Bitter melon (Momordica charantia), a spiky, cucumber-shaped fruit, has traditionally been used in Asian countries to lower blood sugar. Now, researchers at Universiti Sains Malaysia report that it can significantly improve symptoms and reduce the pain of knee osteoarthritis. Half of 75 patients were given a placebo and the other half 1,500 milligrams three times a day of a bitter melon supplement. After three months, the bitter melon group had significantly fewer symptoms and less knee pain and analgesic use, as well as lowered body weight, body mass index and fasting blood glucose levels.

This article appears in the February 2019 issue of Natural Awakenings.