If you have arthritis, chances are you know how much it can affect your everyday life. Degenerative arthritis is caused by inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues, which often leads to joint damage and impaired mobility. Lysine is an amino acid that helps the body build new tissue and even promotes the repair of damaged tissue. Although lysine is a natural substance, ask your doctor before trying lysine for your arthritic condition.
About Degenerative Arthritis
Degenerative arthritis is commonly called osteoarthritis and affects 27 million Americans, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Although degenerative arthritis is more common in older adults, you may be diagnosed with osteoarthritis at an earlier age due to injury, work-related overuse or health risks like obesity. Degenerative arthritis attacks more than just the joints and can damage muscles, ligaments and bone tissue. You may notice decreased mobility, joint swelling and general stiffness. Symptom relief and joint-damage prevention is the goal of treatment. Your doctor may prescribe a balanced diet, anti-inflammatory medications and an exercise regimen to treat osteoarthritis symptoms.
About Lysine
Lysine is an important amino acid, essential for the growth of bone-building tissue. You also need lysine to help with the production of collagen, a protein that makes up the connective tissues that support the joints. Although lysine is essential for many bodily functions, your body cannot produce lysine, so you must meet your daily requirement through food. Common symptoms of lysine deficiency include fatigue, nausea, stunted growth and anemia. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends 12 mg per kilogram of body weight of lysine a day for most healthy adults. Lysine is commonly found in protein-rich foods, such as meat, fish, Brewer’s yeast and nuts. You can also find lysine in soy and dairy products. Beans, peas and lentils are good sources of lysine for vegans and vegetarians.
Joint and Mobility Benefits
Research shows that lysine promotes joint health by strengthening the bones and joint tissues. A study published in the January/February 2009 issue of the “Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition” showed a definite connection between a loss of mobility and amino acids like lysine. Study results showed that a nutritional cocktail of lysine and other amino acids increased protein production and lean muscle tissue, both of which greatly affect mobility. In addition to joint health, lysine also helps your body absorb calcium to maintain healthy bone tissue. This is especially important for people with degenerative arthritis, because joint deformity and impaired mobility often occur as a result of bone erosion.
Considerations
Lysine offers many benefits for the joints, but speak to your doctor before taking lysine for degenerative arthritis. Some forms of arthritis can cause early and irreversible joint damage, so see an arthritis specialist for a definite diagnosis before taking lysine. According to Drugs.com, you may experience diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain while taking lysine supplements. Exercise caution when combining calcium supplements with lysine, because dangerous levels of calcium can accumulate in the blood due to increased calcium absorption. To avoid drug interactions, talk to your doctor before taking lysine supplements with prescription medications.
References
- Arthritis Foundation: What is Osteoarthritis?
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Lysine; David Zieve M.D. et al.; July 2010
- “Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition”; Year-long Changes in Protein Metabolism in Elderly Men and Women Supplemented with a Nutrition Cocktail of Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (Hmb), L-arginine, and L-lysine; S. Baier et al.; January-February 2009
- Drugs.com: Lysine
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