How Boswellia Works with Turmeric, Glucosamine, Ashwagandha, Ginger, Collagen and Cissus Quadrangularis  

Boswellia serrata is a popular natural anti-inflammatory, commonly used by people suffering from joint pain, arthritis and other disorders of inflammation. There are many more boswellia benefits here, including why it works and how to take it.

While boswellia is often effective on its own, it can be even better when combined with other anti-inflammatory supplements, such as turmeric, glucosamine, ashwagandha, ginger, collagen and cissus quadrangularis.

Here’s why each of these natural remedies works and how they can act synergistically with boswellia serrata for even more beneficial effects.

6 Natural Remedies Boswellia Serrata Combines Well With

1. Boswellia and Turmeric Benefits

Turmeric is a bright orange spice from the root of the Curcuma Longa plant that’s popular in many healing traditions. It contains curcumin, a potent compound with widely recognized anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Boswellia and turmeric together can be particularly beneficial for arthritis, joint pain and other inflammation disorders. Here’s what the combination of boswellia’s boswellic acids and turmeric’s curcumin do within your body.

How Turmeric Works with Boswellia Serrata

• Anti-Inflammatory Effects: Boswellia and turmeric both inhibit inflammatory compounds like 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). By targeting these inflammation pathways simultaneously, they can have synergistic anti-inflammatory effects throughout your body.
• Reduce Oxidative Stress: The antioxidant properties of curcumin in turmeric and boswellic acids in boswellia serrata can work together to neutralize free radicals and protect your cells from oxidative damage. This combination could be especially good for conditions made worse by oxidative stress, such as rheumatoid arthritis, liver damage, inflammatory bowel diseases and metabolic disorders.
• Synergistic Properties: Using turmeric and boswellia together can lead to better pain relief, improved joint function, and fewer negative symptoms for people dealing with inflammatory conditions. The complimentary effects of these two herbal remedies make them a promising natural approach for reducing inflammation within the body.

Boswellia and Turmeric Supplements

Turmeric and boswellia serrata capsules are popular, but many I’ve seen are underdosed and overpriced. I’d also avoid any that don’t include piperine, since the curcumin in turmeric is much better absorbed with this black pepper extract present.

Nutricost makes a popular turmeric and boswellia supplement that has 1,000 mg of turmeric extract with 95% curcumiods and 1,000 mg of 65% boswellic acids boswellia extract per serving. These are the kind of amounts you want to see in a boswellia turmeric complex and it also contains a good amount of bioperine piperine for better absorption.

It’s made in America, third-party tested, and good value here on Amazon. Nutricost is a budget brand but they’ve been around for a long time and have a solid reputation. My supplement cupboard usually has quite a few Nutricost bottles on the shelves.

2. Boswellia with Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Glucosamine is a natural building block of connective cartilage in joints and helps to maintain its structure and function. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that can alleviate joint pain.

Chondroitin helps draw water and nutrients into the cartilage, keeping it hydrated and healthy. It’s usually combined with glucosamine in dietary supplements to help manage joint inflammation and conditions like osteoarthritis.

Glucosamine and chondroitin won’t give you same day relief from joint pain like boswellia, but they do help to address the underlying issues with inflammatory joint conditions like arthritis. Given this, I think they are a good combination to take together.

How Glucosamine and Chondroitin Work with Boswellia Serrata

• Less Inflammation: Boswellia contains boswellic acids that inhibit inflammatory enzymes and pathways. This can complement the cartilage-protecting effects of glucosamine and chondroitin, leading to reduced inflammation and improved joint function.
• Cartilage Protection: Combining these anti-inflammatory supplements may help slow the progression of cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis. They work by supporting the health and integrity of joint tissues through different but complementary mechanisms of action.

Boswellia, Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Many people who suffer from arthritis and joint pain already have glucosamine and chondroitin in their supplement cupboard. If you don’t, then Naturelo make a joint mobility supplement with glucosamine, chondroitin, vitamin C, MSM and organic boswellia serrata extract. It’s here on their Amazon store and the 2 pack is much better value.

If you’re taking them separately there’s no need to take boswellia at the same time as glucosamine and chondroitin. These two compounds work to rebuild cartilage degradation over a longer timeframe. You won’t feel them quickly like boswellia and they should be taken consistently for at least a month before assessing results.

3. Ashwagandha and Boswellia Serrata

Ashwagandha is an ancient medicinal herb prized in Ayurvedic medicine for promoting overall health and well-being. It’s popular as an adaptogen that helps your body cope with stress and promotes balance in physiological functions. What’s less well known is its anti-inflammatory properties, as demonstrated in studies like this.

How Ashwagandha Works with Boswellia

• Act on Different Pathways: The bioactive compounds in both plants (withanolides in ashwagandha and boswellic acids in boswellia) can have a synergistic effect on reducing inflammation by acting on different inflammatory enzymes and pathways. Boswellia serrata primarily inhibits 5-lipoxygenase and affects leukotriene production. Ashwagandha modulates inflammatory pathways through interactions with NF-kB and other signaling molecules.
• Good for Inflammation: Ashwagandha and boswellia serrata have highly complementary anti-inflammatory properties. Taken together they can work well to provide relief for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, gout and painful joints.
• Reduce Stress: Using boswellia and ashwagandha together can help with better stress management, cognitive function, and overall well-being due to their adaptogenic properties and ability to modulate your body’s response to stressful situations.

Taking Boswellia and Ashwagandha Together

Ashwagandha and boswellia serrata aren’t often found together in supplements. When they are, it’s usually only in very small doses in “let’s throw in everything” joint formulas that usually aren’t worth getting.

The Nutricost brand make a good value and highly rated ashwagandha root complex with standardized withanolides. You can find it on the same Amazon store that has their boswellia serrata and turmeric supplement.

Taking a capsule of each at the same meal would be an effective way to get all the benefits of ashwagandha, turmeric and boswellia together.

4. Boswellia and Ginger Benefits

Ginger is a medicinal herb that’s popular for its digestive health benefits and ability to ease nausea. It also has potent anti-inflammatory effects and taking ginger and boswellia together can work synergistically against painful inflammation within your body.

How Boswellia Serrata and Ginger Work Together

• Act on Different Pathways: The active compounds in both superfoods (gingerols and shogaols in ginger, and boswellic acids in boswellia) reduce inflammation by targeting different inflammatory enzymes. Ginger calms inflammatory pathways by suppressing NF-κB, COX-2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-6 and TNF-α. While boswellia’s boswellic acids inhibit 5-lipoxygenase and reduce leukotriene production.
• Combine Well for Inflammation: Boswellia serrata and ginger have complementary anti-inflammatory actions and when taken together they can help to provide relief for joint pain and chronic conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Scientific studies like this showed taking ginger significantly reduced inflammatory markers in rheumatoid arthritis patients, while boswellia studies found meaningful improvements in osteoarthritis pain for long-term sufferers.
• Better Joint Mobility: Using high strength ginger and boswellia together may help improve physical function for people with inflammatory joint conditions. They do this by protecting cartilage from further degradation and reducing inflammatory mediators for less painful movement. This research found both boswellia serrata and ginger beneficial for people with rheumatoid arthritis, as well as osteoarthritis.

Taking Ginger with Boswellia

While boswellia and ginger supplements exist, they are often underdosed and I don’t think most are worth getting.

Fresh ginger tea is easy to make by slicing up a well scrubbed ginger rhizome from the store and pouring hot water over it. Make it strong to get a good dose of this herb’s anti-inflammatory gingerols and shogaols and drink it around the same time as you take your boswellia.

You could use either the boswellia and turmeric complex above, or one of these best boswellia serrata supplements. Just make sure to take them both close to each other for best results.

5. Boswellia Serrata with Collagen Peptides

Collagen peptides powder is a highly absorbable form of collagen that supports healthy skin, hair and connective tissues. It’s often used as a dietary supplement to help reduce joint pain, improve skin elasticity, strengthen hair, and promote overall structural integrity within your body.

How Collagen Peptides Work with Boswellia

• Joint Support: Collagen peptides provide the building blocks for maintaining and repairing cartilage, while boswellia contains boswellic acids that help reduce inflammation. Working together they can improve joint function while decreasing pain in conditions like osteoarthritis.
• Improved Mobility: Boswellia’s ability to block inflammatory enzymes complements the structural support provided by collagen peptides. This combination may result in better mobility and comfort for people who take them together.
• Enhanced Recovery: The synergistic effects of collagen and boswellia can support faster recovery from injuries and improve overall joint health. Regularly using both of these supplements can reduce stiffness and improve joint flexibility over time.

Boswellia and Collagen Combination

Collagen peptides can be taken daily to help rebuild damaged cartilage. Many people also appreciate collagen’s hair and skin benefits and digestive health properties. Boswellia serrata is also good for hair, skin and gut health, and can help ease joint pain while collagen works on rebuilding damaged connective tissues.

Bovine collagen should always be from grass-fed cows. I also think it’s important for brands offering supplements like this to test for contaminants and impurities. Nutricost make a good 1lb grass-fed collagen powder that’s third-party tested and this is the one I usually get.

6. How Cissus Quadrangularis Works with Boswellia

Cissus quadrangularis is a fast-growing vine native to parts of Asia and Africa. It’s known for its unusual medicinal properties and has been used in Ayurvedic traditions for thousands of years to promote bone health, alleviate joint pain and heal injuries.

Boswellia serrata is most commonly used for painful joints, and to provide relief from inflammatory disorders like arthritis. Cissus is a great supplement to take at the same time because its compounds work to heal tendons, prevent bone degradation and promote remineralization within bones and teeth.

How Cissus Quadrangularis Works with Boswellia Serrata

• Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Both cissus and boswellia have anti-inflammatory effects that can help reduce swelling and pain in joints. They each target different inflammation pathways within your body, so when used together they can be more effective against arthritic pain, swollen joints and other inflammatory conditions.
• Bone Health Support: Cissus quadrangularis is known to promote bone healing and prevent mineral density loss within bones, particularly in conditions like osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Combined with boswellia serrata’s beneficial effects on joint health, these two can help reduce the chance of fractures and improve overall musculoskeletal health.
• Enhanced Recovery: The synergistic effects of taking these two herbs together may lead to faster recovery from injuries and improved mobility for older people. For osteoarthritis or osteoporosis sufferers, taking cissus quadrangularis with boswellia could mean less painful joints, increased flexibility, and better joint and bone health over time.

Using Boswellia and Cissus Quadrangularis Together

It’s best to have cissus quadrangularis at the same time as boswellia if you are using both of them. A capsule of each with every main meal would be beneficial for painful joints, osteoarthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

There’s much more on the many benefits of cissus quadrangularis in this guide and all the different conditions it can help with, including back pain, osteoporosis, arthritis, sporting injuries, and making your bones and teeth stronger. 

Combined Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Combining turmeric, ginger or ashwagandha with boswellia serrata will amplify the beneficial effects of each one for reducing inflammation, detoxification, improving skin and gut health, and maintaining a healthy body weight.

While taking boswellia with collagen, cissus quadrangularis or glucosamine and chondroitin can be particularly good for chronic joint pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and recovering from long term injuries.

You can read a more comprehensive rundown of all the different boswellia benefits here. While it works well on its own, combining it with any of the other 6 anti-inflammatory superfoods above will be even more effective.

Thank you for reading my guide to boswellia serrata with turmeric, glucosamine, ashwagandha, ginger, collagen and cissus quadrangularis, and all the different ways they can work together. I hope it’s been helpful.

If you have any further questions, or any other anti-inflammatory supplements you’d like me to compare to boswellia, then please let me know in the comments form below. I’ve also recently completed a new guide of the best boswellia capsules, powders and more here.