Many people suffer from ongoing joint pain in various parts of their body. Joints, or the connections between bones, are what give you the freedom to bend your knees and elbows, turn your head, move your hips, arch your back, and wiggle your fingers and toes, among other things that many of us take for granted every day. [This article, “[This article, “7 Most Effective Supplements Ingredients For Joint Health” was originally published in NewsHealthWatch]”
A cushion of smooth cartilage, synovium tissue, and synovial fluid lubricant help your joints stay apart and keep from rubbing together to maintain their health. However, injury, age, or carrying excessive weight can impact and break down this cartilage to the point that your joint health becomes compromised, damaged, or, worse yet, on its way to arthritic. Aside from the fact that the most prevalent chronic joint condition, osteoarthritis, is a common cause of disability, ignoring your joint health can slow you down and cause you pain. So, it’s important to care for your joints.
How to care for your joints
To maintain good joint health, you need to take care of your joints along with your bones, muscles, heart, and ligaments. Here are some great tips for doing just that.
Exercise with the joints in mind
Research has shown that aerobic or cardio exercise that boosts your heart rate can reduce swelling in the joints. It’s important to pay attention to whether certain exercises bring you discomfort or pain, so low-impact options (like swimming) may be ideal. No matter what you do, though, be sure to regularly move around in some way, as sitting still creates stiffness. Taking a walk, stretching, practicing yoga, and even standing up while you work can make you much more comfortable.
And don’t forget about building muscle and strengthening your core. This is important since your hips, spine, and knees support your whole body and need their strength to do a good job on their own without relying and putting strain on your joints. As well, your back and abdominal muscles keep you balanced and help you to avoid falls that can impact your joint health.
Maintain a healthy weight with the right diet
Carrying around extra weight does damage to more than just your cardiovascular health (which is still important). Joints that carry weight, like your back, knees, and hips, are supporting most or all of your body weight and, as a result, they literally take on more physical pressure. This pressure can cause joints to deteriorate, meaning the more pounds you’re carrying around, the more stress you’re putting on your joints. In fact, studies have found that you add four times the pressure to the knees per every pound gained.
And while you’re thinking about ideal body weight, you may as well be intentional with your diet by choosing foods that are good for your bones and muscles. For example, calcium – found in dairy, broccoli, kale, and nut milks strengthens bones, and vitamin D helps your body absorb that calcium. You need protein for your muscles, and meat, seafood, beans, and nuts are a great source of that. As well, it’s been found that antioxidants like vitamin C, found in citrus fruits, are great for joints and joint health.
Protect yourself in high-impact and high-risk activity
When it comes to higher-risk activities – whether you do physical labor for work, are into mountain biking or rollerblading, or are rolling up your sleeves to paint your house – protecting your body is non-negotiable if you want to avoid major or minor cartilage-damaging injuries, relieve joint pain in the short term, and take care of your joints in the long term.
This means it’s important to wear the right safety gear, like knee, wrist, and elbow guards or pads, and a helmet as needed. And, if you do suffer an injury, be sure to apply ice wrapped in a cloth or a cold pack to the affected area for a few minutes. This will help reduce swelling and numb pain.
Aside from these actions, taking joint supplements is an effective way to maintain and improve your joint health. Here are some supplement ingredients to look for.
Top 7 supplement ingredients for joint health
1. Glucosamine
Glucosamine, which is naturally found in cartilage, prevents the inflammation and discomfort that occurs when bones rub against one another. This ingredient can also contribute to stopping cartilage breakdown caused by arthritis.
Glucosamine sulfate, specifically, has been found to lessen joint pain from osteoarthritis. This makes it an ideal supplement ingredient, as found in this joint care formula from Luma by Laura. The brand prides itself on its US-made, all-natural joint health supplements. Specially formulated with glucosamine and other key ingredients that quickly absorb into your system to target problem areas, these supplements support healthy joint mobility and function by minimizing inflammation and maintaining joint cartilage.
Dosage: You can safely take 1,500 mg of glucosamine sulfate once a day or spread out 2-3 times daily.
2. Turmeric
Hugely popular for joint pain relief due to its curcumin compound’s anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric is another popular ingredient in supplements for joint health.
Dosage: You can take 500 mg of tumeric 2-4 times a day.
3. Boswellia
The herbal extract Boswellia (or Indian frankincense) comes from the Boswellia serrata tree, and resin from the extract has long been used in African and Asian folk medicine. This joint supplement ingredient contains anti-inflammatory boswellia acids that relieve arthritic pain.
Dosage: Boswellia can be safely taken in the range of 100 mg once daily to 333 mg three times daily. Consult your health practitioner to see what dosage would work best for you.
4. Chondroitin
Chondroitin is found in cartilage and helps prevent breakdown of that cartilage in those suffering from osteoarthritis. It also relieves stiffness and pain in joints. And, when taken for up to 2 years, this supplement ingredient even slows narrowing of the space between joints. A study found that over half the people who took chondroitin enjoyed at least 20% improvement in knee pain.
Dosage: Safely take chondroitin in 400-800 mg amounts 2-3 times daily.
5. Methionine
Methionine, an amino acid found in proteins from your body and certain foods, is an ingredient commonly used in joint health gummies and other supplements. It aids in cartilage repair and production, making it ideal to help with osteoarthritis symptoms.
Dosage: You can safely take methionine in three 200-400 mg doses daily.
6. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
MSM is a chemical found in humans, animals, and plants. This joint supplement ingredient has shown to improve movement, function, and pain in those suffering from arthritic joint stiffness and discomfort.
Dosage: You’re safe to take MSM in 1-2 doses of 1,500-6,000 mg a day (consult with your health practitioner to see what’s best for you).
7. Quercetin
Quercetin is a flavonoid (or plant pigment) found in foods like onions, apples, berries, green tea, and red wine. Its anti-inflammatory properties help to reduce swelling and relieve symptoms of arthritis like joint pain.
Dosage: It’s safe to take 500-1,000 mg of quercetin per day.
All of these ingredients are important in one way or another to maintaining the health of your joints and your day-to-day comfort. Remember to seek out a quality joint supplement brand, like Luma by Laura, offering products that:
- improve joint discomfort,
- facilitate proper nutrient absorption and inflammation avoidance, and
- promote long-term health by keeping your joints moving, along with your muscles.
Beyond supplements, keeping practical joint-care tips in mind, like eating right, exercising, wearing proper safety gear, and icing injuries appropriately can go a long way in relieving short-term pain and maintaining long-term health.
Further Resources
Further Resources for Reference:
Popular Supplements for Arthritis: What You Need to Know
Simple Tips to Keep Your Joints Healthy
Disclaimer
Important Note: The information contained in this article is for general informational purposes only, and
should not be construed as health or medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure
any disease or health condition. Before embarking on any diet or program of nutritional supplementation, it
is advisable to consult your healthcare professional in order to determine its safety and probable efficacy in
terms of your individual state of health.
