Proven to reduce pain and inflammation

A recent study done at King’s College in London, and published in March, 2002, in the British Journal of Community Nursing, compared the effectiveness of glucosamine with ibuprofen for relief of joint pain. The study found that glucosamine can be used as an alternative to anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics or as a useful adjunct to standard analgesic therapy. The study indicated that glucosamine’s pain-relieving effects might be due to its cartilage-rebuilding properties, which is a significant bonus you certainly don’t get with simple analgesics.¹¹

It’s important to note that ibuprofen and other NSAIDs appear to only treat the symptoms of arthritis, not its cause. Also, NSAIDs carry an increased risk of side effects including gastrointestinal complaints and bleeding. Furthermore, there is an indication that NSAIDs may increase the progression of arthritis. In contrast, glucosamine actually repairs damaged joints, in effect reversing degenerative arthritis.¹² The longer glucosamine is used, the more dramatic and long-lasting the improvement.

Glucosamine helps pain associated with sports injuries

Weekend warriors and other aging athletes are finding glucosamine extremely helpful with their acute and subacute osteoarthritis conditions. Because glucosamine acts as both a pain reliever and as a mechanism to repair damaged joints, it is the ideal substance to use to arrest osteoarthritis before it can progress to the chronic and degenerative stages. That’s not to say it can’t help those who are in the latter stages of the disease, it can. But if those old sports injuries are just now starting to revisit, glucosamine supplementation is strongly recommended.

Boswellia

Boswellia is a derivative of the Boswellia serrata tree that grows in India. It’s also known as “Indian frankincense,” and has been used for centuries to combat joint inflammation and pain in India, North Africa, and China. Unlike modern NSAIDs like ibuprofen and aspirin, boswellia doesn’t cause stomach irritation or other harmful side effects. In its cream form, boswellia can be applied directly to the skin to reduce inflammation.

Scientific research on boswellia

A number of scientific studies have confirmed the effectiveness of boswellia. This ayurvedic herb contains a compound known as beta boswellic acid, which is anti-inflammatory and analgesic. It has been shown in animal and test-tube studies to inhibit the production of leukotriens (biologically active compounds formed from arachidonic acid and other polyunsaturated fatty acids that cause inflammation and allergic reactions).

An important recent study of 175 patients with rheumatic and arthritic symptoms showed promising results. Within four weeks of taking boswellia, 122 patients reported reduced stiffness and inflammation. Boswellia also appeared to be particularly effective in alleviating lower back pain.¹³ Thus, boswellia should be considered by anyone in just about any stage of osteoarthritis, but particularly by those in the chronic and degenerative stages.

Curcumin

Curcumin is an extract of the spice turmeric that provides a huge number of health benefits. In fact, the potential benefits of curcumin are so comprehensive and extensive, that we should all be taking it. A recent search of the Excerpta Medica database found no less than 149 citations referring to the medical benefits of curcumin.

Studies show it inhibits prostaglandin production and stimulates the creation of cortisol, which relieves inflammation.¹⁴¹⁵ A study conducted in India looked at a combination arthritis formula that included curcumin and boswellia. In a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of 42 patients with chronic osteoarthritis, those receiving the test formula showed a significant drop in pain and disability.¹⁶ So, boswellin and curcumin work very well together and late stage osteoarthritis sufferers should look for formulas that combine these ingredients, along with other rebuilding compounds like glucosamine and chondroiton.

Chondroitin sulfate

Chondroitin sulfate is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory derived from cartilage. Chondroitin compounds are naturally manufactured by your body, and are essential for normal joint function. As you age, however, your body produces less and less. You can solve the problem with chondroitin supplements.

Chondroitin sulfate improves joint function in a variety of ways, including increasing your body’s synthesis of cartilage, improving joint lubrication, reducing free radicals which can damage cartilage, and removing blockages in blood vessels that support joints.

Chondroitin and glucosamine combined work well for late stage osteoarthritis

Several new studies recently published in scientific journals confirm the effectiveness of combining glucosamine and chondroitin to battle the later stages of osteoarthritis, particularly the chronic and degenerative stages. Highly effective for osteoarthritis of the knee Members of the faculty of Medicine, at the University of Liege, Liege, Belgium, did exhaustive research of randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials published or performed between January 1980 and March 2002 that assessed the efficacy of oral glucosamine or chondroitin on knee osteoarthritis. Their results showed that glucosamine and chondroitin were highly effective and safe in ameliorating joint space narrowing, and pain and mobility.¹⁷

Counteracts spinal disc degeneration

Although most studies have been done on osteoarthritis of the knee, there has been little investigation into the effects of glucosamine and chondroitin on spinal disc degeneration. A two year study done at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam and recently published in BMC Complementary Alternative Medicine, is particularly important because it suggests that long-term glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate intake may counteract spinal disc degeneration, particularly at an early stage. The researchers found that glucosamine and chondroitin are bioavailable to cartilage chondrocytes (cartilage-building cells), and may stimulate the biosynthesis and inhibit the breakdown of proteoglycans (a building block of cartilage within the joint space).¹⁸

Efficacious and safe in animal and human clinical trials

An article written by researchers at the Division of Arthritis Surgery, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, and published in the Journal of Arthroplasty, April 2003, reported that because of the abundant clinical evidence showing the efficacy and safety of glucosamine and chondroitin in both animal and human clinical trials, they deserve prominent recognition as a nonsurgical treatment of osteoarthritis.¹⁹

Betaine (trimethylglycine)

Betaine—also known as trimethylglycine—is essential for rebuilding connective tissue and manufacturing cartilage components. Betaine works with folic acid, vitamins B-6 and B-12, and methionine to form SAMe (S-adenosylmetlonine), and to donate methyl molecules, which are vital for proper liver function and cellular replication. SAMe protects and repairs joints by (1) increasing the number of cartilage cells, (2) stimulating the synthesis of proteoglycans, and (3) decreasing cartilage loss.²⁰²¹

SAMe is available commercially, but is extremely expensive, and can cost $200-$350 a month. SAMe is also chemically unstable. The preferable alternative for most people is to take betaine and B-supplements, including B-6, B-12, and folic acid.

Ginger

Used for thousands of years to add zest and excitement to food, ginger (Zingiber officinale) is also one of the oldest natural remedies around. Ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties have been used effectively for thousands of years. Ginger reduces inflammation by inhibiting prostaglandin and leukotriene synthesis. (Prostaglandins and leukotrienes occur naturally in your body. They are major causes of inflammation.)²²

Ginger has been proven to be as effective as NSAIDs in reducing inflammation but without their side effects and toxicity that include liver problems, stomach problems, and other debilitating side effects. Ginger reduces inflammation system-wide. This includes reducing inflammation in cases of both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

A 1992 Danish study found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or musculoskeletal pain who took powdered ginger reported varying degrees of pain relief and no side effects, even among those who took the ginger for more than two years.²³

Ginger is also recommended in Ayurvedic medicine for atherosclerosis, bronchitis, diarrhea, hypercholesterolemia, motion sickness, and ulcerative colitis. Because of its strong anti-inflammatory properties, ginger extract may benefit individuals at all stages of osteoarthritis.²⁴

Powerful, natural pain relief

As mentioned earlier, the osteoarthritis sufferers, no matter which stage of the disease they are in, should not give up hope. Of course, it helps to know how far the disease has progressed so you know which formula is going to work best for you. The chart on page 1 may be of benefit. If you are in one of the later stages of osteoarthritis, look for formulas that combine glucosamine with chondroitin, as well as boswellia and curcumin. B vitamins are also important along with betaine. If you are in the early stages like acute and subacute, you should look for formulas that contain glucosamine, boswellia, curcumin, ginger and Devil’s Claw, but you may not need chondroitin.

Getting older does not mean you have to suffer with joint pain. You can arrest the development of osteoarthritis right now, no matter what stage you may be in by taking quality nutritional formulas that contain these key ingredients. And you can do it without the expense of pharmaceutical drugs and their side effects. Don’t suffer through the pain or lose your freedom of movement. Act now to protect your joints and cartilage, so you can enjoy your golden years.

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References

Articles of Interest from Smart Publications Health & Wellness Update

• Arthritis Fighters: Gluscosamine, Chondroitin, Boswellin and Curcumin
• Joint Pain? Enjoy Pain Free Movement With Natural Arthritis Fighters!
• Arthritis Pain Solution: Devil’s Claw Extract Reduces Osteoarthritis Pain!