JAMIESON EXPERTISE

The New Wave in Joint Support

Jun 15, 2011     Posted by: Dr. Sara Henderson ND

As the population of baby boomers increase in number, there is growing concern of arthritis. Obesity and knee osteoarthritis (OA) are among the most frequent conditions affecting North Americans aged 50 to 84 years. With age comes reduced nutrient supply to cartilage, decreased tensile strength of joint cartilage and narrowed joint space. Daily stress on our joints (especially the ankles, knees and hips) plays an important role in the development of osteoarthritis. Degenerative joint changes occur as a result of either excessive weight on healthy joints or normal pressure on a previously injured joint.
 
Sufferers are looking for supportive and curative options versus solely pain-relieving, “band-aides”, such as NSAIDS. Nonpharmacologic therapies are a mainstay when it comes to treatment, and include, patient education, hydrotherapy, weight loss, exercise, physical and occupational therapy.
 
Glucosamine (sulphate and hydrochloride) formulas have gained popularity and support from researchers over the past decade. This joint nutrient is often found in combination with chondroitin sulfate and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Glucosamine is used in the formation and repair of cartilage and other body tissues.

UC II not only promotes cartilage-building activities, it also blocks the breakdown of joint cartilage by immune cells. One 40 mg capsule a day is all you need.

In my practice I find that although patients do report benefit from taking this nutrient, they often require further support to address ongoing symptoms. Undenatured type II collagen (UC II) is the solution. According to the research paper Safety and efficacy of undenatured type II collagen in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee: a clinical trial, this advanced raw material source is clinically proven to be twice as effective as 1500 mg of glucosamine and 1200 mg of chondroitin. UC II not only promotes cartilage-building activities, it also blocks the breakdown of joint cartilage by immune cells. One 40 mg capsule a day is all you need. Therefore, this unique collagen formula is a superior option for the prevention and management of OA.
 
A cornerstone of naturopathic medicine is illness prevention. Don’t wait until you are burdened by joint stiffness and restricted mobility to start treatment. Although exercise can be beneficial to your bones, excessive physical activity (gym or work) can be hard on your joints. If you are an aging adult who leads a very active life, or have a family history of arthritis, are obese, or have suffered from a musculoskeletal injury, you should start on the path to prevent joint disease today.

Crowley DC, Lau FC, Sharma P, Evans M, Guthrie N, Bagchi M, Bagchi D, Dey DK, Raychaudhuri SP. Safety and efficacy of undenatured type II collagen in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee: a clinical trial. Int J Med Sci 2009; 6:312-321. Available from http://www.medsci.org/v06p0312.htm