A-Z joint health supplements Articles

Chondroitin sulfate is a glycosaminoglycan (GAG), which is a branched sugar molecule that is often linked to protein and is one of the basic building blocks of cartilage in humans. Cartilage is a flexible structure found protecting the ends of the bones in most major joints (knee, ankle, elbow, spine), as well as in the rib cage, nose, ear, trachea and bronchi.

Natural health practitioners often recommend chondroitin supplementation for joint injury, arthritis, inflammation, bursitis, tendonitis and skin problems.

Understanding Research Findings on Chondroitin & Your Health

Decades ago, researchers found glucosamine and chondroitin to both be building blocks for the molecules that make up tendons, ligaments, bones, and synovial fluid. In the 1970s, co-supplementation was found to reduce pain in osteoarthritis sufferers. Researchers also found that the formerly degenerating joint cartilage had begun to repair itself. From then on, this nutrient was frequently recommended to help protect joint health, especially in combination with Glucosamine. These two molecules supply proteoglycans, which are an essential component of joint cartilage. Research is also suggesting that chondroitin sulfate may be a promising treatment for some coronary artery disease (CAD) and a skin condition called psoriasis. It may also increase the rate of absorption of iron, which is particularly important for individuals with iron deficiency anemia. These findings, however, require further study.

Research Findings

As the decades passed, further research was performed that brought the benefit of glucosamine and chondroitin supplementation into question. Finally, the GAIT study published in 2008 found that this combination was most effective for moderate to severe arthritis pain in the knee, and gave 79% of sufferers a 20% or greater reduction in pain. Unfortunately, glucosamine and chondroitin have been found to have much less effect in those with only slight pain. It is important to note that supplementation of chondroitin and glucosamine was also found to take several weeks of ongoing supplementation for benefits to occur. This helped to clarify the reason for the previous conflicted results in shorter research studies.

How Aging Effects Cartilage & How Chondroitin Can Help

Research has continued and found that with age, the ability to regenerate and restore joint structure begins to fail, often due to a decrease in the body’s natural production of structural molecules in the body like chondroitin. This deficiency causes a slowing in the production of new joint and connective tissue and in the repair of old tissue. When the body’s repairs cannot keep up with injury happening in the joint, it begins to degrade, which results in pain and stiffness. Research has repeatedly found that co-supplementing glucosamine and chondroitin can help reduce pain in those suffering from arthritis. It can also decrease the destruction of cartilage that occurs when arthritis sufferers use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Key Health Benefits of Chondroitin Supplements

How Glycosaminoglycan Deficiency Can Lead To Osteoarthritis

A deficiency of GAGs in the body can lead to joint deterioration because of insufficient cartilage synthesis. Break down of joint structure results in pain, and stiffness, especially after periods of rest, which is a condition known as Osteoarthritis. It can also cause creaking and cracking joints. Those with particularly low levels of GAGs will likely benefit from glucosamine supplementation. If this is not the underlying cause of the symptoms of the degeneration, then supplementation may not resolve the symptoms.

Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of Chondroitin

In addition to its role in the formation of cartilage, chondroitin acts as an anti-inflammatory and reduces the breakdown of cartilage by preventing further damage to the existing cartilage matrix. Multiple studies have shown a reduction in pain, increased joint mobility and a decreased need for medication such as anti-inflammatories when using chondroitin for 6 to 24 months for the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Interstitial Cystitis

Chondroitin sulfate has also been used for bladder control, treating both overactive and unstable bladder control, as well as in the treatment of Interstitial Cystitis (IC), an inflammation of the bladder. In individuals with IC, it has been shown to reduce pain and help balance out a deficiency in proteoglycans in both the lumenal and basal layers of the bladder surface.

Selecting The Best Chondroitin Supplements For Your Needs

Most chondroitin is made from pig or cow cartilage, although shark, fish and bird cartilage are also used. Chondroitin is usually found as chondroitin sulfate in supplement form. It can be found alone in powdered or capsule form or combination with supplements for inflammation, joint health and pain relief. It is often combined with glucosamine, MSM and collagen type II. In general, the oral dose of chondroitin is recommended to be 200-400 mg, 2-3 times per day. Chondroitin sulfate can be injected into the affected joint(s) for treatment in osteoarthritis, as well. 50 – 100 mg in 1 or divided into 2 doses throughout the day is the typical recommendation for injectable chondroitin sulfate.

While many supplements can be taken to protect the joints, one that your body makes naturally is collagen. Because collagen production lowers with age, many turn to this supplement for further support. Joints are made of cartilage, a tough but flexible connective tissue that has no blood vessels or nerves and is mostly made from collagen fibres. 

Those who suffer from joint issues have many supplement options available. Continue reading to learn how collagen is a major contender in helping joint health thrive. In this article, we will explore your joints, how they work, and how the best collagen supplement can help support better joint health.

How Joints Function

Your body has over 300 joints, each made up of a cartilage-covered bone surrounded by a joint capsule. Cartilage cushions the ends of your bones and allows them to glide smoothly over each other when you bend or move. It's also made of collagen fibres—the same fibres that make up skin, tendons, and ligaments—which are arranged in layers that become denser as they approach the part that slides against another bone.

Joints and Your Soft Tissue

Joints are made up of soft tissue, which includes ligaments and tendons. The bones that make up a joint are covered by a thin layer of cartilage. That cartilage acts as a strong, flexible layer to reduce friction between the bones. Cartilage is made up of collagen fibres that connect in an organized structure.

Research shows with age, the type II collagen in joints declines, and puts you at a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes the cartilage in the joints to break down, leading to pain and inflammation.

Plus, the stress hormone cortisol can also destroy joint cartilage, so stress reduction can help protect the body's joints.

How Collagen Fibres Fray in Your Joints

Collagen is a fibrous protein, meaning it is made of long chains amino acids that are wound into a tight helix. Collagen helps to hold things together by providing strength and stability.

Fraying of collagen fibres can cause pain and stiffness due to increased movement between individual collagen strands within your joints. This increased movement causes friction between the joint surfaces, which then leads to inflammation.

How Collagen Supplementation Helps Joint Repair

As mentioned, collagen is a fibrous protein that is found in connective tissues in the body. Being the most abundant protein in the body, collagen makes up about 30% of your skin, bones, ligaments, and tendons. Collagen helps keep your joints strong and flexible by helping them heal after injury or wear and tear over time.

Types of Collagen

You might be familiar with the three main types of collagen: types I, II, and III. But there are at least 28 types of collagen. Type II collagen loss is associated with joint pain and osteoarthritis. While types I and III, which are abundant in bovine collagen, are usually found in tissues such as connective tissue.

Studies on Collagen for Joints

Type II collagen from bovine sources has been shown to provide the greatest benefit to joint health. In a study of 30 people with osteoarthritis affecting their knees, those who received 5 grams of bovine collagen each day for 13 weeks experienced improvements in symptoms.

In one meta-analysis, researchers reviewed the current medical studies on collagen supplementation and osteoarthritis. They found that collagen supplementation greatly reduced joint stiffness and other osteoarthritis symptoms.

Although this has not yet been studied, researchers theorize that collagen supplements can collect in the joints, thus stimulating the body to create more of its own collagen.

How to Take Collagen For Joints

When the body is injured, it requires the building blocks necessary to repair soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments. Collagen supplements provide your body with essential elements. Type I and III collagens help maintain bone and repair damaged tendons and ligaments. Type II collagen is used in the production and repair of cartilage in the body. Thus, supplementation with Type II collagen from bovine sources can promote the repair of internal joint structures.

After a few months of initial arthritic treatment, adding types I and III from marine collagen can help boost results. This may be due to the increased support of healthy bone regeneration or stronger joint support from the increased structural integrity of tendons and ligaments.

To get the maximum benefit from collagen supplements, try to take a daily dose of up to 10 grams per day for at least 12 weeks. If using a powdered form of the supplement, mix it with your favourite beverage and consume with meals as needed. Collagen powders are available in both flavoured and unflavoured varieties and can be mixed into a wide range of foods and beverages, including coffee, hot chocolate, and smoothies.

Precautions and Side Effects

You may notice better joint mobility after taking a collagen supplement for several weeks—and if so, keep going. This means that your body will use its own natural healing abilities instead of relying on outside sources like prescription medications, which often have unwanted side effects.

Collagen is effective when taken regularly for up to six months (with little evidence of negative side effects).

Collagen is the connective tissue that keeps our joints strong and healthy. In this article, you've learned about how collagen fibres fray, break down in your joints and how collagen supplementation can help rebuild your joints.

References

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24852756/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30368550/ 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28049007/

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a derivative of DMSO and is safer to use because it does not accumulate as rapidly in the body. It also does not have an offensive “rotten egg” odour. As a source of organic sulphur, an MSM supplement helps to build protein, connective tissue, hormones and enzymes. MSM supplements can be helpful for those individuals who have inflammatory conditions like arthritis, lupus and interstitial cystitis, suffer from seasonal allergies, or have pain due to other health conditions.

Key Health Benefits of A MSM Supplement

Analgesic – Pain Relief

The pain-relieving activity of MSM is believed to be fourfold. Firstly it can directly reduce the transmission of pain signals along nerve fibers. Secondly, it increases blood flow to an inflamed area. Thirdly it reduces muscle spasms. And lastly, MSM stops the release of inflammatory compounds. All of these activities help MSM to reduce pain, particularlywhen it is due to inflammation.

Anti-inflammatory - Arthritis

In addition to its ability to directly and indirectly reduce pain in arthritic conditions, MSM can also be used to help treat those suffering from Osteoarthritis. Supplementation for 12 weeks (1123mg taken 3x daily) may improve pain and physical performance in osteoarthritis. Often, MSM will be combined with other joint support nutrients such as Chondroitin, Glucosamine and Collagen Type II to maximize the benefit to Joint Health. Interestingly, many of these supplements are beneficial for moderate to severe joint pain, whereas MSM is most beneficial for mild to moderate joint pains.

Detoxification

Supplementation of MSM can also help the body to detoxify by supporting the cleansing function of the liver. MSM is the natural breakdown product of DMSO in the body, which is a commonly used agent for the removal of mercury from the human body. Because of this, it is speculated that taking MSM may in itself help to clear mercury from the body. Interestingly, recent research has focused on the use of MSM in the prevention and treatment of some cancers, such as breast, colon and lung. Further research will be required to conclude these uses.

Topical Use

Many companies use MSM in topical preparations for arthritis pain relief. Interestingly, from this use, topical MSM has spread to use in other conditions such as Rosacea, Eczema, and even Acne. Initial research on its use in rosacea and eczema is promising, although further research is necessary.

Finding Quality MSM Supplement Varieties

Natural MSM can be found in raw dark green vegetables and raw red or yellow fruits and vegetables as well. It can also be found in fish, meat and poultry, as well as eggs and milk. MSM can be purchased as capsules or powder. Another name for MSM is DMSO2. It is often combined with other anti-inflammatory agents in formulas for musculoskeletal health, joint health, allergies and pain relief. MSM is often added to creams and ointments for the healing of skin conditions and relief of joint pain. Moisture and heat destroy the MSM content of foods and supplements. Taking vitamin C with your MSM will help to improve its effect. The therapeutic effects of MSM may take 3 weeks or longer to appear.