Osteo Bi-Flex and Relief Factor and two highly popular joint supplements. Osteo Bi-Flex can be purchased during your next grocery run while Relief Factor is reserved for their official website. But what makes these joint supplements different?
And is one more effective than the other?
Quick Verdict
Osteo Bi-Flex wins easily this comparison because it’s more effective, much easier to buy, and significantly cheaper. Based on these factors, it’s hard to recommend Relief Factor.
Osteo Bi-Flex’s glucosamine content, especially as a part of the Triple Strength formulation, is potent and helps many people with joint pain at an affordable price, which explains why the product is so popular.
However, if you need something even more powerful and comprehensive, you can try FlexAgain, which has a much more extensive formula.
| Feature | Winner |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Osteo Bi-Flex |
| Dosage | Osteo Bi-Flex |
| Joint Relief Effectiveness | Osteo Bi-Flex |
| Third-Party Testing | Relief Factor |
| Clinical Research | Draw |
| Side Effects | Osteo Bi-Flex |
| User Reviews | Osteo Bi-Flex |
| Price | Osteo Bi-Flex |
Quick Verdict
While Osteo Bi-Flex is more effective than Relief Factor, it is not anywhere near a complete joint supplement. FlexAgain is a more potent joint supplement with an effective formulation for joint pain relief and support.
What Is Relief Factor?
Relief Factor is a comprehensive joint health supplement developed by Relief Factor Co., which also manufactures supplements for anxiety alleviation, increased energy, and better sleep.
Relief Factor is a drug-free daily supplement that promotes your body’s natural response to inflammation, reducing or eliminating pain throughout the day. The composition is drug-free and intended to assist the body in healing itself.
Relief Factor contains only natural substances and has undergone third-party testing for purity from contaminants like heavy metals. It is appropriate for any health-conscious individual suffering from joint pain.
You can read my experiences in my Relief Factor review.
What Is Osteo Bi-Flex?
Osteo Bi-Flex is an American brand and, quite possibly, the most popular joint health supplement. The company has been a leading player in the joint health supplements category for more than 20 years.
Osteo Bi-Flex is offered in several versions, all designed to provide high-quality nutrients to the body, support joint comfort and mobility, and reduce pain.
As with all supplements in this segment, Osteo Bi-Flex is aimed mainly at customers in the later stages of their lives. People who want to continue doing what they love, be active, and not be held back by joint pain, stiffness, and discomfort.
You can read my experiences in my Osteo Bi-Flex review.
Relief Factor vs. Osteo Bi-Flex Main Differences
Benefits
Both supplements are intended to reduce joint discomfort and restore normal joint function.
Unlike prescription drugs, which can have dangerous side effects and address only the symptoms rather than the cause of pain, dietary supplements such as Relief Factor and Osteo Bi-Flex use natural ingredients to reduce inflammation and discomfort in joints and muscles, allowing the body to heal itself.
Relief Factor is a completely drug-free product with natural ingredients that support pain relief in various ways.
The formulation is designed to give your body the nutrition it needs to eliminate daily joint and muscle pain.
One of Osteo Bi-Flex’s big benefits is that it is widely available in major stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target, and others, so you can always pick a tub on your grocery trip.
Ingredients
Both products have transparent ingredient lists and show the exact dosages, which makes it easy to compare them to existing scientific studies and determine their effectiveness for most people.
I will start the section with a breakdown of Relief Factor’s individual ingredients.
The product includes 900 mg of omega-3 fatty acids (647 mg EPA, 253 mg DHA).
Omega-3 is one of the most frequently used components in joint pain supplements because it can reduce inflammation, relieve pain, improve joint health, prevent joint damage, repair existing damage, enhance muscle and connective tissue growth, and improve joint lubrication, flexibility, and mobility [1].
The dose is slightly below the 1100 mg recommendation.
Turmeric is an extract derived from the Curcuma root. It contains curcumin, which helps reduce pain and inflammation, restore joint functioning, fight osteoarthritis pain, and improve the efficacy of other antioxidants in your system [2].
Icariin is used in traditional Chinese medicine for a variety of purposes, including reducing swelling and inflammation.
However, the only relevant research available has been done on animals. Hence, the usefulness of Icariin on humans remains highly questionable [3].
Relief Factor contains Japanese knotweed root extract, which includes the component Resveratrol, which is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Consuming it helps prevent or treat oxidative stress and damage to the cells and tissues of the human body [4].
Unfortunately, the dose in Relief Factor is 75 mg, while the recommended amount is 150 mg.
Osteo Bi-Flex is offered in several different versions, each with slightly different formulations. However, they all contain 1500 mg of Glucosamine HCL, which is the center of Osteo Bi-Flex’s formulation.
I think the most potent version of the product is the Tripple Strength + vitamin D, so I have picked it for my Osteo Bi-Flex test.
Glucosamine is one of the most well-established ingredients for treating joint pain. Glucosamine helps promote healthy joints and comfortable movement.
The recommended dosage of glucosamine sulfate is 1500 mg, which is matched in Osteo-Bi Flex but with glucosamine HCL [5].
HCL is more potent than sulfate and requires less to be effective. This means the super high dose in Osteo Bi-Flex will benefit most people.
Another common combination seen in joint health supplements is chondroitin and MSM (methylsulfonylmethane). Chondroitin is thought to help cartilage health, and MSM is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities [6].
However, the dose of 275 mg is likely too low to deliver meaningful effects.
Boswellia is a natural anti-inflammatory agent that relieves joint pain and stiffness and is included in a proper dose in Osteo Bi-Flex [7].
Osteo Bi-Flex triple strength also contains 2000 UIs of vitamin D, which is an excellent addition to the formulation. Most people are deficient in vitamin D, which can lead to joint pain.
Effectiveness
Osteo Bi-Flex is definitely the more effective product, given the high dose of glucosamine.
The triple-strength version is the most potent one thanks to the solid vitamin D and Boswelia doses, but every version of the product contains 1500 mg of glucosamine HCl, which is often enough to provide noticeable pain relief to most people.
Relief Factor can also be effective, and I have felt some relief in my knee pain, but it was definitely not as palpable as from Osteo Bi-Flex.
Clinical Research
Neither product has complete formula clinical studies to support its effectiveness, but this is true of all joint health supplements.
However, the individual substances are scientifically supported, and the majority of them are beneficial in the appropriate amounts.
These studies also assist us in assessing whether the dosages are sufficient to produce meaningful outcomes or whether the companies simply make empty promises.
This is why I am very dubious of proprietary blends that conceal the actual quantities of individual substances.
Side Effects
The reported side effects of Relief Factor and Osteo Bi-Flex are mild, and for most people, the supplements are harmless, but enough people do have some adverse effects.
One of the most common negative effects of these supplements is stomach discomfort, which can include bloating, gas, or nausea.
This is especially true for Osteo Bi-Flex because of the high dose of glucosamine HCL, which is known to cause bloating and discomfort.
Nevertheless, my experience with the two products was reversed. I had no issues with Osteo Bi-Flex, while Relief Factor gave me some problems around the second week, which was a surprise for me because I always take dietary supplements well.
User Reviews
Relief Factor’s website has a 3.9 rating and offers full access to all 3000 user reviews.
The bad feedback ranges from customers who have tried the product for a month or two and have seen no change to those who are unable to terminate their subscriptions.
There are a few unsatisfied customers, but many more are pleased with their purchase, as indicated by the excellent overall score.
Osteo Bi-Flex is a hugely popular product on Amazon in all its versions, and it’s generally very well regarded both for its effectiveness and for the value it provides.
There is one common complaint I want to share, though, and it’s the size of the pills. Many users are sharing they find the pills too hard to swallow, so this is something you should have in mind.
Price
Osteo Bi-Flex is sold in multiple versions and different bottle sizes, and it’s impossible to list all of them in a single comparison table. Make sure to check what options provide the best value and look for frequent sales.
Relief Factor is only available on its official website in one tub size, so things are much more straightforward there, but the product is also drastically more expensive.
| Joint Supplement | 1 Bottle (One Time Purchase) | 1 Bottle (Subscription) |
|---|---|---|
| Relief Factor | $93.95 ($3.13/serving) | $79.95 ($2.67/serving) |
| Osteo Bi-Flex Triple Strength With Vit D | $30.16 / 60 servings ($0.50/serving) |
My Experience With Relief Factor And Osteo Bi-Flex
Osteo Bi-Flex had the more noticeable effect on me. By the end of the first week of intake, my joints felt better and less sore, and I could feel the inflammation subsiding.
This is not a surprise since glucosamine is one of the most effective joint health ingredients, and Osteo Bi-Flex has a massive dose of it. Thankfully, I didn’t experience any side effects from the glucosamine.
Relief Factor also positively affected my knee pain, but I expected a much better result. Given the product’s premium price and big promises, I was left disappointed.
Furthermore, I experienced some stomach discomfort, which is very uncommon for me.
Should You Choose Relief Factor Or Osteo Bi-Flex?
Osteo Bi-Flex is definitely the better product and provides immensely more value than Relief Factor. For many people, glucosamine is enough to relieve pain, and Osteo Bi-Flex offers a big dose for a good price.
The Triple Strength version also has vitamin D and a proper dose of Boswellia, making it a potent joint health supplement.
I can’t say the same for Relief Factor, and I can’t find any justification for the price of almost $100 per pack.
Higher doses can improve the formulation, but this would raise the price and lower the value, so I cannot recommend Relief Factor.
A third option, if glucosamine is not enough to help you, is to buy more comprehensive joint health supplements like FlexAgain. These blend many more proven ingredients at appropriate doses. The price is higher than Osteo Bi-Flex, but the potential is much higher.
FlexAgain
FlexAgain
A powerful, clinically dosed joint supplement to alleviate joint pain and improve joint health.
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References
- Miles, E. A., & Calder, P. C. (2012). Influence of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on immune function and a systematic review of their effects on clinical outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis. British Journal of Nutrition, 107(S2), S171-S184.
- Anand, P., Kunnumakkara, A. B., Newman, R. A., & Aggarwal, B. B. (2007). Bioavailability of curcumin: problems and promises. Molecular pharmaceutics, 4(6), 807-818.
- Shindel, A. W., Xin, Z. C., Lin, G., Fandel, T. M., Huang, Y. C., Banie, L., … & Lue, T. F. (2010). Erectogenic and neurotrophic effects of icariin, a purified extract of horny goat weed (Epimedium spp.) in vitro and in vivo. The journal of sexual medicine, 7(4_Part_1), 1518-1528.
- Kjær, T. N., Ornstrup, M. J., Poulsen, M. M., Jørgensen, J. O. L., Hougaard, D. M., Cohen, A. S., … & Pedersen, S. B. (2015). Resveratrol reduces the levels of circulating androgen precursors but has no effect on, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, PSA levels or prostate volume. A 4?month randomised trial in middle?aged men. The Prostate, 75(12), 1255-1263.
- Fox, B. A., & Stephens, M. M. (2007). Glucosamine hydrochloride is used to treat osteoarthritis symptoms. Clinical interventions in aging, 2(4), 599-604.
- Chin, K. Y. (2020). The relationship between vitamin K and osteoarthritis: a review of current evidence. Nutrients, 12(5), 1208.
- Yu, G., Xiang, W., Zhang, T., Zeng, L., Yang, K., & Li, J. (2020). Effectiveness of Boswellia and Boswellia extract for osteoarthritis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 20, 1-16.
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