Joint health plays a crucial role, especially for active people and athletes.
This is especially true in endurance sports, such as running, cycling, and triathlon, where the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints are subjected to repetitive movements and patterns of movement, sometimes for several hours, which can lead to wear and tear.
To strengthen your joints, you need to perform the right type of exercise, based on age, training experience, type of sport, health condition, and genetic predisposition — but another fundamental requirement for healthy joints is nutrition.
In this blog, we will discuss 5 crucial nutrients that can help you support the health of your joints.
Nutrition to Support Joint Health
A fundamental requirement for healthy joints and for preventing joint disease and degeneration is a balanced, nutritious diet.
You should follow the guidelines for a healthy diet, which includes:
- monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (olive oil, avocado, salmon, herring, flax);
- vegetables and fruit (colorful and seasonal);
- protein (lean meat, milk and milk products, eggs, legumes);
- long-chain carbohydrates (potatoes, legumes, whole grain products);
- sufficient fluid intake.
In addition, special nutrients and active ingredients in the form of dietary supplements can be taken to support joint health and/or alleviate existing complaints.
The Top 5 Nutrients to Support Joint Health
1. Hydrolyzed collagen
Collagen is the body's most abundant protein and a major component of skin, connective tissue, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, and teeth.
Collagen powder or hydrolysate is typically made from animal collagen (e.g. bovine) and is similar to the collagen found in the human body. Collagen hydrolysate consists of short amino acid chains that are quickly absorbed by the body and thus have an extremely high bioavailability. This is why it is also known as bioactive collagen.
Studies suggest that taking collagen can help reduce joint pain, improve functionality, and prevent degenerative bone and joint diseases.
Supporting your joints is crucial to sustain your athletic longevity and performance.
2. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate
Glucosamine is a natural substance that occurs in the human body and is an essential constituent of connective tissue, cartilage, and synovial fluid.
For the production of food supplements, glucosamine is mainly extracted from crustaceans, whereby the form of glucosamine sulfate is often used.
Chondroitin or chondroitin sulfate is closely associated with proteins and is an essential component of cartilage (Greek chondros = cartilage) — as well as of bones and connective tissue.
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are often supplemented together. Studies show that supplementing with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate can help to reduce pain and joint stiffness in osteoarthritis.
Especially in the case of intensive sports and the associated high joint loads, as well as training-related physiological inflammatory reactions, athletes may benefit from supplementation for preventive purposes.
3. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a sulfur-containing compound that occurs naturally in the human body and is important for the formation of ligaments, tendons, bones, and joints.
In addition, MSM can support the immune system, improve concentration, and have a pain-relieving effect.
MSM is absorbed through food and transferred from the intestines into the blood. However, the natural supply through nutrition is often not sufficient to meet the demand, especially for athletes with high training demands.
Due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, MSM is highly valued and can help to promote the reparative capacity of cartilage and tendons, thus increasing the mobility and resistance of the musculoskeletal system and relieving pain.
Research suggests that MSM can reduce cartilage breakdown, support cartilage regeneration, promote bone growth, and strengthen tendons.
Absolute
VO2 max booster
Fusion
Fat burn, VO2 max
Pro Flex
Complete joint support
Meltdown
Remove excess water
4. Boswellia
Boswellia serrata is a tree native to India, Africa, and parts of the Middle East. The resin of this tree, known as frankincense, is used for medicinal purposes; it contains bioactive compounds, such as boswellic acids and essential oils, which account for its therapeutic effects.
Boswellia is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is often used to treat inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis and/or rheumatoid arthritis, as well as inflammatory bowel disease.
Boswellia also has a pain-relieving effect. By reducing inflammation in the joints, it helps to improve mobility and can counteract the progression of cartilage damage.
5. Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a natural substance found in almost all human tissue types and is produced mainly by fibroblasts (connective tissue cells). It is an essential component of skin, cartilage, synovial fluid, bones, umbilical cord, and the vitreous humor of the eye.
In addition to skin care and eye health, HA plays a central role in:
- Wound healing: HA supports the development of new tissue.
- Joint health: HA is a key component of cartilage and synovial fluid, which functions as joint lubricant. This fluid nourishes the cartilage and acts as a shock absorber, with HA binding large amounts of water, thickening the synovia and making it shock-absorbing.
Medical use of HA particularly involves its use in the treatment of osteoarthritis, where it reduces inflammation, protects cartilage, and lubricates the joints.
Studies have shown that taking HA for 6–8 weeks can have positive effects, particularly for osteoarthritis of the knee, and can alleviate pain and joint stiffness.
How to Supplement All These Ingredients?
One supplement that contains all these ingredients (and more) is Pro Flex 4Endurance Pro.
Pro Flex is a joint support supplement that is almost unique on the market. It comes in powder form and is a combination of collagen hydrolysate, glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, boswellia, MSM, hyaluronic acid, and micronutrients.
My Experience With Pro Flex
I took Pro Flex daily in the morning during a particularly intensive training phase (15–20 hours per week) with high mileage.
During the period of use, I always had the feeling that I was doing something good for my joints. Although it is difficult to measure the direct effects on my joint health, I noticed that I felt surprisingly good and “stable” during this time despite the high levels of strenuous activity.
I recommend Pro Flex to anyone during intensive training phases and as a preventive measure.
Since long runs can often be accompanied by discomfort or signs of overuse, I was happy to be able to carry out my training as planned.
On a side note, the powder dissolves well in water — it works best in a shaker so that no residual powder remains. Pro Flex also tastes slightly sweet, which I found very pleasant.
For anyone who wants to support their joint health — especially during periods of high physical stress — Pro Flex could be a valuable supplement to support joint health and prevent potential overuse symptoms.
The combination of important joint nutrients and the easy-to-use formula have convinced me, and I recommend it during intensive training phases and as a preventive measure.
Conclusion
Joint health is crucial for endurance athletes.
To support the health of your joints, you should perform correct physical exercise and take care of proper nutrition.
Furthermore, you should consider supplementing special ingredients, such as hydrolyzed collagen, glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), and boswellia.
One supplement to include all these ingredients and more is Pro Flex 4Endurance Pro, a premium joint support formula.
Author: Dr. Georg Abel