Nature's Life Joint Ease™ Products:
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Natural Products To Help Maintain Healthy Joints*Every movement of your body involves your joints. Keeping joints moving smoothly and easily will help you feel your best. Joints are made of cartilage and synovial fluid which provide cushioning while ligaments, tendons and connective tissue hold your bones and muscles together. Cartilage is dense connective tissue consisting mainly of chondroitin sulfate and is capable of withstanding large amounts of pressure. Synovial fluid is thick, lubricating fluid that surrounds joints. Ligaments are dense bands of fibrous tissue linking two bones together, forming joints. Ligaments are flexible but won’t stretch; they make joints strong and limit movement in certain directions. Tendons are made of bundles of collagen fibers that attach muscle to bone and aid in the pulling action of muscles. They also won’t stretch but are flexible. Swollen, irritated and reddened tissue is the body's natural inflammatory response to injury. This is true whether the injury results from a cut, burn, bruise, infection, or even an autoimmune response to joint degeneration. The body's natural inflammatory response includes the release of histamine, which causes redness and swelling, and an increased supply of white blood cells. Histamine is a compound derived from the amino acid histidine, found in nearly all tissues of the body, and is released in large quantities after trauma. These changes are the body's attempt to minimize the adverse affects of injury. Often after trauma, however, this natural inflammatory response is excessive, resulting in unnecessary pain and swelling which can actually worsen and prolong the symptoms of the injury. Drugs such as aspirin and cortisone control inflammation. However these drugs have side effects, which in some cases are worse than the inflammation itself. Fortunately, there are natural substances which reduce the natural inflammatory response with few, if any, side effects.*1 BromelainBromelain is an enzyme found in pineapples. Both animal and human research show that it is well absorbed and remains relatively intact in the stomach.2, 3 When taken between meals, bromelain is especially effective in reducing many types of natural inflammatory responses, including those arising from physcal trauma, immune system reactions and prostaglandin metabolism.*1, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 Bromelain appears to block the formation of certain prostaglandins (hormone-like substances), which trigger inflammatory responses.*1 Aspirin and related drugs do the same, but unlike aspirin, bromelain does not cause tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or gastrointestinal bleeding. Large doses of bromelain have been consumed without apparent toxicity5 except for uncommon allergic reactions.6 The mechanisms by which bromelain reduces the natural inflammatory responses have also been extensively validated in animals.4 Bromelain may also increase another substance called PGE1, which is a prostaglandin that reduces the body's natural inflammatory response.*7 In addition, bromelain reduces the inflammatory response in ways related to fibrin breakdown.* Fibrin is a substance that collects in inflamed areas.* Bromelain can lyse (break apart) the accumulation of fibrin, leading to a decrease in the natural inflammatory response thus reducing swelling.*8 In a double-blinded trial, swollen and irritated nasal cavities cleared up more quickly with high-potency bromelain supplements.*9 In preliminary studies, bromelain has proven effective in reducing the natural inflammatory response from joint trauma and other swollen and irritated skin problems.10,11, 12, 13 How Much Is Effective?Bromelain "potency" is measured not by weight, but by activity as "MCUs" (milk clotting units) or "GDUs" (gelatin digesting units). The higher the number, the greater the activity. Nature's Life's bromelain supplements list weight (in milligrams) and specify activity in MCUs or GDUs so you can always be sure of an effective amount. Activity varies widely; knowing only how much the bromelain weighs can be misleading. Research indicates that daily intake of 1,500 mg (or 3,000 GDUs; 4,500 MCUs) may be necessary to help reduce the natural inflammatory response.*4, 7, 8, 10, 11 QuercetinQuercetin is a safe, natural bioflavonoid, found in many plants. Clinical trials have not yet validated quercetin's ability to reduce the natural inflammatory response. However, several inflammatory pathways are known to be inhibited by quercetin.*14 One of the body's triggers for the natural inflammatory response is histamine which is released from certain white blood cells when they break down. Quercetin protects white blood cells from breaking down, thus helping to reduce histamine release and decreasing swelling.*14, 15 Quercetin has also been shown to inhibit release of leukotrienes: prostaglandin-like substances which also trigger the natural inflammatory response.*16 Quercetin is recommended in all instances where the natural inflammatory response needs to be inhibited.*17 Vitamin CVitamin C, like bromelain, is known to lyse fibrin, and fibrin has been directly linked to the natural inflammatory response associated with aching back muscles.*18, 19 By helping to break down fibrin, vitamin C helps lessen the natural inflammatory response.* Vitamin C is also needed for collagen synthesis.*20 Collagen is the "glue" that holds muscle cells together. Easy bruising is one of the symptoms of vitamin C deficiency and is a result of impaired collagen synthesis. However, most Americans are not deficient in vitamin C. Following joint trauma, the body requires collagen synthesis and vitamin C helps produce more collagen.*20 To test the effects of vitamin C in
reducing muscle soreness, researchers at Western States Chiropractic
College gave 3 grams of vitamin C to students beginning three days
before exposing them to the stress of exercise. The vitamin C group
developed significantly less muscle soreness than did the control
group.*21 Zinc, Copper and ManganeseSuperoxide dismutase (SOD) is a powerful antioxidant enzyme produced by the body that helps protect against excess natural inflammatory response in joints.*22 Although SOD has been sold as a dietary supplement, animal research shows that oral SOD is destroyed by the digestive system before it can help joints.22 Responsible scientists presume the same is true for humans, and there is NO human research supporting the effectiveness of oral SOD supplements. Your body can synthesize its own SOD with three common trace minerals: zinc, copper, and manganese. Deficient levels of copper23 and manganese24 will lower SOD levels in animals. Moreover, copper-deficient humans have low SOD levels which increase with copper supplementation.*25 Several scientific studies with zinc and copper have shown their ability to reduce swelling and soreness in joints.*27, 28, 29 Research with zinc has been mixed,25 though most trials report some improvement.*27, 28, 29 Natural Joint ReliefBromelain Joint Ease contains proven
ingredients to help combat the effects of the body's natural
inflammatory response. Bromelain, Quercetin, vitamin C and select trace
minerals have all been validated in clinical trials to help support and
maintain healthy joints. This doctor-formulated supplement is a
completely natural way to help your joints feel their best. GingerHistorically, ginger root (Zingiber officinale) has been used in Ayurvedic (traditional Indian) medicine to help sore, aching joints.*30, 31 Ginger helps inhibit histmine release and also appears to inhibit pathways that lead to producing pro-inflammatory prostaglandins.*30 In one scientific study, 500 mg of powdered ginger per day helped people feel less discomfort and decreased symptoms of the inflammatory response.*31 CurcuminCurcumin (Curcuma longa) extract comes from the spice turmeric. The root of this plant has been traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to reduce the natural inflammatory response.*32 Curcumin extract appears to reduce the production of pro-inflammatory leukotriene and also promotes the breakdown of fibrin which reduces the inflammatory response.*33 In a double-blinded trial, 1,200 mg of curcumin per day reduced stiffness and joint swelling.*32 Lowering the Inflammatory Response NaturallyWhen it comes to swollen, irritated and painful tissues, the body doesn't always know when to call it quits. Drugs that reduce inflammation are effective, but the relatively "safe" ones like aspirin, can cause gastritis or even ulcers. Although they are sometimes necessary, taking the more dangerous anti-inflammatory drugs, such as prednisone, on a regular basis, can contribute to diabetes, osteoporosis, or even more serious conditions. Nature's Life offers natural substances which can help quell histamine release and the natural inflammatory response.* With the exception of the swelling and pain of minor trauma, the cause of these symptoms needs to be understood before taking any supplements. When suffering the effects from an excessive inflammatory response, consult your nutritionally-oriented physician first, and discuss how these natural substances might help. References:
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