The joints of the human body hold the bones together, making it possible to move. Two bones are joined together at a joint. Aging and overuse can cause wear and tear on the joints and may eventually lead to various joint diseases. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common joint diseases. There are various supplements that help promote joint health and restore joint mobility in the body.
Glucosamine
MedlinePlus states that glucosamine is one of the most effective supplements for promoting joint health. Glucosamine hydrochloride is one of the forms of glucosamine that is used for knee pain, back pain and osteoarthritis. It has also been found effective for rheumatoid arthritis, which is a chronic inflammation of the joints. Glucosamine sulfate is the more commonly used form of this supplement and it has been found to reduce pain caused by osteoarthritis of the knee. MedlinePlus reports that people who take this supplement on a long-term basis may also benefit from the fact that it slows down the breakdown of joints in osteoarthritis. The chances of knee replacement surgery may also be reduced with regular intake of this supplement.
Chondroitin
According to MayoClinic.com, chondroitin is an effective supplement for the joints. It goes onto say that chondroitin is usually combined with glucosamine to relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis. In fact, it may also reverse the degenerative process of this condition. MedlinePlus reports that chondroitin sulfate may reduce arthritis pain and swelling when taken in combination with aspirin. Besides the different derivatives of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate may also be used in combination with other compounds such as manganese ascorbate to relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Methylsulfonylmethane
A study published in the 2005 issue of "Journal of Osteoarthritis Cartilage," states that methylsufonylmethane or MSM is an effective dietary supplement for joint health. The study found that taking this supplement for twelve weeks resulted in improvement in the physical functioning of the arthritis-affected joints and reduced the pain as reported by the participants. The study also found that MSM helped improve the activities of daily living in individuals with osteoarthritis.
References
- MedlinePlus: Glucosamine hydrochloride
- MedlinePlus: Glucosamine sulfate
- MedlinePlus: Chondroitin sulfate
- MayoClinic.com: Chondroitin sulfate
- "Journal of Osteoarthritis Cartilage"; Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain of the knee: a pilot clinical trial. L.S. Kim et al.; 2005
