5 Ingredients to Stop Inflammation and Support Joint Health
What do headaches, arthritis, and wounds have in common? Inflammation.
With the best of intentions, our bodies trigger inflammatory responses. For example, after an injury or when defending from harmful bacteria. While necessary, inflammation has a darker side too. Diet-induced inflammation, for example, can increase your risk of disease while aggravating swelling and pain in joints and connective tissue.
Your diet can trigger inflammation but it can also stop it. Let’s take a look at 5 ingredients to stop inflammation and support joint health.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine is both a naturally occurring compound in the body found in the fluid that surrounds and protects your joints as well as a nutrient that is often taken in supplement form.
Glucosamine has been shown in several key studies to provide anti-inflammatory benefits while supporting the health of your joints. It is often recommended for those suffering from arthritis to complement their current medication program.
For athletes, glucosamine can support joints and connective tissue during high impact exercise such as plyometrics or weight lifting.
Chondroitin
Often found together with glucosamine, chondroitin is another proven ingredient to combat inflammation while improving joint health.
Just like glucosamine, you can find chondroitin in the body within the fluid around joints and connective tissue. Several studies have demonstrated that chondroitin might be an effective way to halt connective tissue breakdown while promoting recovery.
It is suggested to work best with glucosamine and our next ingredient.
MSM
Methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM, is another scientifically proven ingredient to alleviate the pain and swelling of inflammation. It’s been shown to be most effective when paired with glucosamine and chondroitin.
MSM stops inflammation on a cellular protein level by reducing cytokine expression. In other words, it doesn’t allow the proteins responsible for the inflammatory response to do their job. As a result, subjects have reported less pain and swelling, and better joint health.
Boron
While minerals such as magnesium and calcium often get the spotlight, boron is an important trace mineral that can benefit your joint and connective tissue health.
Boron has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory benefits by increasing the release of compounds that mediate or keep inflammation in check. It’s also been suggested to have a positive effect on the immune system.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it is stored in fat and used accordingly unlike water soluble vitamins that are flushed out each day. Vitamin E is considered one of the best anti-oxidant vitamins, helping to clear cellular waste and fight age-promoting free radicals.
Vitamin E is also an excellent nutrient for your joint health as it has been demonstrated to exhibit an anti-inflammatory response. As an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, vitamin E has been suggested to be an effective way to combat cardiovascular disease for high risk populations.
Conclusion
Have you started using any of the ingredients listed above? Which benefits have you noticed? Let us know in the comments below.
David Sautter is a NASM certified personal trainer and a NASM certified fitness nutrition specialist who has worked in the fitness industry for over 12 years.
During his time in the fitness industry, David Sautter has conducted many fitness workshops, trained hundreds of clients, and has written extensively for a variety of companies. He has been a featured fitness writer on many high-profile health and fitness websites. Aside from producing weekly articles, David has been the writer of several e-books and training guides.
References
Jerosch J. Effects of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate on Cartilage Metabolism in OA: Outlook on Other Nutrient Partners Especially Omega-3 Fatty Acids. International Journal of Rheumatology. 2011;2011:969012. doi:10.1155/2011/969012.
Kantor ED, Lampe JW, Navarro SL, Song X, Milne GL, White E. Associations Between Glucosamine and Chondroitin Supplement Use and Biomarkers of Systemic Inflammation. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2014;20(6):479-485. doi:10.1089/acm.2013.0323.
Butawan M, Benjamin RL, Bloomer RJ. Methylsulfonylmethane: Applications and Safety of a Novel Dietary Supplement. Nutrients. 2017;9(3):290. doi:10.3390/nu9030290.
Pizzorno L. Nothing Boring About Boron. Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal. 2015;14(4):35-48.
Tahan G, Aytac E, Aytekin H, Gunduz F, Dogusoy G, Aydin S, Tahan V, Uzun H. Vitamin E has a dual effect of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats. Can J Surg. 2011 Oct;54(5):333-8. doi: 10.1503/cjs.013610.
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