Compared with placebo, inulin improved grip strength by an average of 4.62 kilograms and reduced sensitivity to pressure and repeated painful stimulation; these benefits were not observed with physiotherapy alone.
ZME Science - Physiotherapy improved timed tests involving standing, walking, and sitting, and the number of times participants could rise from a chair in 30 seconds. Inulin did not produce these improvements. Researchers could not establish whether combining treatments added benefit.
ZME Science - Inulin recipients had increased butyrate and GLP-1 levels. Higher GLP-1 levels were associated with better grip strength.
ZME Science - Of 50 participants who completed an inulin-containing treatment, 23 reported minor digestive problems, including gas and bloating; none withdrew because of them.
ZME Science - Dropout was 3.6 percent in groups without physiotherapy and 21 percent in groups assigned physiotherapy.
NY Post - The article describes fiber as known to aid digestion and says it could also help the body “keep going.”
WHERE:
ZME Science - The trial was conducted by researchers at the University of Nottingham.
ZME Science - Inulin occurs in foods including chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes, onions, and garlic.
WHEN:
ZME Science - The trial lasted six weeks.
ZME Science - The study was published in the journal *Nutrients*.
WHY:
ZME Science - Researchers investigated whether changing gut-bacteria activity could help manage osteoarthritis symptoms because gut microbes can regulate inflammation and produce chemicals that may influence pain.
ZME Science - The article says arthritis pain does not always correspond to visible joint damage, because the nervous system also affects pain perception.
HOW:
ZME Science - Participants were assigned to four groups: 20 grams of inulin daily, digitally supported physiotherapy, both treatments, or maltodextrin placebo.
ZME Science - Inulin passes largely intact through the small intestine and is fermented by bacteria in the large intestine, producing short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate.
ZME Science - Researchers assessed pain, painful-pressure sensitivity, grip strength, physical performance, short-chain fatty acids, and GLP-1. The article says larger, longer trials are needed to confirm the results and clarify the mechanisms.
(UPDATED October 30, 2026 12:25 UTC)
A Nottingham trial found inulin and physiotherapy each reduced knee pain in adults with osteoarthritis. Inulin also improved grip strength, while physiotherapy helped participants perform everyday movement tests. The six-week study was small, and researchers say larger trials are needed to confirm these findings.
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(UPDATED October 30, 2026 01:15 UTC)
A six-week University of Nottingham trial found that inulin, a type of fiber, and physiotherapy each reduced knee pain in adults with osteoarthritis, though researchers could not determine whether either treatment worked better than the other. Compared with placebo, inulin also improved grip strength and reduced sensitivity to painful stimulation, while physiotherapy improved walking and chair-rise tests; inulin recipients had higher levels of butyrate and GLP-1, and higher GLP-1 was associated with stronger grip. Some people taking inulin reported minor digestive problems, and researchers say larger, longer trials are needed to confirm the findings and clarify how the fiber may help.