Traditional medicine for joint and bone health (as well as numerous feminine problems and menopause) is called Cissus quadrangularis, and it has shown promise in accelerating bone growth rates. There is preliminary evidence that cissus has the ability to help joints, which is why it is popular among athletes.

Traditional medicine Cissus quadrangularis is typically attributed to Ayurveda, however it appears to have been used medicinally in a variety of places since it grows in many different places. Its traditional uses have primarily focused on treating female disorders (menopause, libido, and menstrual disorders) or treating bones (increasing bone mass or accelerating fracture healing rates), earning it the nickname "Bone Setter." Other traditional uses have focused on its purported antiulcer,antihemhorroid,and pain-relieving properties.

The anecdotes of cissus appear to predate much of the science on the subject, and athletes are the group who utilize it the most frequently. While showing promise in athletes who had joint pain due to exercise (by reducing overall joint symptoms by around a third), there has only been one preliminary study on humans so far, despite it being a very efficient painkiller in rodent studies. As most joint health supplements have no evidence in athletes, more research is needed, but it appears promise as a treatment for joint discomfort in sports (rather, most research is in osteoarthritis persons).

Although preliminary rat research reveals that cissus has hypnotic and muscle-relaxing qualities at high dosages (active within 30 minutes of intake), suggesting that it might not make the best pre-workout supplement, this could pose a potential difficulty in athletes.

There are a few human reports of improved fracture healing rates, however these reports are of poor quality since they do not disclose sufficient methodology (i.e., how the study was conducted) or the compound's source. Although there is a lot of promise in animal research for stimulating bone formation, this conventional claim also needs to be examined in more detail.

Finally, there are two human trials that suggest cissus can be utilized as a fat-burning supplement, although they have structural issues. Since food intake was not measured and the supplements were taken before meals with water (and cissus is known to have gum-forming properties), both studies are complicated by potential financial biases. It is also entirely possible that the observed effects are the result of decreased food intake, which is what happens when a gum (glucomannan, for example) is taken before a meal with water.

Overall, cissus shows considerable promise for maintaining joint and bone health in menopausal women and athletes alike, but additional research is needed to fully assess its potential. It can also lower cortisol levels, which may lead to increased testosterone production. It is often utilized in testosterone booster supplements for this reason.

Note that Cissus Quadrangularis is also known as:

• Harjor
• Asthi Shrinkhala
• Bone Setter

The one study that found an advantage to oral supplementation in humans (to lessen joint pain) utilized 3,200 mg of cissus quadrangularis as a daily supplement, which is also within the range where animal studies predict the water extract's calming and pain-relieving effects should occur.
In other studies, biological activity in humans was demonstrated using 50–100 mg of a cissus quadrangularis extract standardised to 2.5% ketosteroids.
Any of the two aforementioned doses should be effective (the former is probably more pertinent for athletes), but the ideal dose is not yet established.