Life Extension Magazine®
Whole and grated ginger with joint-pain relief properties

Issue: Apr 2018


A staple of Eastern cuisine for hundreds of years, ginger can ease arthritis pain and inflammation, fight certain kinds of cancer, and suppress obesity.

Scientifically reviewed by: Holli Ryan, RD, LD/N, on March 2021. Written By Garry Messick.

Although mainly associated in the West with sugary snacks such as gingerbread, ginger snaps, and ginger ale, ginger has been a staple of Eastern cuisine and traditional medicines for hundreds of years.

What you need to know

Recent peer-reviewed literature shows that ginger can provide many rewards to your health, including reducing joint pain and fighting obesity.

As used in foods and beverages, ginger is the root of a flowering plant that originated in Southern Asia, and was one of the first spices exported from that region to Europe.

Studies have established a number of significant health benefits that can be derived from ginger in the form of supplements and extracts. A few examples follow.

Cancer Prevention

Research has found that ginger fights certain types of cancer. A study found that ginger can help treat ovarian cancer by destroying cancer cells through apoptosis or programmed cell death.1

Fights Obesity

Research suggests ginger, through a polyphenol it contains called gingerenone A, helps suppress obesity and inflammation of fat tissues.2 In another study, ginger was considered alongside orlistat, a medication used for treating obesity. Results showed that, in rats fed a high-fat diet, ginger compared favorably against orlistat for reducing body weight and improving lipid profiles.3

Joint-Pain Relief

A human study showed ginger oil self-massaged into afflicted knees by osteoarthritis sufferers led to significant pain reduction.4 The study authors recommend this practice as a complementary method to standard medical treatment.


  1. Cancer Research. 2006;66(8 Supplement):1058-.
  2. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2017;61(10).
  3. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2013;17(1):75-83.
  4. Res Theory Nurs Pract. 2017;31(4):379-92.