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.
Instaflex is a joint pain supplement that claims to be "so powerful it can deliver relief in just 1 week." With 1 in 5 American adults experiencing chronic pain, based on medical research, the demand for this type of supplement is increasing.
But can a dietary supplement really provide pain relief that's substantial? Are the ingredients in Instaflex shown in research studies to be effective? Does it contain any unhealthy additives? And why was the manufacturer sued?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Instaflex Advanced (the pill supplement) and Instaflex Cream, to give our take on whether or not these products are likely to be effective, and whether or not they're healthy.
We'll also discuss the potential for side effects, explain why the manufacturer was sued, and compare Instaflex to other popular pain relief supplements like Heal n Soothe to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- Contains effectively-dosed, research-backed active ingredients
- Contains an artificial food dye
- We do not currently recommend Instaflex
Instaflex Advanced Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Instaflex Advanced are shown below:
Turmeric extract is included at a dose of 200 milligrams (mg).
We consider this an effective dose for pain relief, given that a meta-study published in the BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine journal described the therapeutic dosing range of turmeric extract for pain to be between 93 mg and 2,000 mg.
Resveratrol is another research-backed analgesic (pain-relieving) ingredient.
However, we consider the 100 mg in Instaflex to be potentially underdosed, because as we described in our Relief Factor reviews article, we cannot identify any clinical studies showing resveratrol to cause pain relief at a dose below 150 mg.
Boswellia serrata extract was shown to be effective for reducing pain in osteoarthritis patients in doses ranging from 100-250 mg/day, according to a medical review published in the BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies journal.
Instaflex provides 100 mg of Boswellia, which appears to be at the lower end of the therapeutic dosing range.
UC-II is a patented type of collagen made from chicken sternum. It appears to be effective at much lower doses than regular collagen.
The UC-II dose in Instaflex is 40 mg, which is the exact same dose used in a 2016 clinical trial, which reported that participants supplementing with UC-II experienced reductions in pain and stiffness, and experienced improved overall physical function.
Hyaluronic acid is the next-listed ingredient, and may be underdosed.
There are only 5 mg of hyaluronic acid in Instaflex, but the minimum dose of oral hyaluronic acid used in a medical review on hyaluronic acid and knee pain was 80 mg.
Bioperine is a standardized extract of black pepper that helps the body absorb turmeric. We consider this an effective ingredient choice for a pain relief supplement containing turmeric extract.
Instaflex Advanced also contains two inactive ingredients we recommend avoiding.
Titanium dioxide is a bleaching agent that’s banned for use as a food additive in the EU over genotoxicity concerns.
FD&C Blue #1 is an artificial food dye, and a 2012 medical review concluded the following: "This review finds that all of the nine currently US-approved dyes raise health concerns of varying degrees."
Overall, we consider Instaflex Advanced likely to relieve pain, given that the majority of its active ingredients seem effectively dosed for pain relief based on existing clinical studies.
We don't currently recommend this supplement due to the inclusions of titanium dioxide and an artificial food dye.
Why Was Instaflex Sued?
In 2017, Instaflex settled a lawsuit for $4.5 million over allegations that the company was falsely advertising their supplement as being "scientifically beneficial" for joint support, according to Counsel Financial.
The above-linked news report claims that Direct Digital (which is the manufacturer of Instaflex and has since rebranded to Adaptive Health) agreed to stop claiming that the product was created by a research group and that it contains exclusive ingredients.
We consider these changes to be a good thing, because Instaflex certainly does not contain exclusive ingredients. All of the active ingredients in Instaflex can be found in other supplements.
We consider this to be a red flag about Instaflex as a brand, but not a consumer safety issue.
Instaflex Cream Ingredient Analysis
Instaflex Pain Relief Cream is a topical treatment for arthritic aches and pains, and its ingredients are shown below:
Menthol is the sole active ingredient, and has been shown in multiple studies to be effective for reducing pain when applied topically.
Polyacrylamide is an inactive ingredient that's a “demonstrated neurotoxin in humans” according to a medical review published in the International Journal of Toxicology.
Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative that was found to be toxic to human cells in at least one clinical trial, as we discussed in our review of another pain relief product called Nervive.
Overall, we consider Instaflex Pain Relief Cream likely to be effective, given its active ingredient.
However, we don't currently recommend this product due to the inclusion of the two inactive ingredients discussed above.
Does Instaflex Cause Side Effects?
Instaflex doesn't appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, which makes it more challenging to determine whether or not it's likely to cause side effects.
However, we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.
We do not consider Instaflex Advanced or Instaflex Pain Relief Cream likely to cause side effects in otherwise healthy individuals.
The artificial dye Blue 1, which is included in Instaflex Advanced, was shown to cause hypersensitivity reactions in at least one medical review, as we documented in our article on is MiO good for you.
At the time of updating this article, there are no mentions of potential side effects on the Instaflex website that we can find.
Is Instaflex's "Free Sample" Really Free?
The Instaflex website includes a free sample offer, shown below, that provides 14 free days' worth of Instaflex supplements.
The sample is not truly free, as consumers still need to pay for shipping and processing which costs $5.99.
It appears from the fine print on the free sample terms that Instaflex automatically signs up free sample users for the full product subscription after 18 days. This information is towards the bottom of a very long webpage, and we don't believe it's presented in a very fair way to consumers.
It's extremely important that consumers signing up for Instaflex note down their sign-up date so they have the option to cancel without being charged for a full subscription.
Instaflex vs. Popular Pain Relief Supps
Here's how Instaflex compares to other popular pain relief supplements in terms of potential efficacy and healthiness, in our opinion:
Heal n Soothe
Contains a class of compounds clinically shown to increase pain.
The brand's website also has a strange blood thinning warning.
Winner: Instaflex
Tapee Tea
This popular herbal remedy for pain was found by the FDA to have hidden drug ingredients, as we documented in our does Tapee Tea cause side effects article.
We consider this brand significantly more dangerous than Instaflex.
Winner: Instaflex
Osteo Bi-Flex
Research-backed active ingredients and no unhealthy inactive ingredients.
Gets the edge over Instaflex from a health perspective.
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 concluded that “Cinnamon could be regarded as a safe supplement to relieve pain.”
Cornbread CBD Lotion is our top joint health skin lotion.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is clinically shown to be effectively absorbed through the skin, and CBD caused "significant improvements in pain" when applied topically in a 2020 clinical trial.
Both of the products recommended in this section are free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Instaflex Pros and Cons
Pros:
- All active ingredients in Instaflex Advanced have research backing
- Most active ingredients in Instaflex Advanced are effectively dosed
- Active ingredient in Instaflex Pain Relief Cream has research backing
- Both products should support pain relief
- Mostly positive online customer reviews
- Free sample available on website
Cons:
- Instaflex Advanced has artificial dye
- Instaflex Pain Relief Cream contains phenoxyethanol
- Products don't appear to be clinically tested
- Brand settled lawsuit over allegations of false advertising
- Challenging to find real user reviews on YouTube and TikTok
