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There are many products to preserve joint and tendon health. But what are they and how do you choose the right product for your needs? Nutrimuscle explains everything you need to know about anti-inflammatories and the criteria to take into account into account in the choice of the latter.
Table of Contents
- Why protect your joints?
- The role of anti-inflammatory food supplements
- Anti-inflammatory food supplements
- How to choose the best anti-inflammatory?
- Preventive measures and complementary treatments
Why protect your joints?
Joint health becomes a concern when it begins to deteriorate. In other words, it is very often neglected. Over time, this neglect leads to age-related pain, exercise-related pain, and can even aggravate minor injuries.
Protecting your joints is essential when practicing a sporting activity. Indeed, the main cause of a drop in performance or stopping sport remains injury, or, to a lesser extent, the appearance of small pains preventing physical practice. It inevitably leads to abandonment and false beliefs, such as:
- "I'm too old now."
- "I'm not cut out for this sport."
- "It's too dangerous a sport."
However, good joint health allows you to exercise with peace of mind and, consequently, to achieve your goals more easily.
The role of anti-inflammatory food supplements
Joint, tendon and muscle pain are related to a process of tissue inflammation. The purpose of anti-inflammatory drugs in medicine is to block the pain information. The symptoms disappear, but the problem persists. This is why it is said that prevention is better than cure.
An anti-inflammatory dietary supplement provides the chemicals needed for healing. For example, with age, collagen stores decrease, which leads to friction between the joints and, by extension, pain. An anti-inflammatory (corticosteroid or non-steroidal type) blocks the sensation of pain for a limited time, while taking collagen alleviates pain in the long term.
Too often overlooked, supplements that provide protection and repair of tendons, joints and muscles are nevertheless the first supplements to favor when starting bodybuilding and sport in general.
In addition to its importance in sports, anti-inflammatories reduce the symptoms of joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis or arthritis.
Anti-inflammatory food supplements
There are several anti-inflammatory supplements available. Here are some examples:
Chondroitin
Chondroitin sulfate is a glycosaminoglycan, an important constituent of articular cartilage, tendons and skin (1-2) and is also found in type II peptan collagen.
It provides vital functions, especially for athletes in:
- Fighting against the degradation of cartilage cells (3-4);
- Exercising a naturally anti-inflammatory action (3-5-6);
- Fighting free radicals that attack our cells (7);
- Promoting tissue regeneration (8);
- Increasing mechanical resistance to friction;
- Moisturizing and lubricating the joint (9);
- Ensuring its flexibility;
- Shock absorbing.
Chondroitin sulfate also produces indirect benefits for joints. In fact, it increases the activity of enzymes responsible for the production of hyaluronic acid (a lubricant and anabolic food for joints). (10).
By overworking his muscles, the athlete accelerates the destruction of his joint hyaluronic acid. Athletes therefore have higher needs for hyaluronic acid, needs that chondroitin sulfate helps to meet.
Chondroitin also promotes muscle growth. In fact, in addition to its beneficial effects on joint health, hyaluronic acid also contributes to muscle growth. (11).
Chondroitin doesn't just work on joints or muscles. It also helps repair tendons by stimulating local collagen production. It is collagen that gives tendons flexibility and strength.
Collagen peptide type I and type II
Collagen is the protein that provides joints, muscles and tendons with their cohesion, strength and elasticity. It is also responsible for regenerating cartilage.
Collagen hydrolysates are successfully used against osteoarthritis (12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19).
Indeed, this degeneration is characterized by a decrease in the ability of the joints to produce collagen. Collagen hydrolysates are therefore ideal for combating this decrease in local cellular anabolism.
After muscular effort, the degradation of collagen in joints and tendons intensifies. The repair rate of tendon collagen is half that of muscle collagen (20).
The extracellular matrix that makes up the skin contains collagen and hyaluronic acid. It is 80% of type 1 collagen that is found in the skin. This collagen gives it firmness and suppleness.
Type II collagen is found very strongly in bones and cartilage. It is therefore very interesting for people suffering from joint problems related to cartilage in particular.
At the skin level, oral intake of Nutrimuscle Collagen provides collagen and increases hyaluronic acid synthesis, which helps the dermis to stay young, fighting against wrinkles and dryness (21).
Nutrimuscle Collagen Peptide Type I also promotes hair growth and nail health (22-23-24). It also inhibits bone loss, which preserves skeletal integrity (25).
N-Acetylglucosamine
Of all glucosamines, only N-Acetylglucosamine is able to accelerate cartilage anabolism, and therefore joint recovery (26-27-28) (29-30-31-32).
Research shows that N-Acetylglucosamine increases the rate of cartilage regeneration by 40% while other glucosamines only slow down anabolism (26).
Regular intake of glucosamine delays the progression of osteoarthritis. It also reduces the pain associated with it, while facilitating joint mobility (33).
It is not only in the joints that Nutrimuscle N-Acetylglucosamine plays an important role. It also has vital functions for the skin. By ensuring elasticity and hydration, Nutrimuscle N-Acetylglucosamine acts as an anti-wrinkle, as the latter are due to the dryness of the skin and its lack of elasticity.
The reduction in the oiliness of the skin as well as its better hydration suggests that N-Acetylglucosamine could also help to cleanse the skin of its impurities and therefore fight acne. It can also help with healing, fight against excessive flaking and the harmful effects of the sun on the skin (34-35-36-37).
Wisteria
Glycine is a non-essential amino acid (38) that can be deficient in athletes. Due to the omnipresence of this amino acid in the collagen of muscles, tendons, ligaments and skin, intense physical activity will increase our glycine needs, without our intake increasing adequately without supplementation.
In collagen proteins, glycine makes up one-quarter to one-third of all amino acids (39).
Glycine is therefore the amino acid most present in this basic material for tendons, muscles, ligaments or skin.
In athletes, glycine deficiencies have been shown to be associated with a greater than normal risk of injury (40).
In endurance athletes, glycine supplementation protects the integrity of the athlete's health, particularly at the kidney level (41).
How to choose the best anti-inflammatory?
There are several criteria to consider when choosing your anti-inflammatory. Depending on the pathologies and sports needs, some food supplements will be more suitable than others.
Of the four joint protection supplements, Nutrimuscle Super Collagen Mix is the most universal, as it contains the amino acids that make up cartilage and tendons as well as glucosamine and chondroitin. Unlike other supplements, this collagen acts on joints and tendons while N-Acetylglucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and type II collagen essentially repair joints.
Glucosamine and chondroitin act differently and complementary on the joints. There is a synergy between these two joint protectors ; which explains why it is preferable to use them together rather than separately (42-43-44).
If you want to target the joints only, the ideal remains type II collagen as well as N-Acetylglucosamine, reinforced by chondroitin sulfate.
However, for total protection , it is best to combine collagen peptide type I + collagen peptide type II + N-Acetylglucosamine + chondroitin sulfate in order to act in depth on both the tendons and the joints. In this case, it is a coherent mixture working in synergy.
Food allergies
For people with a seafood allergy, collagen peptide type II or type I is ideal, because unlike glucosamine, it is not a shellfish extract. Super collagen mix can also be used without any problems.
Preventive measures and complementary treatments
There are several ways to maintain joint health. These include low-intensity exercise, rest, and diet.
Studies have shown the importance of a balance between activity and rest in maintaining healthy joints. Rest helps reduce stress and pressure on joints, promoting healing and preventing injuries. However, prolonged rest can lead to muscle stiffness and weakness, so maintaining regular and appropriate physical activity is essential.
Exercise plays a crucial role in maintaining joint health. Studies have shown that regular exercise strengthens the muscles that support joints, improves flexibility and mobility, and reduces the risk of developing joint diseases, including osteoarthritis. Low-impact activities, such as swimming, water aerobics, cycling, and walking, are particularly recommended because they challenge joints while limiting stress on them.
Osteopathy and physiotherapy are complementary approaches to preserving joint health. Osteopaths use gentle manual techniques to improve joint mobility, relieve pain and restore musculoskeletal balance.
In addition to these approaches, maintaining a healthy weight preserves joint health. Studies have linked being overweight, obese, and an increased risk of developing joint diseases, particularly osteoarthritis. Eating a balanced diet rich in joint-healthy nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and collagen reduces the risk of developing joint diseases.
Scientific references
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