Joint Health
To keep y ur aut m bile engine running sm thlyy u need t peri dically replace the engine il with new thick visc us il, which certainly will keep it fr m breaking d wn f r a very l ng time. Now the car has truly been fixed, not just treated. This is the same for using HA in one form or another). Whether people are using topical, oral or injectable HA, the results include the same great benefits that are just distributed in different ways. That’s what makes HA so exciting. You don’t need to go to the doctor for injections. Topical and oral HA are both great and deliver ffantas-tic results.
A properly functioning joint allows for friction between cartilage using synovial fluid as a lubricant; this has been described as “ice on ice,” a very slippery state, because it’s similar to how an ice skater moves across the ice. The very thin metal blade of the ice skate creates so much force that a lubricating sheet of water forms directly beneath the skate. HA is a major portion of the synovial fluid that lubricates the joint capsule. Recent research has shown that the synovial fluid of patients with osteoarthritis has reduced levels of HA; logically, it seems that stimulating the production of more HA in these patients might be beneficial in the treatment ofthe disease.
Connective tissue is found everywhere in the body. It does much more than connect body parts; it has many forms and functions. Its major functions include binding, support, protection, and insulation. One such example of connective tissue is the cordlike structures that connect muscle to bone (tendons) and bone to bone (ligaments). In all connective tissue there are three structural elements. They are ground substance (hyaluronic acid), stretchy fibers (collagen and elastin) and a fundamental cell type. Whereas all other primary tissues in the body are composed mainly of living cells, connective tissues are composed largely of a nonliving ground substance (hyaluronic acid), which separates and cushions the living cells of the connective tissue. The separation and cushioning allow the tissue to bear weight, withstand great tension and endure abuses that no other body tissue could. All of this is made possible because of the presence of the HA and its ability to form the gelatinous ground substance fluid. No wonder studies with oral HA demonstrate excellent benefits for supporting joint health!
Hyaluronic acid is a special protein that is the normal lubricant in human joints. When present in a joint, even a joint with minimal or no cartilage, it can provide a cushion effect. Hyaluronic acid in our joints is a long complex molecule, and makes a ball shape which resists compression. However, with inflammation or other conditions the complex hyaluronic acid molecule breaks down to smaller pieces and is not effective in keeping a ball shape. Therefore it cannot provide a cushion of protection in the joint. Hyaluronic acid is also found in all connecting tissues of the body such as ligaments and tendons where it performs special functions of lubrication and helps orient ligament and tendon fibers.
Just as with osteoarthritis, sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis also have degraded HA in their synovial fluid. This is possibly due to the increased pressure within the joint capsule as tendons and ligaments strain against inflammation, causing increased friction that literally crushes the joint capsule.
Besides the high cost and inconvenience of injectable HA, the main difference between that and oral HA is that injectable HA is localized, while oral HA is delivered to the entire body. To expand on this topic, following are the results of studies performed on this comparison.
An April 2006 prospective study was conducted on 75 patients being treated for osteoarthritis of the ankle at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. After five weekly HA injections into the ankle joint, several objective measurements of joint health (assessed by orthopedic surgeons as well as by the patients’ global satisfaction evaluation), including adverse events and consumption of rescue analgesics, were analyzed. Significant improvement in most of the objective measurements was noted at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months past the fifth injection. Only range of motion of the joint didn’t improve significantly. The patients reported 100% satisfaction at 1 week and 1 month, with 3-month scores of 90.7% and 6-month satisfaction scores rated at 86.7%. The clinical effect was rapid at 1 week and lasted for most patients for 6 months or more.
Similar results have been obtained with oral HA. In the six-month trial, called the “Oral Hyaluronic Acid Knee Arthritis Study” conducted by Dr. K.D. Reeves, a dosage level of two milligrams per day resulted in improvements in pain of 28 percent.
Dr. Reeves, a physician and medical researcher who holds a faculty appointment from the University of Kansas as Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, notes, “The literature continues to grow on the importance of hyaluronic acid in growth and repair.
“In summary, the two month data showed improvement in pain of 17% and 6 month data showed an improvement in pain of 28%,” says Dr. Reeves. “The 6 month data is encouraging in thata placebo typically does not improve pain that much.”
He says that the potential significance of oral hyaluronic acid is considerable and listed the following reasons:
It would represent a less invasive source of treatment.
It would potentially be less expensive than hyaluronic acid injections in the knee.
It would allow for avoidance of even the rare complication of joint infection or allergic reactions of delivery vehicles.
It is more convenient for the patient.
It may be advantageous by allowing for providing a convenient way whereby treatment can be delivered over a longer time frame than with inter-articular (directly into the knee) injections.
HA and Glucosamine
A lot of people already are using glucosamine sulfate or various other forms of glucosamine supplements. How do glucosamine and HA compare? Hyaluronic acid as an oral supplement has substantial differences from glucosamine sulfate. First, glucosamine is a modified simple sugar. Hyaluronic acid is a complex molecule with joint protective capability and a number of other properties that relate to its complexity. Although hyaluronic acid is complex, it is also 50% glucosamine, so that when it breaks down glucosamine is provided. That said, using both together is an excellent strategy.
Be sure when you use oral HA it is the bio-identical high molecular weight form. As we explain in our section on shopping for a great supplement, this is critical.
Also use topical HA, as found in moisturizing joint creams, which typically combine HA with cetyl myristoleate oil. Cetyl myristoleate (CM) was discovered back in 1964 by Harry W. Diehl, a chemist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland who was also instrumental in preparing a sugar for Dr. Jonas Salk’s oral polio vaccination. Myristoleic acid occurs in minute quantities in all fats and oils and cetyl alcohol was originally obtained from the oil of sperm whales but now is derived from an environmentally friendly source, palmitic acid (a fatty acid in coconut and palm oils). As a result of his research, Diehl obtained two United States patents for demonstrating the potential of cetyl myristoleate in preventing and treating joint inflammation and pain. It seems to function in three ways: (1) It serves as a lubricant for the joints and muscles; (2) functions as an immune system modulator; and (3) acts as an anti-inflammatory agent by regulating prostaglandins, which are extremely potent mediators of inflammatory bodily processes.
Soaking in HA is also great for pain relieving and rejuvenating joints, ligaments, and tendons. Usually about 15 minutes is required for the HA to be taken up by your skin pores. Use a high quality soak without any toxic ingredients.
A moisturizinag joint soak with HA is a great choice. Its essential oils act as a carrier for the HA. There are many receptor sites for HA in the dermis so the HA is able to attach to these sites and be absorbed to provide soothing, moisturizing benefits.
HA and Athletes
HA can offer benefits to anyone who is subject to extended amounts of physical activity. In this case, HA should be combined with key nutrients to support muscle performance, power output, and normal recovery time after strenuous activity. L-carno-sine is a dipeptide that binds to hydrogen ions as an intracellular buffer. Carnosine helps muscular pH by soaking up hydrogen ions (H+) that are released at an accelerated rate during exercise. The unique combination helps support the muscular and connective tissue systems as well as the joint and skeletal structures of the legs and joints. Due to the large amounts of stress on both of these systems when we are highly active, this is a smart way to build up your strength and resistance to injury, as well as work out harder and longer.
Connective Tissue Support
For anybody who is active or cares about their health, we get it that our tendons and ligaments also need to be strong. Powerful ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, glutamine, n-acetyl glutamate, vitamin C, lysine and grape seed extract support healthyconnec-tive tissue and vessels. Glutamine is a major cellular energysource and the most abundant naturally occurring, non-essential amino acid in the human body. It can be found in the body’s circulatory system and is stored in the skeletal muscles. N-Acetyl glu-cosamine, or NAG, is one of the eight main essential sugars the body needs for immune system health and overall body health. Several studies have shown that NAG aids in supporting healthy cartilage and ligament function, as well as digestive tract health. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient and antioxidant, responsible for manufacturing compounds necessary for healthy levels of HA in the body. L-lysine is an essential amino acid and protein builder and necessary for ligament health. Grape seed extract is a powerful antioxidant and inhibitor of hyaluronidase. The natural plant extract contains procyanidolic oligomers or more commonly known as PCO, known to maintain healthy bones and blood vessels as well as supports healthy blood circulation.