Top 6 Benefits Of Devil’s Claw In Gout
Are you suffering from gout? Or you’re just trying to prevent another sudden attack?
Either way, there’s a natural remedy that might help you – Devil’s claw.
This herb is among my favorites when it comes to inflammation. And even though it’s not as strong as others, it’s still a pretty good remedy.
So how exactly does it help? Let’s check out the top 6 benefits of Devil’s claw in gout.
But first – let me show you what makes it a such a good remedy.
What’s Inside Devil’s Claw
Why is this herb good for gout and arthritis in general? It’s pretty simple – because of what it has inside.
Now – there are many substances inside this herb. But 3 classes are the most important for gout:
- iridoid glycosides
- phenolic glycosides
- saccharides
Out of these classes, there’s one compound that works best – harpagoside. This substance is a powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and has several other benefits.
But there’s something interesting about it – you can only find it in Devil’s claw.
That’s what makes this herb such a powerful remedy – it contains something you can’t find elsewhere.
But if you’re curious how exactly it can help – it’s time to move on to its 6 benefits.
#1 – Decreases Inflammation
The biggest advantage of Devil’s claw in gout is that it manages to decrease the swelling – even the chronic one.
Here’s what I mean:
- it decreases the production of TNF-alpha
- this is a cytokine involved in the inflammatory process
- once its production decreases, so does chronic inflammation
That’s why Devil’s claw has such a great potential for arthritis in general. (1)
And when it comes to gout, it’s even better – it doesn’t only decrease the swelling, but it also prevents it.
This means that it could make your gout attacks go away – or at least become more rare (but more on this later on).
#2 – Relieves Pain
As it’s an anti-inflammatory, Devil’s claw can also decrease the pain.
Once inflammation goes away, the pain also gets better – that’s in general.
However, the pain from gout is totally different from the arthritic one:
- it appears more rarely – only during an attack
- it’s at least 10 times more severe
- the affected area is also very hot and feels like burning
Now – Devil’s Claw won’t make miracles during a gout attack. Don’t expect it to take away your pain – because it won’t.
It works rather on the long term. Once your gout attack ends, it can keep the pain to a minimum level and prevent it from striking again.
Unfortunately, no herb can decrease the pain from a gout attack just like that. But Devil’s claw is one of the few that prevents it from coming back.
#3 – Decreases Flareups
As I already mentioned before, Devil’s claw can prevent gout attacks and make them more rare.
How’s that? Well, it’s the same thing as for inflammation:
- it inhibits the production of a cytokine involved in chronic inflammation
Once its level decreases, the chronic swelling from your joints also starts to decrease.
This should prevent additional flareups in your gout. So the attacks should get more and more rare.
Obviously – this is rather a long term effect. So if you started using Devil’s claw 2 weeks ago, don’t expect to get rid of your gout already. Herbs need time to work – so you need to be patient.
#4 – May Reduce Uric Acid Levels
Now – there are no scientific proofs for this claim, simply because there was no study conducted on humans.
But some studies on mice showed that Devil’s claw can reduce the level of uric acid in most cases. (2)
And to be honest, it makes sense:
- this herb can relieve the pain and decrease inflammation
- it also seems to help gout patients in general
Now, from what I know – there are very few herbs with good results in gout.
So even though it’s not scientifically proved, Devil’s claw could be one of the first natural remedies for this condition.
#5 – Healing
It seems like this herb has also a great potential when it comes to healing wounds or injuries.
Now – what does this have to do with gout?
Here’s the thing. During a gout attack, your skin becomes very hot, painful and swollen. So it’s more likely to get injured.
And that’s where Devil’s claw comes in:
- protects the skin and prevents additional bruises
- helps it get back to the original state
This may not sound like a major thing, but – have you ever had a gout attack? If you have, it probably understand how important it is.
Now – that’s another long term effect. So don’t expect to use this herb for a couple of days and get all of its benefits.
#6 – Fights Oxidative Stress
Besides the iridoides and saccharides it contains, Devil’s claw also contains another group of compounds:
flavonoids
flavonoids These are some of the best substances when it comes to antioxidant power. What exactly does this mean?:
- they fight free radicals and oxidative stress
- prevent joint damage and aging
- also prevent gout attacks
Now – Devil’s claw isn’t the best antioxidant ever. In fact, this isn’t even one of its top benefits.
That’s because the percent of flavonoids it contains isn’t such a big one. So if you only want to use it for this benefit, you should choose a stronger remedy (citrus and cherries are better at this chapter).
But if you’re looking for a gout remedy – these antioxidant proprieties can come as an additional benefit.
4 Ways To Use Devil’s Claw
So Devil’s Claw seems to be effective in gout – but how exactly can you use it?
Obviously, you can’t just take the whole plant and boil it – it may be more dangerous than helpful. So how exactly can you find it?
There are actually 4 different ways to use it:
#1 – Powder – it’s probably the cheapest form and you can find it in any herbal shop. Here’s how you can actually use it:
- as tea – by boiling the powder in water
- in smoothies – simply add the powder in your blender
Using it in smoothies is much tastier, in my opinion – because you can’t feel its taste.
On the other hand, if you use the powder for tea – it might be too bitter.
#2 – Special Tea – unlike the powder, Devil’s claw tea bags have a much better taste alone:
- they’re not very bitter
- in my opinion, the taste feels sweeter
So if you like teas and you want to use it as such, buy directly the tea bags instead of the powder.
#3 – Tincture – this is actually the herb extract, so it’s much stronger than the other forms:
- it’s usually too bitter to take it as such
- the best way is to dilute the drops in water (or even smoothie)
#4 – Supplements – though I personally didn’t get great results from Devil’s claw pills, they do exist:
- the average dose is around 500-1000 mg per serving
- you can find many supplements around $15 or even less
But if possible – choose a product that contains some other herbs besides Devil’s claw. The effect should be much better.
My Verdict – Is Devil’s Claw Good For Gout?
Short answer: Definitely. It’s not the best remedy ever -and it’s not the fastest one either.
But if you want a natural solution, it can help on the long term:
- decreases inflammation and relieves pain
- reduces gout attacks
- fights oxidative stress
- speeds out healing
Now – if you have gout, don’t count just on natural herbs. Even if you’re taking some others besides Devil’s claw – don’t give up your prescribed drugs.
They’re what helps you most – and in a condition like gout, you can’t just use a remedy with a long term effect.
But if you follow your treatment and you associate it with Devil’s claw – it might help you even more. But as I said, you need to be patient.
References:
2 – http://www.academicjournals.org/app/webroot/article/article1383649170_Al-Harbi%20et%20al.pdf
