Creatine Monohydrate also sold in various other forms under the names of Creatine Anhydrous, Creatine Ethyl Ester, Creatine Phosphate and others, is a chemical normally found in the body, mostly in muscles. The body makes Creatine and it can be obtained from certain foods. Fish and meats are good sources of creatine. Creatine can also be made in the laboratory, hence the supplement - Creatine.
Creatine is commonly used for enhancing exercise performance and increasing muscle mass in athletes. There is some science supporting the use of Creatine in improving the athletic performance of young, healthy people during brief high-intensity activity such as anaerobic sports. However it is believed not to be very helpful for older athletes, say in their early 40's or older.
Creatine use is widespread among professional and amateur athletes and has been acknowledged by well-known athletes such as Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, and John Elway.
Creatine has also been used in treatment for congestive heart failure (CHF), depression, bipolar disorder, Parkinson’s disease, diseases of the muscles and nerves, an eye disease called gyrate atrophy, and high cholesterol. It is also used to slow the worsening of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease), rheumatoid arthritis, McArdle’s disease, and for various muscular dystrophies.
Even though Creatine is allowed by the International Olympic Committee, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and professional sports, MyAchingKnees had found some research to support that Creatine does have side effects, some of which can contribute to chronic joint pain.
Some of the on-line Creatine sellers advertise as follows: ” The best part about creatine-no adverse effects have been reported in any studies. NONE! Creatine is totally safe and effective. Creatine has never been shown harmfully toxic. “
To this I say Bull Crap! I have personally relayed information from several body building friends who will longer use Creatine since they experienced pain and in some cases severe pain in their joints, most notably the knees and elbow joints when cycling Creatine through 4 and 6 week supplementation cycles. In most of these personally relayed accounts, the joint pain stayed chronic for several months, but has not appeared to be permament.
Some of the chronic Joint Pain may be associated with tendonitis, as the tendons and ligaments on the joints cannot catch up with the growth in muscle, leading to pain and sometimes tremendous pain in these joints.
I have had other weight room addicts tell me that Creatine supplementation requires much greater amounts of hydration for the muscle cells and the kidneys and that when they cycle on Creatine they stop running as running not only requires more water, but puts a much greater strain on the knee joints.
Although Creatine appears safe for adults to use at the doses recommended by manufacturers, the long term side effects are just not known. I do not think the possible gains outweigh the potential risks.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Reader Comment - Dr Ray Strands book "What Doctor's Don't Know...."
Received this e-mail from Eric of Kansas City, Kansas (and I thought Kansas City was in Missouri).
Found your site almost simultaneously finishing Doctor Ray Strand's book "What Doctor's Don't Know About Nutritional Medicine", which a friend had given me almost a year ago. Wish I would have read this book sooner.
I too am a believer in treating alot of problems, at least initially, through nutrition. Lot's of fresh fruits, vegetables and high grade supplements. Never heard of (your company) but am now researching it. I find that a juicer is an absolute must have. Sometimes two of my three meals a day are juices from multiple fruits and vegetables.
At first I had a hard time keeping fresh produce in the apartment, but got better at it over the last 6 to 8 weeks. In fact, I am growing some melons on my patio and hope to grow some vegetables too.
I have also been on various forms of Glucosamine and other ingredients (for 2 years now), for my knees as I run alot, but have not experienced any decent relief. I'm willing to try another brand and see if your pharmaceutical grade glucosamine makes a difference.
I have also been on fish oil capsules from Target, but felt leary taking them because of the mercury scare. Didn't like them anyway because of the fishy taste, but knew about the benefits of Omega 3. I will look at your Omega 3 product and think about it.
Anyway, great site - thanks.
Found your site almost simultaneously finishing Doctor Ray Strand's book "What Doctor's Don't Know About Nutritional Medicine", which a friend had given me almost a year ago. Wish I would have read this book sooner.
I too am a believer in treating alot of problems, at least initially, through nutrition. Lot's of fresh fruits, vegetables and high grade supplements. Never heard of (your company) but am now researching it. I find that a juicer is an absolute must have. Sometimes two of my three meals a day are juices from multiple fruits and vegetables.
At first I had a hard time keeping fresh produce in the apartment, but got better at it over the last 6 to 8 weeks. In fact, I am growing some melons on my patio and hope to grow some vegetables too.
I have also been on various forms of Glucosamine and other ingredients (for 2 years now), for my knees as I run alot, but have not experienced any decent relief. I'm willing to try another brand and see if your pharmaceutical grade glucosamine makes a difference.
I have also been on fish oil capsules from Target, but felt leary taking them because of the mercury scare. Didn't like them anyway because of the fishy taste, but knew about the benefits of Omega 3. I will look at your Omega 3 product and think about it.
Anyway, great site - thanks.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Kathy's Chronic Joint Pain
This is not a success story - we are posting it because it is incredulous to us that someone accepts their bad health and chronic joint pain without having a "want to change" bad enough to try.
We met Kathy a couple weeks ago. She is a 48 year old from the Mid-West. To put it bluntly she is a classic example of self inflicted, or at least, a self enhanced handicap.
Kathy struggles with chronic joint pain as well as a host of other degenerative disease symptoms. In fact, she cannot walk without a cane and even then not very far. Being grossly overweight not only adds to her debilitating joint pain, especially in her knees, but increases the onslaught of degenerative disease symptoms.
Taking 12 different prescriptions medications each day to treat the symptoms (not the causes) of her problems, Kathy is on a ferris wheel and only she can stop it.
Drinking a half case, yes - a half case, of sodas each day compounds her problems. The ironic thing is that Kathy really doesn't eat much throughout the day - she doesn't have to since she crams a barrel of sugar into her system through the sodas.
We sat down and talked to Kathy about what she can do nutritional to try and re-gain her health as she is an example of living too short and dying too long. We introduced the concept of a Healthy Lifestyle, eating better and taking Nutritional Supplements however without any effect, as Kathy is convinced this is her lot in life. That's what we mean by a self enhanced handicap. She is placing her health in the hands of disease care specialists and not assuming control over her own health and life.
As Kathy's chronic joint pain worsens, she even lose the minimal mobility she has now, accelerating her other problems. Her borderline diabetes will become full fledged Adult On-set Diabetes,...she'll gain more weight and increase the pain in her knees. Kathy and Kathy alone has the power to do something about it.
We consoled her sister-in-law, who originally introduced us to Kathy, by telling her Kathy's want and need for a better life is just not strong enough to overcome her closed mind. Our door is always open to help Kathy, but she has to assume first responsibility for her health and have a want to change it. The clocks ticking.
The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting a change.
We met Kathy a couple weeks ago. She is a 48 year old from the Mid-West. To put it bluntly she is a classic example of self inflicted, or at least, a self enhanced handicap.
Kathy struggles with chronic joint pain as well as a host of other degenerative disease symptoms. In fact, she cannot walk without a cane and even then not very far. Being grossly overweight not only adds to her debilitating joint pain, especially in her knees, but increases the onslaught of degenerative disease symptoms.
Taking 12 different prescriptions medications each day to treat the symptoms (not the causes) of her problems, Kathy is on a ferris wheel and only she can stop it.
Drinking a half case, yes - a half case, of sodas each day compounds her problems. The ironic thing is that Kathy really doesn't eat much throughout the day - she doesn't have to since she crams a barrel of sugar into her system through the sodas.
We sat down and talked to Kathy about what she can do nutritional to try and re-gain her health as she is an example of living too short and dying too long. We introduced the concept of a Healthy Lifestyle, eating better and taking Nutritional Supplements however without any effect, as Kathy is convinced this is her lot in life. That's what we mean by a self enhanced handicap. She is placing her health in the hands of disease care specialists and not assuming control over her own health and life.
As Kathy's chronic joint pain worsens, she even lose the minimal mobility she has now, accelerating her other problems. Her borderline diabetes will become full fledged Adult On-set Diabetes,...she'll gain more weight and increase the pain in her knees. Kathy and Kathy alone has the power to do something about it.
We consoled her sister-in-law, who originally introduced us to Kathy, by telling her Kathy's want and need for a better life is just not strong enough to overcome her closed mind. Our door is always open to help Kathy, but she has to assume first responsibility for her health and have a want to change it. The clocks ticking.
The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting a change.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Are Your Joint Supplements of High Quality? - Supplements and GMP
Most of the information was derived from various reports in the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements website.
Most U.S. Nutritional Supplement manufacturers use the food model Good Manufacturing Procedures (GMP) as opposed to the Pharmaceutical-model GMP. Whether or not those supplements are daily vitamins or minerals, stand alone minerals or vitamins or compound supplements for joints. This is important to consumers that they get what they buy but this is not always the case.
The Nutri-Search Corporation and Lyle MacWilliam, publisher and author of the Comparative Guide for Nutritional Supplements are leading advocates for the Pharmaceutical-model GMP, as this insures compliance with pharmaceutical-model GMP gives consumers assurance that the supplements they consume meet stringent pharmaceutical standards for content, potency, and dissolution, and do not contain unwanted impurities.
While food-model GMP provides some protection for consumers, they do not require manufacturers to follow tough and sometimes costly procedures, such as the quarantining and testing of each ingredient for purity, potency, and identity when it arrives at their facility.
Many nutritional product companies advertise “high quality supplements using high quality raw ingredients” tested through a “Quality Assurance Program”. If so, they ought to mention Pharmaceutical GMP compliance and have a certification on the label through the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Dietary Supplement Verification Program or the NSF Dietary Supplement Certification Program.
Then and only then can the consumer rest assured that he or she is taking the highest grade supplements – why spend your money on anything else.
Purity and Potency through Pharmaceutical grade GMP is not the only issue. Safety is another one. Many U.S. studies have shown discrepancies between what is on the label and what is in the bottle. The FDA, the U.S. regulatory watchdog for food and drug safety, has long been battling unscrupulous manufacturers of nutritional products who pose concerns for public safety because the consumer could not be assured that what was on the product label was actually in the bottle.
The FDA has identified several products in the U.S. market that are not accurately labeled or that contain potentially harmful contaminants. The agency has cited the following examples of safety violations:
The use of non-food-grade chemicals in the manufacture of dietary supplements;
Product contamination with excessive amounts of lead;
Sub-optimal levels of nutritional components as claimed on the label (one product had only 35 percent of the amount of folic acid claimed on the label);
Products exceeding safe upper levels of nutrients (one manufacturer recalled a niacin product after it received reports of nausea, vomiting, liver damage and heart attack associated with the use of its product).
Consumerlab.com, a U.S.-based testing facility for dietary supplements, recently completed a study of 47 nutritional supplements and found that eleven U.S. multivitamin products—almost 25% of the products tested—failed their quality control tests. A number of the products were significantly short in the amount of important vitamins or minerals. Some contained too much lead and another failed to break apart properly for absorption. To review this report, log on to www.consumerlab.com
The bottom line is that to be sure that Nutritional Supplements may or may not help your chronic joint pain, you must ensure that the products you try are of the best quality. I know that after almost 20 years of trying poor quality joint supplements, if I was not convinced to try joint supplements for my chronic knee pain one more time, this time using high quality pharmaceutical grade supplements then I may have never known the amount of relief that physical mobility that I enjoy now.
Let the buyer beware.
Most U.S. Nutritional Supplement manufacturers use the food model Good Manufacturing Procedures (GMP) as opposed to the Pharmaceutical-model GMP. Whether or not those supplements are daily vitamins or minerals, stand alone minerals or vitamins or compound supplements for joints. This is important to consumers that they get what they buy but this is not always the case.
The Nutri-Search Corporation and Lyle MacWilliam, publisher and author of the Comparative Guide for Nutritional Supplements are leading advocates for the Pharmaceutical-model GMP, as this insures compliance with pharmaceutical-model GMP gives consumers assurance that the supplements they consume meet stringent pharmaceutical standards for content, potency, and dissolution, and do not contain unwanted impurities.
While food-model GMP provides some protection for consumers, they do not require manufacturers to follow tough and sometimes costly procedures, such as the quarantining and testing of each ingredient for purity, potency, and identity when it arrives at their facility.
Many nutritional product companies advertise “high quality supplements using high quality raw ingredients” tested through a “Quality Assurance Program”. If so, they ought to mention Pharmaceutical GMP compliance and have a certification on the label through the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Dietary Supplement Verification Program or the NSF Dietary Supplement Certification Program.
Then and only then can the consumer rest assured that he or she is taking the highest grade supplements – why spend your money on anything else.
Purity and Potency through Pharmaceutical grade GMP is not the only issue. Safety is another one. Many U.S. studies have shown discrepancies between what is on the label and what is in the bottle. The FDA, the U.S. regulatory watchdog for food and drug safety, has long been battling unscrupulous manufacturers of nutritional products who pose concerns for public safety because the consumer could not be assured that what was on the product label was actually in the bottle.
The FDA has identified several products in the U.S. market that are not accurately labeled or that contain potentially harmful contaminants. The agency has cited the following examples of safety violations:
The use of non-food-grade chemicals in the manufacture of dietary supplements;
Product contamination with excessive amounts of lead;
Sub-optimal levels of nutritional components as claimed on the label (one product had only 35 percent of the amount of folic acid claimed on the label);
Products exceeding safe upper levels of nutrients (one manufacturer recalled a niacin product after it received reports of nausea, vomiting, liver damage and heart attack associated with the use of its product).
Consumerlab.com, a U.S.-based testing facility for dietary supplements, recently completed a study of 47 nutritional supplements and found that eleven U.S. multivitamin products—almost 25% of the products tested—failed their quality control tests. A number of the products were significantly short in the amount of important vitamins or minerals. Some contained too much lead and another failed to break apart properly for absorption. To review this report, log on to www.consumerlab.com
The bottom line is that to be sure that Nutritional Supplements may or may not help your chronic joint pain, you must ensure that the products you try are of the best quality. I know that after almost 20 years of trying poor quality joint supplements, if I was not convinced to try joint supplements for my chronic knee pain one more time, this time using high quality pharmaceutical grade supplements then I may have never known the amount of relief that physical mobility that I enjoy now.
Let the buyer beware.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Lovaza – Prescription Omega 3 Supplement
Italicized font is from MyAchingKnees.com, other font is info taken from the Lovaza.com website.
MyAchingKnees.com recently became aware of a prescription Omega 3 supplement called Lovaza. Lovaza is a registered trademark of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies.
This is what the company says about Lovaza: It is a prescription medicine, called a lipid-regulating medicine, for adults. Lovaza is made of omega-3 fatty acids from oils of fish, such as salmon and mackerel. Lovaza is used along with a low-fat and low-cholesterol diet to lower very high triglycerides (fats) in your blood. Before taking Lovaza, talk to your healthcare provider about how you can lower high blood fats by: losing weight, if you are overweight; increasing physical exercise; lowering alcohol use; treating diseases such as diabetes and low thyroid (hypothyroidism); and, adjusting the dose or changing other medicines that raise triglyceride levels such as certain blood pressure medicines and estrogens.
MyAchingKnees.com understands that Lovaza is designed for high cholesterol treatment. We believe that Omega 3 Fatty Acids are an essential ingredient in the overall treatment plan not just for high cholesterol, but for many degenerative diseases. We also believe that Omega 3 Fatty Acids can help with chronic joint pain, especially knee joint pain.
The Lovaza.com website further states that Lovaza is the only FDA-approved medicine made from omega-3 fish oil that's proven, along with diet, to reduce very high triglycerides. That the FDA has standards in place to make sure that prescription medications like LOVAZA are safe, effective, and quality controlled and the method Lovaza is manufactured is reviewed and approved by the FDA.
The Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplement that MyAchingKnees.com uses is a pharmaceutical grade supplement manufactured using GMP processes and receiving a USP certification the same standards from which prescription medication is manufactured.
Each 1-gram capsule of Lovaza contains 465 mg EPA and 375 mg DHA. Inactive ingredients include: Gelatin, glycerol, purified water, alpha-tocopherol (in soybean oil). The daily does is 4 capsules.
Each capsule of the Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplement that MyAchingKnees.com uses and recommends contains 100 IU of Vitamin D, 1000 mg of Fish Oil, 290 mg EPA and 235 mg DHA. Other ingredients include: Gelatin, glycerin, lemon oil, purified water, alpha-tocopherol (in soybean oil). The daily does is 2 capsules.
Lovaza is being advertised as providing the same active ingredients of up to 14 capsules of other Omega 3 supplements. You can do the math from the above paragraphs and see that is not a true comparison with the Omega 3 supplement we are taking.
With the FDA relaxation of the use of a prescription drug designed for and certified for a particular application, you may see Lovaza prescribed in the future for chronic joint pain, once Physicians understand the possible benefits of Omega 3 for joint pain and once patients start asking for it for this specific joint pain application.
MyAchingKnees.com does not know the cost of a 28 or 30 day supply of Lovaza, however the website is advertising a $20 off per month script savings card. The Omega 3 supplement that we are taking cost $22.17 to $19.95 per 28 day supply, wholesale or autoship price respectively.
MyAchingKnees.com recently became aware of a prescription Omega 3 supplement called Lovaza. Lovaza is a registered trademark of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies.
This is what the company says about Lovaza: It is a prescription medicine, called a lipid-regulating medicine, for adults. Lovaza is made of omega-3 fatty acids from oils of fish, such as salmon and mackerel. Lovaza is used along with a low-fat and low-cholesterol diet to lower very high triglycerides (fats) in your blood. Before taking Lovaza, talk to your healthcare provider about how you can lower high blood fats by: losing weight, if you are overweight; increasing physical exercise; lowering alcohol use; treating diseases such as diabetes and low thyroid (hypothyroidism); and, adjusting the dose or changing other medicines that raise triglyceride levels such as certain blood pressure medicines and estrogens.
MyAchingKnees.com understands that Lovaza is designed for high cholesterol treatment. We believe that Omega 3 Fatty Acids are an essential ingredient in the overall treatment plan not just for high cholesterol, but for many degenerative diseases. We also believe that Omega 3 Fatty Acids can help with chronic joint pain, especially knee joint pain.
The Lovaza.com website further states that Lovaza is the only FDA-approved medicine made from omega-3 fish oil that's proven, along with diet, to reduce very high triglycerides. That the FDA has standards in place to make sure that prescription medications like LOVAZA are safe, effective, and quality controlled and the method Lovaza is manufactured is reviewed and approved by the FDA.
The Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplement that MyAchingKnees.com uses is a pharmaceutical grade supplement manufactured using GMP processes and receiving a USP certification the same standards from which prescription medication is manufactured.
Each 1-gram capsule of Lovaza contains 465 mg EPA and 375 mg DHA. Inactive ingredients include: Gelatin, glycerol, purified water, alpha-tocopherol (in soybean oil). The daily does is 4 capsules.
Each capsule of the Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplement that MyAchingKnees.com uses and recommends contains 100 IU of Vitamin D, 1000 mg of Fish Oil, 290 mg EPA and 235 mg DHA. Other ingredients include: Gelatin, glycerin, lemon oil, purified water, alpha-tocopherol (in soybean oil). The daily does is 2 capsules.
Lovaza is being advertised as providing the same active ingredients of up to 14 capsules of other Omega 3 supplements. You can do the math from the above paragraphs and see that is not a true comparison with the Omega 3 supplement we are taking.
With the FDA relaxation of the use of a prescription drug designed for and certified for a particular application, you may see Lovaza prescribed in the future for chronic joint pain, once Physicians understand the possible benefits of Omega 3 for joint pain and once patients start asking for it for this specific joint pain application.
MyAchingKnees.com does not know the cost of a 28 or 30 day supply of Lovaza, however the website is advertising a $20 off per month script savings card. The Omega 3 supplement that we are taking cost $22.17 to $19.95 per 28 day supply, wholesale or autoship price respectively.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Health Screenings
Although this site is oriented towards education on Joint Problems such as chronic Joint Pain and possible solutions, we believe that joint pain is irretrievably linked to our general health. We have already posted about how inflammation from oxidative stress can degrade the conditions of our joints, most notably our knees, and how life style and nutrition contribute to our conditions and our solutions.
MyAchingKnees.com believes in the routine health screening as a means to determine possible health problems before they become too big to manage. We have highlighted three different companies who offer various and different types of health screening below:
Life Long Screening
Life Line Screening is dedicated to providing affordable, reliable preventive health screenings. They believe that partnering with doctors to help detect health problems is an effective way to improve quality of life. Life Long Screening provides community-based screening events, staffed by highly trained healthcare professionals, through screenings taking place in neighborhoods all over the contiguous United States in community centers, places of worship, senior centers, and corporations.
Some of Life Long Screening services include: Ultrasound Screening; Finger Stick Blood Screenings; and, Limited Electrocardiographs.
Phone 800.449.2350 or go to: http://www.lifelinescreening.com/
Health Check USA
Health Check USA’s mission is to assist in the prevention of disease by providing affordable, yet quality health screening services to the public through access all types of blood tests for multiple conditions and diseases without a physician’s referral, and at nearly half the typical cost.
As the nation’s leading direct-to-consumer medical testing service, Health Check USA is affiliated with testing laboratories in small towns and major cities in all 50 states. The tests that we provide are the same as those ordered by doctors across the country, and indeed, many physicians refer their patients to Health Check USA .
Phone 800.299.7226 or go to: http://www.healthcheckusa.com/
MyAchingKnees.com really likes the blood testing services from Health Check USA and believes a series of blood tests (say every year) over a period of time (several years) is a great diagnostic tool to understand changes in your body and give some warning to potential emerging health problems.
USANA Health Sciences
USANA Health Sciences is one of America ’s leading companies in the field of health and nutrition. USANA helps improve the lives of thousands of people around the world by producing superior pharmaceutical grade nutritional product lines that customers can always trust.
USANA Health Sciences offers a free on-line Health Assessment, go to: http://www.usana_health_assessment
MyAchingKnees.com believes in the routine health screening as a means to determine possible health problems before they become too big to manage. We have highlighted three different companies who offer various and different types of health screening below:
Life Long Screening
Life Line Screening is dedicated to providing affordable, reliable preventive health screenings. They believe that partnering with doctors to help detect health problems is an effective way to improve quality of life. Life Long Screening provides community-based screening events, staffed by highly trained healthcare professionals, through screenings taking place in neighborhoods all over the contiguous United States in community centers, places of worship, senior centers, and corporations.
Some of Life Long Screening services include: Ultrasound Screening; Finger Stick Blood Screenings; and, Limited Electrocardiographs.
Phone 800.449.2350 or go to: http://www.lifelinescreening.com/
Health Check USA
Health Check USA’s mission is to assist in the prevention of disease by providing affordable, yet quality health screening services to the public through access all types of blood tests for multiple conditions and diseases without a physician’s referral, and at nearly half the typical cost.
As the nation’s leading direct-to-consumer medical testing service, Health Check USA is affiliated with testing laboratories in small towns and major cities in all 50 states. The tests that we provide are the same as those ordered by doctors across the country, and indeed, many physicians refer their patients to Health Check USA .
Phone 800.299.7226 or go to: http://www.healthcheckusa.com/
MyAchingKnees.com really likes the blood testing services from Health Check USA and believes a series of blood tests (say every year) over a period of time (several years) is a great diagnostic tool to understand changes in your body and give some warning to potential emerging health problems.
USANA Health Sciences
USANA Health Sciences is one of America ’s leading companies in the field of health and nutrition. USANA helps improve the lives of thousands of people around the world by producing superior pharmaceutical grade nutritional product lines that customers can always trust.
USANA Health Sciences offers a free on-line Health Assessment, go to: http://www.usana_health_assessment
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Aching Knees – Jerry’s Story
Jerry M. is a roofer and HVAC maintenance worker in the greater Dallas , Texas area. Although relatively young in his mid 30’s, he was experiencing knee joint pain that was aggravated by climbing ladders and standing – working on sloped roofs. Previously he had been using Ibuprofen, sometimes taking 600 mg’s a couple times day. Jerry is also taking a statin drug for high cholesterol. Not knowing the bad combination of aspirin and Ibuprofen, Jerry also took one 325 mg aspirin each morning until he found out about the bad combination of Ibuprofen and Aspirin. Jerry also took an off the shelf 500 mg Niacin (Vitamin B3) supplement.
Jerry had tried an off the shelf joint health product with 1,500 mg of glucosomine and 1200 mg of chondroitin. He had tried this supplement for six months and felt that it had not helped one bit.
One of our representatives talked to Jerry which lead Jerry to quit taking the single Niacin (Vitamin B3) product as it was in a much greater dosage than necessary, the Blended Standard recommend daily dose being 60 mg, but there is no data available that support Niacin or Niacinamide helping joints. Jerry started taking a pharmaceutical grade daily nutritional supplement (actually the highest rated product in the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements) but did not get any joint pain relief. Although Jerry reported feeling great and even dropping a few pounds, he still had joint pain after a day of roofing or installing HVAC systems.
Our associate recommended to Jerry, that since he as experiencing better health taking the daily nutritional supplement, that he may want to try a pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fatty Acid (Fish oil) supplement. At less than $44 a month, Jerry thought it was worth a test. About four weeks into taking this product Jerry called our Associate and commented that he no longer had pain at the end of day like he used to from walking on sloped roofs.
We believe that while Glucosamine helps joint health and reduces pain through it’s interaction with existing cartilage, we also think the Omega 3 Fatty Acids are crucial to working against the sometime cause of chronic joint pain and that is Inflammation.
Jerry had tried an off the shelf joint health product with 1,500 mg of glucosomine and 1200 mg of chondroitin. He had tried this supplement for six months and felt that it had not helped one bit.
One of our representatives talked to Jerry which lead Jerry to quit taking the single Niacin (Vitamin B3) product as it was in a much greater dosage than necessary, the Blended Standard recommend daily dose being 60 mg, but there is no data available that support Niacin or Niacinamide helping joints. Jerry started taking a pharmaceutical grade daily nutritional supplement (actually the highest rated product in the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements) but did not get any joint pain relief. Although Jerry reported feeling great and even dropping a few pounds, he still had joint pain after a day of roofing or installing HVAC systems.
Our associate recommended to Jerry, that since he as experiencing better health taking the daily nutritional supplement, that he may want to try a pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fatty Acid (Fish oil) supplement. At less than $44 a month, Jerry thought it was worth a test. About four weeks into taking this product Jerry called our Associate and commented that he no longer had pain at the end of day like he used to from walking on sloped roofs.
We believe that while Glucosamine helps joint health and reduces pain through it’s interaction with existing cartilage, we also think the Omega 3 Fatty Acids are crucial to working against the sometime cause of chronic joint pain and that is Inflammation.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Recommended Dietary Allowance versus the Comparative Guide Blended Standard
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), sometimes called the Required Daily Allowance is the recommended daily dietary intake of nutrients, meeting the basic nutritional needs of the majority of people (98%), to ward off diseases such as scurvy, rickets and other nutritional disease of the 1940’s.
Today’s lifestyle, combined with pollutants, toxins and lack of nutritional value of foods, and adding the physical and emotional stress of modern life necessitates a more modern, comprehensive and higher concentrate of nutritional supplements to achieve and maintain optimal health and combat inflammation which greatly enhances degenerative diseases including degeneration of joints and chronic joint pain.
To put it in simple terms, the RDA is vastly outdated. Today’s health requires much higher levels of nutrients in order to maintain optimal health.
The below chart depicts the identified nutrient and the RDA level versus the level of this nutrient developed by the Comparative Guide. You can see what the RDA recommends in terms of nutritional components and levels (amounts) versus what the blended standard suggests is an amount for optimum health.
While MyAchingKnees.com stresses the importance of nutritional supplements such as Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fatty Acids for Joint Health and to reduce Joint Pain, the smart person would consider taking all the nutrients at the higher required levels in order to obtain the best prevent from nutritional diseases.
Furthermore, MyAchingKnees.com believes that all the nutritional components work together, synergistically, with the sum total of this synergistic action being much greater than the individual total good that the nutritional components achieve. For more information not only on Pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fatty Acids for joint health but for information on a balanced daily multi-mineral, multi-antioxidant that best meets the Comparative Guide Blended Standard, please fill out the Product Information Request form to the right and submit, or contact me directly on the CONTACT ME icon.
Today’s lifestyle, combined with pollutants, toxins and lack of nutritional value of foods, and adding the physical and emotional stress of modern life necessitates a more modern, comprehensive and higher concentrate of nutritional supplements to achieve and maintain optimal health and combat inflammation which greatly enhances degenerative diseases including degeneration of joints and chronic joint pain.
To put it in simple terms, the RDA is vastly outdated. Today’s health requires much higher levels of nutrients in order to maintain optimal health.
The below chart depicts the identified nutrient and the RDA level versus the level of this nutrient developed by the Comparative Guide. You can see what the RDA recommends in terms of nutritional components and levels (amounts) versus what the blended standard suggests is an amount for optimum health.
While MyAchingKnees.com stresses the importance of nutritional supplements such as Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fatty Acids for Joint Health and to reduce Joint Pain, the smart person would consider taking all the nutrients at the higher required levels in order to obtain the best prevent from nutritional diseases.
Furthermore, MyAchingKnees.com believes that all the nutritional components work together, synergistically, with the sum total of this synergistic action being much greater than the individual total good that the nutritional components achieve. For more information not only on Pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fatty Acids for joint health but for information on a balanced daily multi-mineral, multi-antioxidant that best meets the Comparative Guide Blended Standard, please fill out the Product Information Request form to the right and submit, or contact me directly on the CONTACT ME icon.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Joint Pain Medications - Celebrex and Side Effects
Celebrex (Celecoxib) is the only COX-2 Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) currently on the market after Vioxx (Refecoxib) and Bextra (Valdecoxib) were taken off the market. Celebrex is usually prescribed for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis, and has been on the marker since 1998.
NSAIDS work by blocking the performance of an inflammation causing enzyme, cyclooxygenase (COX). COX-2 NSAIDS are involved in the inflammation pathway.
Celebrex is considered less likely to cause stomach problems that other NSAIDS are attributed to. However, all NSAIDS, COX-2 or otherwise, have a risk of high blood pressure, kidney disease, fluid retention and heart problems.
Celebrex comes in two strengths -- 100 mg and 200 mg. The usual recommended daily dose for osteoarthritis is 200 mg, taken as a single dose or in 100 mg doses twice a day. Your doctor will decide the appropriate dose for you and your condition, and would prescribe Celebrex for you to relieve joint pain and inflammation associated osteo or rheumatoid arthritis.
People who have allergic reactions to sulfa or are aspirin sensitive should not take Celebrex.
In April 2005, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that taking Celebrex and other NSAIDS increased cardiovascular risks like stroke and heart attacks. The FDA further advised physicians to carefully consider the potential benefits and risks of Celebrex and other treatment options before a decision is made to prescribe Celebrex.
Some of the common side effects that may be associated with Celebrex include:
Headache
Indigestion
Upper respiratory tract infection
Diarrhea
Sinus inflammation
Stomach pain or nausea
Bleeding stomach ulcers
Liver Damage
Kidney Damage
Fluid Retention
High Blood Pressure
It is important to tell your doctors about all other medications you take. Other medications may affect how Celebrex works and Celebrex may affect how the other medications work. So given the history of COX-2 NSAIDS while in the world would a person take these prescription drugs without trying less invasive possible solutions like pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine and Fish Oil (Omega 3 Fatty Acids)?
NSAIDS work by blocking the performance of an inflammation causing enzyme, cyclooxygenase (COX). COX-2 NSAIDS are involved in the inflammation pathway.
Celebrex is considered less likely to cause stomach problems that other NSAIDS are attributed to. However, all NSAIDS, COX-2 or otherwise, have a risk of high blood pressure, kidney disease, fluid retention and heart problems.
Celebrex comes in two strengths -- 100 mg and 200 mg. The usual recommended daily dose for osteoarthritis is 200 mg, taken as a single dose or in 100 mg doses twice a day. Your doctor will decide the appropriate dose for you and your condition, and would prescribe Celebrex for you to relieve joint pain and inflammation associated osteo or rheumatoid arthritis.
People who have allergic reactions to sulfa or are aspirin sensitive should not take Celebrex.
In April 2005, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that taking Celebrex and other NSAIDS increased cardiovascular risks like stroke and heart attacks. The FDA further advised physicians to carefully consider the potential benefits and risks of Celebrex and other treatment options before a decision is made to prescribe Celebrex.
Some of the common side effects that may be associated with Celebrex include:
Headache
Indigestion
Upper respiratory tract infection
Diarrhea
Sinus inflammation
Stomach pain or nausea
Bleeding stomach ulcers
Liver Damage
Kidney Damage
Fluid Retention
High Blood Pressure
It is important to tell your doctors about all other medications you take. Other medications may affect how Celebrex works and Celebrex may affect how the other medications work. So given the history of COX-2 NSAIDS while in the world would a person take these prescription drugs without trying less invasive possible solutions like pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine and Fish Oil (Omega 3 Fatty Acids)?
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Food Drug Administration and Prescription Drug Manufacturer Partnership
Something to know about if you rely on prescription medications to control pain in your knees or other joints.
The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) was passed into law by Congress in 1992 and allows the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to collect feeds from Prescription drug Manufacturers to fund the new drug approval process.
The PDUFA declares that the FDA is allowed to collect a fee, called an application fee, from these Prescription Drug Manufacturers whenever a new drug is introduced through a new Drug Application (NDA). The fee was up to $250,000 per new NDA.
Kinda looks like the FDA is working for the Prescription Drug Companies. In fact, a comment from the Public Citizen’s Health Research Group stated “The review of new drugs is too important to leave to ‘user fees’ and likened the drug industry’s financial support of the FDA review process “similar to criminals paying user fees to the police department.”
Originally a short term experiment slated for 5 years, it was “improved” by The Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997 (FDAMA). This act extended user fees for NDA’s for another 5 years and introduced three amendments: Off Label Use of Drugs; Drug Labeling for Children: and, Fast Track or Accelerated Approval of new drugs.
Off Label Use pertains to using drugs for other than it was approved for. The FDA did away with thus prohibition on the Drug Companies promoting other than approved uses for their drugs, opening the door for Drug Salesman to promote new drugs with no proof of safety or effectiveness for the off label use.
The Drug Labeling for Children amendment. Previously drugs approved for adults were presumed to be safe in children albeit with different doses. This is not always the case. Now drug companies were required to do additional clinical trials to provide information for prescribing to children.
The Accelerated Approval and Parallel Tracking amendment opened up the door for new drug approval based on one “well controlled” Phase 3 clinical trail when the previous standard was two. There is no denying this amendment made drugs available that have saved countless lives, however with much less of a process to ensure safety.
The PDUFA III continued user fees and integrated a Medical Device User Fee as well. PDUFA IV was signed into law in September 2007 represents a significant addition to FDA authority. Among the many components of the law, the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) and the Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act (MDUFMA) have been reauthorized and expanded. The FDA claims these programs will ensure that FDA staff will have the additional resources needed to conduct the complex and comprehensive reviews necessary to new drugs and devices. However, the FDA and Drug Manufacturers continued to share the same bed.
Allowing the industry to “negotiate” with the FDA on recommendations and “pay” the FDA user fees for new drugs undercuts the agency’s original true role as an independent, drug safety regulator. If the FDA and the prescription drug manufacturers are going to regain the respect and trust of the American public, the FDA must be seen as an objective regulatory entity with a clear and inviolable mission to serve the public, and its reliance on the fees and goodwill of the industry they are supposed to oversee must end.
The bottom line is that the prescription drug consumer needs to live by the old adage “let the buyer beware”. Do your own research and be careful for the drug interactions if you are taking multiple prescriptions, especially from multiple Doctors and Pharmacies. In a perfect world, you would be able to mitigate much of the problems you are addressing by living a healthy lifestyle, eating low glycemic foods and taking the best nutritional supplements.
The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) was passed into law by Congress in 1992 and allows the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to collect feeds from Prescription drug Manufacturers to fund the new drug approval process.
The PDUFA declares that the FDA is allowed to collect a fee, called an application fee, from these Prescription Drug Manufacturers whenever a new drug is introduced through a new Drug Application (NDA). The fee was up to $250,000 per new NDA.
Kinda looks like the FDA is working for the Prescription Drug Companies. In fact, a comment from the Public Citizen’s Health Research Group stated “The review of new drugs is too important to leave to ‘user fees’ and likened the drug industry’s financial support of the FDA review process “similar to criminals paying user fees to the police department.”
Originally a short term experiment slated for 5 years, it was “improved” by The Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997 (FDAMA). This act extended user fees for NDA’s for another 5 years and introduced three amendments: Off Label Use of Drugs; Drug Labeling for Children: and, Fast Track or Accelerated Approval of new drugs.
Off Label Use pertains to using drugs for other than it was approved for. The FDA did away with thus prohibition on the Drug Companies promoting other than approved uses for their drugs, opening the door for Drug Salesman to promote new drugs with no proof of safety or effectiveness for the off label use.
The Drug Labeling for Children amendment. Previously drugs approved for adults were presumed to be safe in children albeit with different doses. This is not always the case. Now drug companies were required to do additional clinical trials to provide information for prescribing to children.
The Accelerated Approval and Parallel Tracking amendment opened up the door for new drug approval based on one “well controlled” Phase 3 clinical trail when the previous standard was two. There is no denying this amendment made drugs available that have saved countless lives, however with much less of a process to ensure safety.
The PDUFA III continued user fees and integrated a Medical Device User Fee as well. PDUFA IV was signed into law in September 2007 represents a significant addition to FDA authority. Among the many components of the law, the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) and the Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act (MDUFMA) have been reauthorized and expanded. The FDA claims these programs will ensure that FDA staff will have the additional resources needed to conduct the complex and comprehensive reviews necessary to new drugs and devices. However, the FDA and Drug Manufacturers continued to share the same bed.
Allowing the industry to “negotiate” with the FDA on recommendations and “pay” the FDA user fees for new drugs undercuts the agency’s original true role as an independent, drug safety regulator. If the FDA and the prescription drug manufacturers are going to regain the respect and trust of the American public, the FDA must be seen as an objective regulatory entity with a clear and inviolable mission to serve the public, and its reliance on the fees and goodwill of the industry they are supposed to oversee must end.
The bottom line is that the prescription drug consumer needs to live by the old adage “let the buyer beware”. Do your own research and be careful for the drug interactions if you are taking multiple prescriptions, especially from multiple Doctors and Pharmacies. In a perfect world, you would be able to mitigate much of the problems you are addressing by living a healthy lifestyle, eating low glycemic foods and taking the best nutritional supplements.
Friday, April 9, 2010
How Inflammation and Essential Fats Affect Joint Pain
There are two essential fats: Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids. These are polyunsaturated fats and are very god fats when not highly processed or heated. Our bodies cannot make them so we have to get them from our diets.
Generally, we get plenty of Omega 6 Fatty Acids, however most of us are deficient in Omega 3 Fatty Acids. For a related article on Omega 3 Fatty Acids, see: Omega 3 Fatty Acids for Back Joint Pain
Although as you'll read, Omega 3 Fatty Acids balance out the Omega 6 Fatty Acids therefore combating inflammation which is the cause of much joint pain.
Omega 6 Fatty Acids produce prostaglandins that promote inflammation, blood clotting and cell growth. Omega 3 Fatty Acids produce prostaglandins that have the opposite effect. In the event your are injured your body produces a inflammatory response to bring about quicker healing. This inflammatory response brings blood and immune cells to injured areas of your body.
The body also has on-going inflammation caused by free radicals created by oxidative stress and this inflammation can damage tissues creating major problems, sometimes slow damage, but damage none the less.
It is critical that we balance our essentials fats so the prostaglandins will be created in balance to control inflammation. Unbalanced prostaglandins can cause serious health problems such as cancer, heart disease and of course, arthritis and joint pain.
Omega 6 Fatty Acids can be found in meats, margarines, peanuts, poultry as well as many of our processed foods. Omega 3 Fatty Acids are found in cold water fish, flaxseed and flaxseed oil, soybeans, organic eggs, and almonds.
The best research of today states that Omega 6 and Omega 3 Fatty Acids should be consumed at a 2:1 ratio. Currently it is believed that most Americans have a diet with an Omega 6 to Omega 3 Fatty Acid ratio of 20:1 and in some cases much higher. Hence the need to supplement our diets with Omega 3 Fatty Acids and the most assured and easy method to do this is to consume a pharmaceutical grade Omega 3 nutritional supplement which will eliminate the chances of toxins such as mercury that is associated with Omega 3 supplements derived from Fish Oils.
With unchecked inflammation we take the chance of increasing pain in our joints especially with over use and damage sustained over years.
Generally, we get plenty of Omega 6 Fatty Acids, however most of us are deficient in Omega 3 Fatty Acids. For a related article on Omega 3 Fatty Acids, see: Omega 3 Fatty Acids for Back Joint Pain
Although as you'll read, Omega 3 Fatty Acids balance out the Omega 6 Fatty Acids therefore combating inflammation which is the cause of much joint pain.
Omega 6 Fatty Acids produce prostaglandins that promote inflammation, blood clotting and cell growth. Omega 3 Fatty Acids produce prostaglandins that have the opposite effect. In the event your are injured your body produces a inflammatory response to bring about quicker healing. This inflammatory response brings blood and immune cells to injured areas of your body.
The body also has on-going inflammation caused by free radicals created by oxidative stress and this inflammation can damage tissues creating major problems, sometimes slow damage, but damage none the less.
It is critical that we balance our essentials fats so the prostaglandins will be created in balance to control inflammation. Unbalanced prostaglandins can cause serious health problems such as cancer, heart disease and of course, arthritis and joint pain.
Omega 6 Fatty Acids can be found in meats, margarines, peanuts, poultry as well as many of our processed foods. Omega 3 Fatty Acids are found in cold water fish, flaxseed and flaxseed oil, soybeans, organic eggs, and almonds.
The best research of today states that Omega 6 and Omega 3 Fatty Acids should be consumed at a 2:1 ratio. Currently it is believed that most Americans have a diet with an Omega 6 to Omega 3 Fatty Acid ratio of 20:1 and in some cases much higher. Hence the need to supplement our diets with Omega 3 Fatty Acids and the most assured and easy method to do this is to consume a pharmaceutical grade Omega 3 nutritional supplement which will eliminate the chances of toxins such as mercury that is associated with Omega 3 supplements derived from Fish Oils.
With unchecked inflammation we take the chance of increasing pain in our joints especially with over use and damage sustained over years.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Joint Pain Medications - OxyContin and Side Effects
Oxycontin (oxycodone hydrochloride) is a pain reliver that is prescribed in 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg and for opioid tolerant patients, 60 mg, 80 mg 160 mg doses. Many, perhaps too many, people routinely take this drug - how many do you know?
OxyContin is an opioid agonist and a Schedule II controlled substance used for the management of moderate to severe pain, such as joint pain – knee pain-arthritis type symptoms and pain, when a continuous, around-the-clock analgesic is needed for an extended period of time.
A single dose greater than 40 mg, or total daily doses greater than 80 mg, may cause fatal respiratory depression when administered to patients who are not tolerant to the respiratory depressant effects of opioids.
Side effects can depend upon a lot of factors including dosage, opioid tolerance of the consumer, and other factors specific to the health of the consumer. The more frequent side effects include nausea, headache, dry mouth, sweating, dizziness, vomiting, and somnolence.
Severe reactions which may be associated with OxyContin includes respiratory depression (especially in larger doses), respiratory arrest, circulatory depression, hypotension, and shock.
Lesser common severe reactions include: Blood and lymphatic system disorders; Cardiac disorders; Ear disorders (tinnitus); Endocrine disorders; Abnormal vision; Gastrointestinal disorders; increased appetite; chest pain; facial edema; Infections; Dehydration; Neck and Back Pain; Hypertension; Speech disorder; Tremor and Vertigo; Agitation and Depression; Urinary retention or impairment; Decreased libido and impotence; Respiratory distress; and Skin problems.
I don’t know,… OxyContin just may be a miracle drug for some in relieving joint pain. I will never use it, if my Nutritional supplements start not working then maybe surgery, but to take prescription pain relievers every day,…well, it’s not just in me to take that risk just to treat the symptoms.
OxyContin is an opioid agonist and a Schedule II controlled substance used for the management of moderate to severe pain, such as joint pain – knee pain-arthritis type symptoms and pain, when a continuous, around-the-clock analgesic is needed for an extended period of time.
A single dose greater than 40 mg, or total daily doses greater than 80 mg, may cause fatal respiratory depression when administered to patients who are not tolerant to the respiratory depressant effects of opioids.
Side effects can depend upon a lot of factors including dosage, opioid tolerance of the consumer, and other factors specific to the health of the consumer. The more frequent side effects include nausea, headache, dry mouth, sweating, dizziness, vomiting, and somnolence.
Severe reactions which may be associated with OxyContin includes respiratory depression (especially in larger doses), respiratory arrest, circulatory depression, hypotension, and shock.
Lesser common severe reactions include: Blood and lymphatic system disorders; Cardiac disorders; Ear disorders (tinnitus); Endocrine disorders; Abnormal vision; Gastrointestinal disorders; increased appetite; chest pain; facial edema; Infections; Dehydration; Neck and Back Pain; Hypertension; Speech disorder; Tremor and Vertigo; Agitation and Depression; Urinary retention or impairment; Decreased libido and impotence; Respiratory distress; and Skin problems.
I don’t know,… OxyContin just may be a miracle drug for some in relieving joint pain. I will never use it, if my Nutritional supplements start not working then maybe surgery, but to take prescription pain relievers every day,…well, it’s not just in me to take that risk just to treat the symptoms.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Acupuncture for Joint Pain
My belief is that you have to know the details of anything before you accept it or discount it. So what is Acupuncture? What potential does Acupuncture have to alleviate Joint Pain?
To understand Acupuncture you must understand the concept of the body’s essential life energy, called “chi” or “ki” flowing through your body in invisible routes called “meridians”. There are several thousand Acupuncture points connected to these meridians. Accessing and stimulating these Acupuncture points with needles corrects the flow of energy and alleviates pain and problems.
One of the possible ways Acupuncture alleviates pain is by reducing muscle tension thereby reducing tension or pull on joints. Another reason why Acupuncture may help is through the release of endorphins which naturally fight pain or our perception of pain.
Some believe that a method from which Acupuncture is effective is getting the body to react to the micro trauma that Acupuncture needles cause and therefore sending resources to that part of the body to “fix” it.
Another version of Acupuncture is Electro-Acupuncture where pulsing electrical current is delivered through the needle stimulating the intended afflicted area.
Without a doubt there are studies that suggest Acupuncture can and has alleviated joint pain caused by arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. This fits well with MyAchingKnees.com beliefs that all non-invasive methods to alleviate joint pain should be considered before prescription medications and/or surgery as these more invasive joint pain solutions have more potential for serious side effects.
Acupuncture may involve multiple needles being inserted into Acupuncture points on a meridian to a depth of 10 to 20 millimeters. One inch would be 25.4 millimeters to give you an idea of the depth a needle would go.
Acupuncture is becoming more and more accepted by the conventional medical community, however not all Medical Insurance Plans will cover Acupuncture.
MyAchingKnees.com highly suggests the joint pain sufferer research and consider Acupuncture as a form of treatment for any joint pain particular arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Role of Anti-Oxidants in Our Joint and Overall Health
Oxidative stress is a major cause of degenerative disease, including diseases and inflammation that effects our joints. Free radicals developed and released in our bodies, as a result of oxidative stress, effects all organs, body functions and our joints through cellular degeneration.
Anti-Oxidants protect against Oxidative Stress. Imagine a fire place with a fire burning,......the sparks flying out and causing damage to the carpet or rug are those free radicals released through oxidative stress. The fire place screen to keep these sparks (or free radicals) from causing damage are the anti-oxidants our body produces and that we get from food from all plants.
The body produces anti-oxidants but requires vitamins, minerals and co-factors in order to do so. Anti-oxidants from plants are a major source of our overall oxidative stress protection however the nutritional value of foods have greatly declined due to packaging, processing and even reduced nutritional value of the soil they are grown in.
Oxidative stress is a slow, cumulative process. Choosing the right foods and ensuring proper supplementation using the synergy of multiple anti-oxidants is the optimal way to protect oxidative damage.
Not only should you consider taking nutritional supplements designed for joint health and to reduce joint pain caused from degeneration of the cartilage, you should also consider an overall nutritional supplementation program using the highest quality products that you can obtain to ensure you have optimal health through providing your body with the nutrients it needs to fight oxidative damage.
Anti-Oxidants protect against Oxidative Stress. Imagine a fire place with a fire burning,......the sparks flying out and causing damage to the carpet or rug are those free radicals released through oxidative stress. The fire place screen to keep these sparks (or free radicals) from causing damage are the anti-oxidants our body produces and that we get from food from all plants.
The body produces anti-oxidants but requires vitamins, minerals and co-factors in order to do so. Anti-oxidants from plants are a major source of our overall oxidative stress protection however the nutritional value of foods have greatly declined due to packaging, processing and even reduced nutritional value of the soil they are grown in.
Oxidative stress is a slow, cumulative process. Choosing the right foods and ensuring proper supplementation using the synergy of multiple anti-oxidants is the optimal way to protect oxidative damage.
Not only should you consider taking nutritional supplements designed for joint health and to reduce joint pain caused from degeneration of the cartilage, you should also consider an overall nutritional supplementation program using the highest quality products that you can obtain to ensure you have optimal health through providing your body with the nutrients it needs to fight oxidative damage.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Omega 3 Fatty Acids for Back Joint Pain
When talking about adding Omega 3 Fatty Acids to a nutritional supplementation for Joint Pain has some people asking "Why Omega 3 Fatty Acids? What do they have to do with Joint Pain relief?"
A recent University of Pittsburgh study using a daily dose of 2,400 mg of EPA/DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid and Eicosapentaenoic acid), then reducing to a dose of 1,200 mg of EPA/DHA on subjects with back pain resulted in 60% of the subjects gaining relief from chonic back pain. However the big statistic is that 80% of the subjects stated they would continue to take Omega 3 as they saw or felt other benefits as well.
My Aching Knees believes that Omega 3 Fatty Acids (usually derived from Fish Oil) is not only effective for joint pain but studies have suggested other health benefits as well, which include:
May significantly inhibit the growth of liver cancer cells.
Appears to help the brain to work faster, it increases IQ scores and slows down the aging process by reducing inflammation. (Lawrence Whalley, a mental health professor at Aberdeen University)
Fish oil with a high EPA content improves behavior, concentration and learning resulting in better grades at school. (The Durham trials led by Dr Madeleine Portwood)
High levels of EPA fish oil, may be an effective treatment for ADHD. (Adelaide University)
Fish oil reduced the severity of the symptoms for Bipolar disorder. (Dr Andrew Stoll)
Omega 3 supplementation improves complex cortical processing with improvements in mood and a reduction in anger, anxiety and depression. (Italian study by Fontani)
We have witnessed changes not only in chronic joint pain when adding a pharmaceutical grade Omega 3 to Glucosamine, but we have also seen positive (and quick) changes in ADD/ADHD children when Omega 3's are added to a daily anti-oxidant/multi-mineral nutritional supplement.
Be careful not to take non-pharmaceutical grade Fish Oil Supplements and you cannot be guaranteed to purity or potency and the presence of toxins, such as mercury can be significant.
A recent University of Pittsburgh study using a daily dose of 2,400 mg of EPA/DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid and Eicosapentaenoic acid), then reducing to a dose of 1,200 mg of EPA/DHA on subjects with back pain resulted in 60% of the subjects gaining relief from chonic back pain. However the big statistic is that 80% of the subjects stated they would continue to take Omega 3 as they saw or felt other benefits as well.
My Aching Knees believes that Omega 3 Fatty Acids (usually derived from Fish Oil) is not only effective for joint pain but studies have suggested other health benefits as well, which include:
May significantly inhibit the growth of liver cancer cells.
Appears to help the brain to work faster, it increases IQ scores and slows down the aging process by reducing inflammation. (Lawrence Whalley, a mental health professor at Aberdeen University)
Fish oil with a high EPA content improves behavior, concentration and learning resulting in better grades at school. (The Durham trials led by Dr Madeleine Portwood)
High levels of EPA fish oil, may be an effective treatment for ADHD. (Adelaide University)
Fish oil reduced the severity of the symptoms for Bipolar disorder. (Dr Andrew Stoll)
Omega 3 supplementation improves complex cortical processing with improvements in mood and a reduction in anger, anxiety and depression. (Italian study by Fontani)
We have witnessed changes not only in chronic joint pain when adding a pharmaceutical grade Omega 3 to Glucosamine, but we have also seen positive (and quick) changes in ADD/ADHD children when Omega 3's are added to a daily anti-oxidant/multi-mineral nutritional supplement.
Be careful not to take non-pharmaceutical grade Fish Oil Supplements and you cannot be guaranteed to purity or potency and the presence of toxins, such as mercury can be significant.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Osteoarthritis - Chronic Joint Pain
We recently reviewed some information and followed up on a couple of web sites concerned with osteoarthritis treatments and were dismayed to find that these sites, while providing good information on what causes osteoarthritis, these websites seemed to only consider conventional medical treatments for this cause of debilitating joint pain through prescriptions medicines and therapeutic exercise such as Yoga and Pilates.
We whole heartedly believe in physical therapy and exercise, however we think pain medications are not a first line resort.
Osteoarthritis is a chronic problem caused by cartilage degeneration in the joints causing pain upon movement. When cartilage breaks down, there is less cushioning for the joints and can even lead to bones rubbing against each other.
Cartilage loses it’s elasticity through age and daily use/misuse. In some cases lack of sufficient cartilage can damage the bones producing bone spurs. Cartilage, as it loses it’s elasticity, becomes “brittle” and can break off leaving “floaters” in the joint causing pain and immobility.
One thing we should be able to agree upon is that Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease, hence it is sometimes called “Degenerative Joint Disease” or “Degenerative Arthritis”. If this is so, then rather than treat the symptoms of joint pain, while don’t we look towards treating one of the root causes of all degenerative diseases and that is lack of nutrition?
It makes no sense to live with this disease without trying to alleviate the discomfort or pain in your joints. The easiest, certainly the most cost efficient and the method with the least side effects has to be ensuring that your body is getting the nutritional needs for optimum health. For joint health I have found that pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine and adding an Omega 3 (Fish Oil) supplement has greatly alleviated my joint pain without resorting to prescription pain medications (which can have side effects) or having surgery even minimally invasive surgery.
We whole heartedly believe in physical therapy and exercise, however we think pain medications are not a first line resort.
Osteoarthritis is a chronic problem caused by cartilage degeneration in the joints causing pain upon movement. When cartilage breaks down, there is less cushioning for the joints and can even lead to bones rubbing against each other.
Cartilage loses it’s elasticity through age and daily use/misuse. In some cases lack of sufficient cartilage can damage the bones producing bone spurs. Cartilage, as it loses it’s elasticity, becomes “brittle” and can break off leaving “floaters” in the joint causing pain and immobility.
One thing we should be able to agree upon is that Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease, hence it is sometimes called “Degenerative Joint Disease” or “Degenerative Arthritis”. If this is so, then rather than treat the symptoms of joint pain, while don’t we look towards treating one of the root causes of all degenerative diseases and that is lack of nutrition?
It makes no sense to live with this disease without trying to alleviate the discomfort or pain in your joints. The easiest, certainly the most cost efficient and the method with the least side effects has to be ensuring that your body is getting the nutritional needs for optimum health. For joint health I have found that pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine and adding an Omega 3 (Fish Oil) supplement has greatly alleviated my joint pain without resorting to prescription pain medications (which can have side effects) or having surgery even minimally invasive surgery.
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