Muscles and joints experience wear and tear from a variety of sources, including daily postural strain, athletic endeavors and the occasional strain or sprain injury. Many foods offer healing properties that help repair muscle and joint tissues, as well as reduce pain and inflammation. Making these foods part of your diet can help maintain healthy muscles and joints over time.
Whey Protein
Whey protein is a byproduct of cheese production. Because it contains very little fat, whey protein is a popular protein supplement among athletes. A variety of health benefits have been attributed to the particular types of proteins that make up whey protein, including speeding recovery time of muscles and joints following vigorous exercise. In a study published in the January 2010 Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, whey protein relieved muscle soreness brought on by repetitions of a leg extension exercise. The participants consumed 25g whey protein after the exercise and were evaluated at intervals during the next 24 hours. At six hours, the group given whey protein hydroslyates -- a partially digested form of whey protein -- had recovered fully with no soreness and maximal function restored.
Fish Oil
Fish oil -- particularly from fatty fish such as salmon, cod, sardines and other deep-sea cold-water fish -- contributes to the formation of healthy muscle cell membranes, leading to more efficient use of oxygen and greater ability of muscles to contract, according to an August 2010 British Journal of Nutrition study. In a separate study on the effects of fish oil on muscle soreness, published in the March 2009 Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, fish oil helped alleviate delayed onset muscle soreness. Researchers reported no differences in pain or range of motion immediately following exercise, or 24 hours after. However, at 48 hours, there was notable improvement in the fish oil group compared to the control group that did not receive fish oil.
Fruit
A 10-year study on the effects of diet on joint health in middle-age people found fruit consumption to be protective against osteoarthritis of the knee. Participants with the highest fruit intake had the lowest amount of bone growth at the tibia -- the larger bone of the lower leg -- indicating less wear and tear over the 10 years. Fruit consumption was also associated with decreased incidence of bone marrow disorders, another indication of risk for knee arthritis, according to the 2007 study. It was published in Arthritis Research and Therapy.
References
- Pub Med: Supplementation with a whey protein hydrolysate enhances recovery of muscle force-generating capacity following eccentric exercise.
- Pub Med: Dietary fish oil reduces skeletal muscle oxygen consumption, provides fatigue resistance and improves contractile recovery in the rat in vivo hindlimb.
- Arthritis Research and Therapy: Effect of antioxidants on knee cartilage and bone in healthy, middle-aged subjects: a cross-sectional study.
