Osteo Bi-Flex is a dietary supplement that promotes joint health. Some consumers use it to relieve pain. The brand claims that users can "start feeling the difference in your joint comfort in just 7 days."
But does Osteo Bi-Flex contain research-backed ingredients for pain relief and joint support? Does it contain any unhealthy ingredients? What was our Product Tester's honest experience trying it for two months with arthritis? And why was the manufacturer sued?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Osteo Bi-Flex to give our take on whether or not the supplement is likely to relieve joint pain, and whether or not the supplement is healthy.
We'll also document why the manufacturer of this supplement was sued, and compare it to other popular joint health supplements to pick our winners.
Key takeaways:
- Contains research-backed ingredients for pain relief
- Improved formulation with harmful additive removed
- We currently recommend Osteo Bi-Flex
Ingredient Analysis
The active ingredients in Osteo Bi-Flex Triple Strength are shown below:
image source: https://www.osteobiflex.com/
Glucosamine is an effective ingredient for relieving joint pain.
A medical review compared glucosamine (at the same dose as in Osteo Bi-Flex) to ibuprofen use for joint pain, and the researchers found the two treatments equally effective.
Joint Shield is a trademarked ingredient which is an extract of Boswellia serrata, a plant native to India and northern Africa.
As we documented in our review of Golden Revive Plus, Boswellia extract is clinically shown to relieve pain in arthritis patients at the same dose as included in Osteo Bi-Flex.
Chondroitin/MSM Complex is the final active ingredient, and this blend appears to be more effective than either ingredient in isolation.
A 2017 clinical trial reported that this blend reduced pain scores to a statistically significant degree in patients with knee arthritis.
The inactive ingredients in Osteo Bi-Flex, shown below, should be safe and non-toxic:
image source: https://www.osteobiflex.com/
Since our initial publication of this article, the company removed titanium dioxide, which is a colorant that is banned in the European Union for use as a food additive over concerns of genotoxicity.
Overall, we consider Osteo Bi-Flex likely to be effective for relieving pain and providing joint support.
This is a very well-formulated supplement, and is one of the few dietary supplements we’ve reviewed to date on Illuminate Health where we consider all of the active ingredients to be effectively dosed.
Why Was Osteo Bi-Flex Sued?
In 2018, the manufacturer of Osteo Bi-Flex was sued over claims of false advertising, according to the Top Class Actions website.
The plaintiffs alleged that the supplements were “worthless” because glucosamine did not relieve pain.
It’s unclear if the lawsuit was ever brought to trial or if it was settled out-of-court.
While in some cases it can be a red flag for a supplement company to be sued, we don’t consider this to be much of a red flag, given that there is extensive clinical data backing the active ingredients in Osteo Bi-Flex for joint support.
This doesn’t mean that the supplement will work for all consumers, but it’s certainly better-formulated than many joint support and pain relief supplements we’ve reviewed.
We Tested Osteo Bi-Flex
One of our product testers named Jodie Steinberg tried Osteo Bi-Flex One Per Day for two months.
Here's her experience:
The product came in a standard bottle that was easy to open and close. The pill is tasteless and odorless.
I have an arthritic knee, so I was curious if this would help. I can safely say I really think this product works.
Normally my knee would act up where I would feel some sort of weakness or instability depending on my activity level. I would then usually have to wear a brace for two to three days until it calmed down, and change how I descended the stairs in my home to reduce pain.
However, while I was taking this supplement, I had no issues with my knee. I never had to wear a brace or modify my activities. Even when I could tell my knee was slightly feeling a little out of the norm, it didn't worsen like it usually does, and my knee was feeling fine the same day.
I also use collagen powder, and I feel this supplement enhanced the benefits of the collagen. My knee was feeling pretty good overall.
I didn't experience any side effects. The only thing to be aware of is that the pill size is quite large, so if you have issues swallowing large pills, this might not be for you.
Overall, I would rate Osteo Bi-Flex 10/10, and would purchase it again.
What’s the Best Osteo Bi-Flex Product?
Triple Strength is only one of many Osteo Bi-Flex products.
Here’s our quick takes on some of the brand’s other supplements:
Regular Strength
Doesn’t contain MSM so may be less effective.
Recall the clinical trial from the previous ingredient analysis which found glucosamine and chondroitin to only be effective for pain relief if combined with MSM.
Our verdict: Worse formulation than Triple Strength
Triple Strength + Magnesium
Doesn’t contain MSM.
Also contains three artificial dyes: Red 40, Blue 2 and Yellow 5.
As we documented in our review of Midol ingredients, artificial dyes have no health benefits and pose some toxicity concerns, so it seems logical to avoid supplements containing them.
Our verdict: Less healthy formulation than Triple Strength
Triple Strength with Vitamin D
Low vitamin D status is associated with increased risk of joint pain and arthritis, according to a meta-study published in the Public Health Nutrition journal.
This supplement may be more effective for patients with low vitamin D status than Osteo Bi-Flex Triple Strength.
We’d recommend getting bloodwork done at a doctor’s office to check vitamin D status first.
Our verdict: Superior formulation to Triple Strength for individuals with low vitamin D levels
Does Osteo Bi-Flex Cause Side Effects?
Consumers are often curious about whether Osteo Bi-Flex is likely to cause side effects, given that the brand’s website does not include any information about side effects at the time of updating this article.
Osteo Bi-Flex does not appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, so it’s challenging to say whether or not the supplement will cause side effects.
However, we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.
Glucosamine, which is the highest-dosed active ingredient in Osteo Bi-Flex, was not shown to cause any side effects in a medical review published in the American Family Physician journal.
When glucosamine was combined with chondroitin, the risk of gastrointestinal adverse events was 2.7x higher than placebo, according to a 2018 meta-study.
This data suggests that Osteo Bi-Flex may cause side effects such as digestive discomfort because it contains both of these active ingredients.
There are no warnings listed on the Supplement Facts label, so we do not believe this supplement is likely to cause severe side effects.
Osteo Bi-Flex vs. Popular Joint Health Supps
Here's how Osteo Bi-Flex compares to other popular joint health supplements in terms of potential effectiveness and healthiness, in our opinion:
Relief Factor
Like Osteo Bi-Flex, this is a potent formulation that's free of unhealthy additives.
A meta-analysis found that omega-3 supplementation significantly relieved pain and improved joint function in osteoarthritis patients.
The side effect profile for Relief Factor is slightly superior, and our Product Tester used this product and experienced significant relief, giving it a slight edge.
Winner: Relief Factor
Joint Food
Contains research-backed active ingredients for joint pain relief, however, inactive ingredient information was missing when we published our Joint Food review article.
Full ingredient lists (both active & inactive) are important for consumer safety.
Winner: Osteo Bi-Flex
Heal n Soothe
Contains active ingredients clinically shown to increase pain.
Inferior formulation to Osteo Bi-Flex
Winner: Osteo Bi-Flex
Our Clean Joint Health Picks
Illuminate Labs Ceylon Cinnamon Extract is our our top joint health supplement.
A 2020 clinical trial suggests that cinnamon may support joint comfort and help maintain a healthy inflammatory response.
Cornbread CBD Lotion is our top joint health skin lotion.
Research indicates that topical CBD is effectively absorbed by the skin to help maintain joint ease and support the body's natural recovery process.
Both of the products recommended in this section are free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Osteo Bi-Flex Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Research-backed active ingredients
- Effectively-dosed active ingredients
- Should relieve joint pain
- Should support optimal joint health
- Triple Strength has improved (healthier) formulation
- No dangerous ingredients in our opinion
-
Our Product Tester rated it 10/10
Cons:
- Doesn't appear to be clinically studied
- Version containing magnesium has artificial dyes
- Large pill size
