Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to pain relief.
Heal n Soothe, alternatively referred to as Heal-n-Soothe, is an anti-inflammatory dietary supplement. It’s manufactured by a company called Livingwell Nutraceuticals. The brand describes its product as "Mother Nature's Feel Good Formula" and claims that "The key ingredients in Heal-n-Soothe have been proven to be highly effective in numerous clinical studies."
But does supplementing with digestive enzymes actually reduce pain, or is this just an unproven marketing claim? Are the herbal ingredients in Heal n Soothe research-backed for pain relief? Does the supplement contain any harmful additive ingredients? And how do real users rate the supplement's ability to relieve pain?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review every ingredient in Heal n Soothe based on medical research to give our take on whether it's likely to be effective for pain relief. Because the supplement contains a large number of ingredients, we'll break our ingredient review into two sections: Enzyme Ingredient Review and Botanical Ingredient Review.
We'll also share a real, unsponsored user review of the supplement and highlight a concerning warning notice in fine print on the brand's website.
Enzyme Ingredient Review
The first section of Heal n Soothe’s ingredients consists of a “Systemic Enzyme Blend” with a total dosage of 750 milligrams (mg).
Protease is a digestive enzyme that breaks down protein, and Heal n Soothe contains three types: protease AM, protease 6.0 and alkaline protease. We cannot find any information on Heal n Soothe’s website explaining why they use three different types of this enzyme, or what the relative benefits are.
We can’t locate any research suggesting that proteases reduce pain. In fact, we identified a medical review published in the Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis journal with the following title: “Protease-activated receptors: how proteases signal to cells to cause inflammation and pain.”
Bromelain is another digestive enzyme that’s typically extracted from pineapple. The listed dose in Heal n Soothe is 6,000,000 Food Chemical Codex Papain Units (FCCPU). It’s unclear how many mg this equates to, and Heal n Soothe does not appear to provide this information on their website.
A 2021 medical review found that supplemental bromelain reduces the expression of several inflammatory markers. Most of the studies were on animals and doses were described in mg rather than FCCPU so it's unclear if this ingredient is effectively dosed in Heal n Soothe.
We will consider this ingredient potentially effective for pain relief.
Papain is an enzyme sourced from papaya. This ingredient was found in a medical trial to significantly reduce lower back pain in arthritis patients in combination with bromelain and an anti-inflammatory drug. The trial participants taking the enzymes and the anti-inflammatory drug experienced an 18% reduction in pain compared to the trial participants taking the anti-inflammatory drug alone.
This trial described dosage in mg, while the dosage in Heal n Soothe is described again in FCCPU. We urge Livingwell Nutraceuticals to change their listing of dosage to mg, which seems to be the medical standard, and which would make it easier for researchers and consumers to evaluate the efficacy of their supplement.
We will consider this ingredient potentially effective for pain relief, as we cannot assess the dosage in Heal n Soothe and because we cannot identify a medical study proving it effective for pain relief alone (rather than in combination with an anti-inflammatory drug as shown in the trial above).
Overall we consider this blend to have the potential to relieve pain, but we cannot say so conclusively because the way Heal n Soothe reports ingredient dosage does not appear to adhere to the medical standard. It also contains one ingredient that may increase pain.
Botanical Ingredient Review
Heal n Soothe contains eight active ingredients other than the digestive enzymes, most of which are botanical compounds.
Boswellia serrata extract appears to be effectively dosed for pain relief at 150 mg. A medical review published in the BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies journal reported that Boswellia extract is effective for pain relief at a dosing range between 100 mg and 250 mg.
Citrus bioflavonoid complex is the next-listed ingredient at a dosage of 90 mg. While citrus bioflavonoids have documented analgesic (pain-relieving) effects in medical research, we cannot find any studies proving they’re effective at such a low dose. The minimum dose from the research trials in the above-linked medical review was 150 mg per day.
Ginger root extract is included at 90 mg. This is an effective ingredient for pain relief but may be underdosed. One of the medical studies cited on the Heal n Soothe website states the following: “Also, the daily dosage [of ginger extract] varied from 600 to 2500 mg. Similarly, in a recent systematic review on the use of ginger in CINV, typical dosing regimens were 1–2 g of ginger.”
The manufacturer's own citations suggest the amount of ginger included in Heal n Soothe is underdosed.
Yucca is proven to be an effective anti-inflammatory compound. We cannot find dosing recommendations so we will consider this a potentially effective ingredient inclusion.
Turmeric is included at a dose of 60 mg. This is a very low dose of turmeric, and Heal n Soothe uses raw turmeric (like what you’d find in a grocery store spice aisle) rather than turmeric extract, which is what most medical studies on the compound use because it’s more potent.
As we outlined in our review of Instaflex, which is another anti-inflammatory dietary supplement, the minimum effective therapeutic dose of turmeric extract appears to be 1,000 mg, which is over 10x the dose of the raw, un-extracted version used in Heal n Soothe. We will consider this ingredient underdosed and likely ineffective.
Alpha-lipoic acid also appears to be underdosed in Heal n Soothe at only 50 mg. The minimum effective dose we could find of this compound is 400 mg from a 2021 research trial.
Devil’s Claw root extract is included at a dose of 30 mg. A meta-study of this herb found that it was effective for pain reduction, but the average dose used in the analyzed trials was over 1,000 mg, which is over 30x more than the amount in Heal n Soothe.
The final active ingredient is rutin, and we cannot identify any medical evidence that 30 mg of rutin is effective for reducing pain.
Overall we are unimpressed by the botanical ingredients in Heal n Soothe. We only consider one of eight to be effectively dosed.
One good thing about Heal n Soothe's formulation is that it's free of questionable filler ingredients like added sugar, flavoring agents or artificial food dye. The inactive ingredients in Heal n Soothe are safe and non-toxic, which isn't always the case for dietary supplements.
Real User Review of Heal n Soothe
One of the most popular YouTube reviews of Heal n Soothe is published by a channel called Naturally Made Essentials. The creator shares her experience using the supplement and explains whether it caused pain relief:
Concerning Heal n Soothe Warnings
In fine print at the bottom of the Heal n Soothe website, there are two warnings.
The first is relatively standard and instructs potential consumers to consult with their doctor prior to using this supplement if they have medical conditions.
The second, and the more concerning in our opinion, is the warning stating that Heal n Soothe may thin the blood and may not be appropriate for some consumers for this reason.
The manufacturer does not cite which ingredients are responsible for the potential blood-thinning effect, nor are we able to identify which based on our medical review of the ingredients. We consider this to be a red flag about the brand and product overall, and definitely something worth discussing with a physician prior to using this supplement.
Questionable Research Studies Section
Heal n Soothe’s website contains a Research Studies section which we consider effectively pointless.
This section states that bromelain has been found to be effective for pain at a 400 mg dosage, but as we described in the previous section, the brand does not list dosage in terms of mg, so this information is useless to consumers. Further, the brand doesn’t link to the study in question so consumers have no ability to verify whether this health claim is true.
The second health claim is that turmeric can inhibit formation of an enzyme that causes inflammation and pain, but the brand again does not link to the study they’re referencing and we can’t locate it, so we have no way to verify whether this information is accurate, and at what dose turmeric has this effect.
Where to Buy Heal n Soothe
Heal n Soothe is sold on a variety of online platforms, including the official manufacturer website, Walmart and Amazon. Here is a price breakdown at the time of updating this article:
Official manufacturer website: $69.95
Amazon: $49
Walmart: $44.10
Heal n Soothe is significantly cheaper on Walmart than on the official manufacturer website. While we don't recommend this supplement overall, for consumers intent on purchasing it, Walmart appears to be the best option.
Heal n Soothe does not appear to be available for sale at other major retailers like Costco or Walgreens.
Can Food-Based Supplements Relieve Pain?
Cinnamon is a spice that has been studied for its ability to reduce pain and support joint health, and it can be taken in a more potent, extracted form. A clinical trial published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that cinnamon supplementation at a daily dose of 500 mg reduced inflammation and joint swelling in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
A 2020 clinical trial found that cinnamon supplementation reduced inflammatory markers. The study authors concluded that “Cinnamon could be regarded as a safe supplement to relieve pain.”
Illuminate Labs manufactures a Ceylon Cinnamon Extract supplement that’s potent (standardized to minimum 8% flavonoids) and third-party tested to ensure purity and label accuracy (test results published transparently on the product page). It only costs $15 for a monthly subscription.
Interested consumers can check out Illuminate Labs Ceylon Cinnamon Extract at this link.
Collagen is the core structural protein in joints. The body produces it naturally, but its production decreases with age. Medical research has shown that collagen is effective for reducing joint pain in athletes at a 10 gram (g) daily dose, and for reducing arthritic pain generally (meta-study, doses ranging between 40 mg and 10 g daily dose).
We recommend Bulletproof Collagen Powder as our top collagen product because it provides an effective collagen dose per serving (20 g) and contains one single ingredient: collagen peptides sourced from grass-fed animals. There are no questionable additives. This supplement only costs $39.95 for over a month's worth of product.
Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof Collagen powder at this link.
We do not recommend using dietary supplements to treat any specific medical condition related to pain.
Heal n Soothe Customer Reviews
Heal n Soothe has been reviewed over 7,000 times on Amazon, which is a more objective resource for customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion. The supplement has an average review rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars.
Heal n Soothe has a "C" grade on Fakespot, which is a software tool that detects potentially fraudulent Amazon reviews. Fakespot's "Adjusted Rating" of the supplement is only 2.5 out of 5 stars.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser is written by an anonymous “Amazon Customer” who claims the product relieved their knee arthritis:
“I have used Heal and Sooth for over 2 years now and would not be without it. The arthritis in my knees has been so bad at times, I couldn't stand putting weight on it. I started off taking 3 tablets in the morning and 3 at night. I noticed an improvement by the second week. I couldn't afford to keep taking them at that price so after a month I cut back to 3 tablets each day in the morning. I found that was enough to keep the pain at bay and allow me to go about my normal activities.”
The top negative review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Derek Switzer” who claims the supplement caused uncomfortable side effects:
“Product causes extreme acid reflux issues. They are aware of this issue bc they tell you to drink lots of water with the supplement AND afterwards yet it doesn’t help. They recommend you mix with with applesauce if you have trouble with it causing reflux issues. Well, when you bust them open and sprinkle on applesauce, the applesauce becomes so spicy that you can hardly eat it.”
Heal n Soothe Pros and Cons
Here’s our take on the pros and cons of this product:
Pros:
- No harmful ingredients
- Some ingredients may be effective
Cons:
- Many ingredients appear underdosed
- Concerning "Warnings" section of website
- Brand makes uncited health claims
- Relatively expensive on manufacturer website
- Poor Fakespot review grade
