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.
Relief Factor is one of the most popular natural pain supplements in the US. The brand suggests that their supplement has a potent effect in their marketing materials: "Don't mask the pain. Eliminate it."
But can a dietary supplement really cause significant pain relief? Does Relief Factor contain ingredients shown in clinical studies to relieve pain? Does the supplement contain any questionable additive ingredients? And how do real customers rate and describe the effects of Relief Factor?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Relief Factor based on clinical studies to give our take on whether or not the supplement is likely to be effective for pain relief.
We'll feature unsponsored customer reviews, discuss the potential for side effects, and provide a cost comparison to show which retailer sells Relief Factor for the best price.
Ingredient Analysis
Relief Factor contains four active ingredients, shown above: Epimedium, turmeric, Japanese Fleeceflower and fish oil.
All four of these ingredients have been clinically shown to relieve pain.
Epimedium is the botanical name for a plant more commonly referred to as horny goat weed.
A medical review published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine found that this plant may have an anti-inflammatory effect based on results from animal studies.
A 2020 clinical trial found that the active chemical compound in Epimedium called icariin reduced pain in rats, but the dosage used was more than 50x the amount in Relief Factor.
We can't find any clinical evidence that horny goat weed relieves pain in humans at the dose used in Relief Factor.
Turmeric is a spice often used for its analgesic (pain-relieving) effects.
An extensive meta-study on turmeric supplementation for pain relief, published in the BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine journal, found that the ingredient was effective for reducing pain at a dosage range between 93 milligrams (mg) and 2,000 mg per day.
The turmeric dosage in Relief Factor is 667 mg.
We consider turmeric to be effectively dosed for pain relief in Relief Factor.
Japanese Fleeceflower is a plant that has a high concentration of resveratrol. The resveratrol dosage in Relief Factor is 67 mg.
Resveratrol is a well-studied supplement for pain relief, but we cannot locate any medical studies proving it effective at as low a dose as 67 mg.
A 2020 clinical trial found that resveratrol supplementation reduced pain at a 150 mg daily dose, and we cannot find any studies proving it effective at a lower dose than that.
We consider Japanese Fleeceflower to be effective for pain relief, but potentially underdosed in this formulation.
Omega-3 fatty acids are primarily sourced from fish, and as we documented in our fish oil benefits article, may be effective for pain relief.
A medical review published in the Pain journal found that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation was effective for reducing joint pain, after analyzing data from 17 clinical trials on the topic.
The lowest dose used in any of the trials was 1,800 mg, and most of the doses were at or above 2,500 mg. Relief Factor only provides 900 mg per serving.
We consider fish oil to be effective for pain relief, but potentially underdosed in this formulation.
One benefit of this supplement is that its inactive ingredients should be safe and non-toxic.
Overall, we consider Relief Factor potentially effective for pain relief given that all four of its active ingredients have clinical backing. However, we only consider one of these active ingredients to be effectively dosed.
We Tried Relief Factor Ourselves
As one of the authors of this article (Calloway), I wanted to try Relief Factor myself to share my thoughts on its effects and the overall product experience.
The supplement comes in single-serving packets which makes it easy-to-use.
I don't have chronic pain, but I recently aggravated an injury to my right shoulder blade by playing sports too early during the healing process, so I wanted to try Relief Factor to see if it could help with the pain and help me recover quicker.
I tried Relief Factor for one week, and it decreased the pain I was experiencing both at rest and during exercise.
I can't say whether or not it helped speed up the recovery process, since I was using the supplement throughout, but I fully recovered from my re-aggravation in around one week.
I didn't experience any side effects, and the pills were essentially tasteless, which is a good thing.
I can't make any claims about whether or not Relief Factor is beneficial for other types of pain, but my experience was good, and I'd definitely consider trying it again in the future if I were in a similar circumstance.
Overall, I'd rate Relief Factor 9/10.
Does Relief Factor Cause Side Effects?
Relief Factor doesn't appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, which makes it challenging to determine the risk of side effects.
However, we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.
We do not believe that Relief Factor is likely to cause dangerous side effects in otherwise healthy adults.
All of the ingredients in this supplement have relatively favorable safety profiles based on existing clinical research, and we don't consider any to be included at a dangerously high dose.
One potential unintended side effect of Relief Factor which is not dangerous is increased libido, given that horny goat weed is clinically shown to enhance libido, as we documented in our horny goat weed vs viagra article.
The Relief Factor website has a blog post about side effects, where the brand mentions that in rare cases, some users experience minor gastrointestinal side effects.
The brand also mentions some contraindications with prescription medication, so we'd recommend that any potential customers who use prescription medication read the above-linked blog post and discuss it with their doctor prior to taking Relief Factor.
Real People Try Relief Factor
A YouTube creator named Robert Ellis shared his experience with Relief Factor in a review video:
A TikTok creator named hippiemomma1025 claims to have experienced rapid effects from Relief Factor:
@hippiemomma1025 #relieffactor#pain#knee#backpain#medicine#doctors#advertise#feelgood#asseenontv#walk#ice ♬ original sound - Hippiemomma1025
Can Stretching Help Relieve Pain?
A YouTube video from a creator named "AskDoctorJo" is only five minutes long, has over 10 million views, and recommends some stretches intended to relieve back pain:
Real Customers Review Relief Factor
We consider third-party websites to be a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand's website.
Relief Factor has been reviewed over 90 times on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website at the time of updating this article, and has an average customer review rating of 1.62 out of 5 stars.
Most of the complaints are about product ineffectiveness or billing issues.
A BBB user named "Louis P" complains that the supplement is ineffective:
"I began taking this product 6-2 22 at 3 packs a day for 3 weeks. (Instructions say start with 3 packs a day for 5 days then as you start feeling better drop down to 2 packs a day.) Instead, I upped to 4 packs a day for 13 days. ( Never missing a day.) I have 2 days left. It's strange, I actually feel worse than when I started. The inflammation In my hands is so bad I can not make a fist."
A BBB user named "Neal R" alleges that Relief Factor is dishonest about their pricing:
"Total FRAUD, the commercials on the ***************** channel has multiple celebrities touting this product which I am interested in. The commercials state that for $19.99 for a starter 3 week trial, then when you call to order, they tell you, you have to pay an additional $79.99 for the product, This is a SCAM that ******************* and buddies should be ashamed of."
We have no way to verify the authenticity of the above allegation.
Relief Factor currently has an average review rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars on Facebook.
Our Clean Joint Health Picks
MBG Omega-3 Potency+ is our top omega-3 supplement pick.
"Many favorable effects of Omega-3 are believed to result from their anti-inflammatory properties," according to a 2023 medical review.
Cornbread CBD Lotion is our top CBD lotion pick.
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.
Cornbread's lotion also contains menthol, which was shown in a 2022 clinical trial to reduce pain scores.
Illuminate Labs Ceylon Cinnamon Extract is our standardized cinnamon supplement, which is third-party tested for purity and potency and costs only $15 at a subscription price.
Cinnamon was shown to reduce inflammatory markers in a 2020 clinical trial. The study authors concluded that “Cinnamon could be regarded as a safe supplement to relieve pain.”
All of the products recommended in this section are entirely free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Pros and Cons of Relief Factor
Here are the pros and cons of Relief Factor as a brand in our opinion:
Pros:
- Active ingredients are clinically shown to relieve pain
- We consider turmeric to be effectively dosed
- Likely safe active ingredients
- Likely safe inactive ingredients
- Unlikely to cause side effects
- Positive reviews on Facebook
Cons:
- Three of four active ingredients may be underdosed
- Doesn't appear to be clinically tested
- Negative reviews on BBB site
