Comparative Analysis: A Detailed Review of Heal N Soothe and Flexoplex
Heal N Soothe and Flexoplex are two popular supplements used for joint pain relief. They both claim to improve joint health, reduce inflammation, and alleviate pain. In this comparative analysis, we will review the two supplements and compare their ingredients, benefits, and side effects.
On the surface these two couldn’t look more different, but they actually use very similar formula’s so it’s going to be interesting to dive in deeper to see which one is better.
Why not check out our verdict on The Best Joint Supplements
Flexoplex and Proprietary Blends
If there’s one thing we want to get off our chest first and foremost, it’s the use of a proprietary blend by Flexoplex. What this means is the manufacturer doesn’t disclose the exact amounts of certain ingredients, which can be problematic for several reasons.
It’s still not exactly common knowledge unfortunately, but those of us who have been in the industry for long enough know full we that proprietary blends are often used by manufacturers to hide the fact that their formula is low-quality or contains large amounts of cheap filler ingredients. By not disclosing the exact amounts, consumers are left in the dark about what they’re truly consuming.
For us this is just not acceptable and has really started things off on a sour note. Though we of course can not state out right that ingredients will not be dosed correctly in Flexoplex, let’s just consider why they might want to hide this information from the consumer? To do this we’ll put ourselves in their shoes and think what motivations we have as a company, and see if this might inform us of some potential reasons to hide important information.
Well we want to make as much money as possible whilst spending as little as possible… so let’s tell people we’ve included all of the most effective ingredients for this supplement, but then put them in a proprietary blend so we don’t actually need to include very much of that expensive ingredient, and can instead pad things out with much cheaper options.
Just to clarify once again we are not saying this is the exact intentions, we’re simply roleplaying in order to speculate why they might make such a decision as to obfuscate the doses of the ingredients in their formula.
Now we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get the ball rolling and take a look at Flexoplex’s formula.
Individual Ingredients Breakdown
Now that we’ve covered the issue of proprietary blends, let’s take a closer look at the individual ingredients found in Flexoplex and their potential benefits for joint health. We will also discuss the importance of dosages and the potential drawbacks of each ingredient.
Glucosamine Sulfate Sodium Salt
Glucosamine is a naturally occurring substance found in the connective tissues surrounding joints, including cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and synovial fluids. Supplementing with glucosamine has been shown to improve joint flexibility, reduce pain, and protect against wear and tear [1]. Flexoplex contains a highly bioavailable glucosamine salt, which is beneficial for joint health.
Chondroitin Sulfate
Chondroitin is a complex molecule that forms part of the extracellular matrix surrounding cartilage. Its primary function is to retain water, which helps with joint lubrication, impact absorption, and cartilage repair [2]. The 600mg of chondroitin sulfate in Flexoplex is more than enough to provide these benefits.
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
MSM is a sulfur-containing compound that plays a crucial role in the formation of collagen, glucosamine, and chondroitin. Supplementing with MSM can help support proper joint maintenance and reduce inflammation [3]. Get ready to read to same thing 7 times: However as it is within the proprietary blend we can not confirm if the correct dosage has been used.
Cat’s Claw Bark Powder
Cat’s claw is an herbal remedy that has been traditionally used for its anti-inflammatory properties [4]. However, scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness in joint health is limited. The inclusion of this ingredient in Flexoplex is questionable, given the lack of concrete evidence supporting its benefits and as it is within the proprietary blend we can not confirm if the correct dosage has been used.
Rutin
Rutin is a flavonoid found in various fruits and vegetables. It has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties[5]. Its inclusion in Flexoplex may not provide significant joint health benefits, as most people already consume rutin through their diet, and as it is within the proprietary blend we can not confirm if the correct dosage has been used.
Boswellia Serrata
Boswellia serrata is an herbal extract that has been shown to reduce inflammation and support joint health [6]. However, the effectiveness of this ingredient is dependent on the dosage, which is not disclosed in the Flexoplex proprietary blend. This makes it difficult to determine how much of a benefit this ingredient provides.
Gum Resin Extract
The gum resin extract in Flexoplex is unspecified, making it difficult to analyze its potential benefits for joint health. This lack of clarity raises concerns about the quality and effectiveness of this ingredient.
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance that is found in connective tissues and synovial fluid. Supplementing with hyaluronic acid has been shown to reduce joint pain in people with osteoarthritis [7]. However as it is within the proprietary blend we can not confirm if the correct dosage has been used.
Bromelain Complex
Bromelain is an enzyme found in pineapples that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects [8]. However, the effectiveness of bromelain depends on the dosage, which is not disclosed in the Flexoplex proprietary blend.
Soy Lecithin Powder
Soy lecithin powder is not a particularly effective ingredient for joint health or flexibility. Its inclusion in Flexoplex raises concerns about the quality of the proprietary blend and the potential presence of filler ingredients.
Trypsin Complex
Trypsin is an enzyme involved in protein digestion and is not known to have any direct impact on joint health or flexibility. Its inclusion in Flexoplex is questionable and may not provide any significant benefits, and as it is within the proprietary blend, we can not confirm if the correct dosage has been used.
Boron Aspartate
Boron is an essential nutrient that plays a role in various bodily functions, including joint health. However, it is not considered a crucial ingredient for joint supplements, and the dosage of boron in Flexoplex is undisclosed. This raises safety concerns, as excessive boron intake can cause adverse side effects [9], though it’s quite unlikely this is the case.
Heal n Soothe Ingredients
Bromelain
We spoke about this enzyme already, which is unsurprising considering its one of the most common ingredients you’ll find on the back of supplements for joint health, but how’s the dosage? Well Heal n Soothe contains 6,000,000 FCCPU (as stated on the label) or about 200mg of bromelain. This dosage is considered effective for reducing chronic joint pain, so we’re happy.
Turmeric Extract
Ofcourse we covered this already, and although Heal n Soothe contains 60mg of turmeric extract, this dosage may not be enough to provide significant joint relief. Higher dosages are typically more effective, especially for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Boswellia Extract
Another repeat so we’ll get straight to the point, Heal n Soothe includes 150mg of Boswellia Extract, which is a good choice for joint relief. However, this is where the favorable choices in Heal n Soothe’s ingredients list seem to end.
Mojave Yuca Root
Mojave Yuca Root is included in Heal n Soothe at a dosage of 90mg. While Yuca does contain saponins with anti-arthritic properties and antioxidants that help alleviate joint pain [10], the dosage in Heal n Soothe is too low to be effective at promoting joint health.
Rutin
We spoke briefly about Rutin in the Flexoplex breakdown but we can actually see the dosage here, is it effective? 30mg is a little too low for us to really have much to say about it.
Ginger Extract
Ginger extract is a fantastic ingredient for joint relief, but it requires a specific dosage and compound makeup to be effective [11]. Heal n Soothe contains 90mg of ginger extract, which is not nearly enough to provide substantial joint relief.
Devil’s Claw
Devil’s Claw is an ingredient with mixed reviews. Most experts say there are not enough high-quality trials to deem it effective for joint pain relief or joint health improvement [12]. Heal n Soothe includes 30mg of Devil’s Claw, which is likely not sufficient to make a significant impact on joint pain.
Conclusion: Making an Informed Decision Between Heal N Soothe and Flexoplex
If we’re being truly honest neither of these really blew our socks off, but if we’re going to give it to anyone it’s gonna be Heal n Soothe based entirely on the fact that Flexoplex has based their product on a proprietary blend.
Though a lot of the ingredients were underdosed, we can see people having some positive results from the offering by Heal n Soothe. Atleast they had the decency to show some transparency with their formula, and that’s something we can respect.
The truth is that there’s better out there than these two, and though they’re not the worst by far we thought it might be worth turning your attention to FlexAgain, a relatively recent arrival on the scene in the US that has been turning heads for it’s uniquely clinical formula, dedication to science and transparent presentation. It’s clevel formula can reduce stiffness, increasing mobility and offering pain reduction in your joints. It also supports long term joint health, meaning it gets better the longer you use it (up to six weeks).
User Feedback: Analyzing Customer Reviews and Ratings
Analyzing customer reviews and ratings is an effective way to gauge the success and efficacy of a product. Comparing reviews and ratings of similar products can help determine which one is the best fit for your needs. In this case, we will be comparing two popular joint supplements, Flexoplex and Heal n Soothe, based on user feedback.
Flexoplex has received mostly positive reviews, but it’s important to bare in mind how common the practice of bolstering these scores with false positive reviews is, and Flexoplex has hardly earned our trust. That being said we’re not directly accusing Flexoplex of this, we’re just mentioning it as something to keep an eye out for.
The complaints we did find mainly spoke about having no effect, with a rare few mentioning adverse effects.
Similarly, Heal n Soothe also received positive reviews, with users reporting similar benefits to Flexoplex. However, some users mentioned that the product took longer to work or did not work as well as they had hoped. A few negative reviews also mentioned adverse side effects.
Very similar responses from the public and there’s not much of a surprise there, they both contain very similar formulas and it’s likely Flexoplex’s proprietary blend is just as underdosed as heal n soothe is.
References
- Qiu, G. X., Gao, S. N., Giacovelli, G., Rovati, L., & Setnikar, I. (1998). Efficacy and safety of glucosamine sulfate versus ibuprofen in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Arzneimittelforschung, 48(5), 469-474.
- Uebelhart, D. (2008). Clinical review of chondroitin sulfate in osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 16, S19-S21.
- Kim, L. S., Axelrod, L. J., Howard, P., Buratovich, N., & Waters, R. F. (2006). Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain of the knee: a pilot clinical trial. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 14(3), 286-294.
- Piscoya, J., Rodriguez, Z., Bustamante, S. A., Okuhama, N. N., Miller, M. J., & Sandoval, M. (2001). Efficacy and safety of freeze-dried cat’s claw in osteoarthritis of the knee: mechanisms of action of the species Uncaria guianensis. Inflammation Research, 50(9), 442-448.
- Ganeshpurkar, A., & Saluja, A. K. (2017). The pharmacological potential of rutin. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 25(2), 149-164.
- Kimmatkar, N., Thawani, V., Hingorani, L., & Khiyani, R. (2003). Efficacy and tolerability of Boswellia serrata extract in the treatment of osteoarthritis of knee–a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine, 10(1), 3-7.
- Kalman, D. S., Heimer, M., Valdeon, A., Schwartz, H., & Sheldon, E. (2007). Effect of a natural extract of chicken combs with a high content of hyaluronic acid (Hyal-Joint®) on pain relief and quality of life in subjects with knee osteoarthritis: a pilot randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Nutrition Journal, 6(1), 1-9.
- Brien, S., Lewith, G., Walker, A., Hicks, S. M., & Middleton, D. (2004). Bromelain as a treatment for osteoarthritis: a review of clinical studies. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 1(3), 251-257.
- Nielsen, F. H. (1998). The justification for providing dietary guidance for the nutritional intake of boron. Biological Trace Element Research, 66(1-3), 319-330.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1440857/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11710709/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9182060/