Any disease that a person suffers, even acute respiratory viral infections, negatively affects the joints. Pathology of bones, joints, ligaments is widespread in the world.
Before the onset of pain in them, usually no one thinks that it is necessary to take some measures for their health, although changes in the joints occur early and progress with age. Vitamins for the joints, which every person needs to take, will help prevent serious diseases with limited movement, provide comfortable movements.
Joint Vitamins - Why They Are Missing
Stress, adynamia or high physical exertion, smoking, malnutrition lead to the development of joint diseases at a young age and often end in disability. In old age, osteoporosis, high fragility of bones and low regeneration can lead to serious injuries with an unfavorable prognosis.
It is possible to preserve the strength of bones and joints and prevent the appearance of pain in them by regularly taking vitamins for joints. Many of them are synthesized in the body, but in an amount insufficient to maintain a good quality of life.
The missing amount comes from food, but with the development of pathological processes this does not cover the lack of vitamins for the joints. Therefore, it is often necessary to apply a course of treatment to maintain mobility and youth of the joints.
This is relevant not only for patients, the elderly or pregnant women who have high risk factors.
The therapy also requires completely healthy people, whose joints are exposed to high stresses due to professional activities, sports or a sedentary lifestyle and bad habits. Any changes in the external environment or in the human body directly or indirectly affect the joints.
Joint Vitamins - Antioxidants: How They Work
For joint health, first of all, antioxidants that neutralize free radicals are important. They are formed as a result of oxidative processes in the body and destroy healthy cells.
Free radicals are compounds without one or more electrons, therefore they are very active. These "defective" compounds "look for" the electrons that they lack, attacking healthy cells of various organs and systems, thus destroying their tissues.
Healthy cells that have undergone such an “attack” themselves turn into free radicals, quickly collapse and die. More than 10 thousand such “attacks” occur in the body per day. Free radicals also act on joint tissues, causing an inflammatory process.
They are formed under the harmful influence of ultraviolet radiation, nicotine and tar during smoking, stress, certain medications, stress hormones (adrenaline, cortisol). The consequences of their influence are the physiological process of aging, which affects all organs and systems, as well as the musculoskeletal system. It can occur much earlier than the passport age (early aging).
Free radicals destroy proteoglycans and collagen - substances that make up the synovial fluid of the joint. Proteoglycans, collagen, elastin form the main substance of the connective tissue and synovial fluid of the joint. Their damage leads to various inflammatory diseases of the joints (rheumatoid arthritis, synovitis, etc.).
Antioxidants inactivate free radicals, giving them their electrons. They interrupt the pathological process of cell destruction.
What vitamins are considered antioxidants
Antioxidant vitamins include:
• vitamin A - retinol;
• E - tocopherol;
• D3 - cholecalciferol;
• K - menaquinone;
• C - ascorbic acid.
The first 4 of them are fat soluble.
In addition to antioxidants, vitamins for joints include water-soluble:
• group B (B1 - thiamine, B2 - riboflavin, B6 - pyridocaine, B12-cyanocobalamin);
• vitamin PP - nicotinic acid;
• P - rutin (flavonoid);
• folic acid.
Lack of vitamins for joints - clinical manifestations
The joints are sore, they say symptoms of their defeat:
• pain, especially in the morning, accompanied by stiffness in the joints of different durations, aggravated by physical exertion;
• crunching and clicking when moving;
• possible edema, deformation, redness of the skin over the joint;
• after rest or prolonged sitting, they hardly begin to move and act.
The causes of such conditions may be:
• destruction of cartilage;
• degenerative processes in the cartilage and bone tissue of the joint;
• ossification and shortening of ligaments and muscles;
• inflammatory processes;
• reduction of intraarticular fluid in the periarticular bag.
Causes of pain and changes in the joints of healthy people:
• the predominance of protein in the diet;
• "passive lifestyle;
• in young women - increased extensibility of collagen fibers.
Vitamin C
Joint pain is a symptom of a lack of ascorbic acid. It speeds up the absorption of calcium and synthesizes the “bonding” collagen. Ascorbic acid strengthens the walls of blood vessels, makes them elastic, reduces permeability. Thus, she is involved in improving the blood supply and nutrition of the joints. In addition, it strengthens the immune system, enhances the immune status, protecting against the harmful effects of infectious agents. With hypovitaminosis C, hemorrhage in the joint may occur with a slight injury or physical exertion. An adult needs to consume 120 mg of vitamin C per day. The maximum amount of it is found in lemons, black currants, rose hips, aronia, green peas, radish, red fruits.
Calciferol
Vitamin D (calciferol) is an essential component necessary for joint health. Without its presence, calcium is poorly absorbed. It contributes to the complete absorption in the bones of the joints of their main building components - calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, and prevents the destruction of cartilage. Hypovitaminosis D is manifested by osteoporosis of the articular heads of bones. Numerous studies confirm the relationship between hypo - or vitamin deficiency D and acute joint - muscle pain. Chronic pain also depends on an insufficient amount of vitamin D. Pain in different joints and different parts of the spine can be disturbing.
Part of the vitamin (D2 - ergocalciferol) enters the body with food, another part (D3 - cholecalciferol) is synthesized in the skin under the influence of solar ultraviolet radiation. A person needs 400 IU (10 mg) D3 - cholecalciferol per day. Most of all it is found in fatty fish, liver, milk, egg yolk.
Tocopherol
Vitamin E (tocopherol) is used to treat joints with an already identified pathology (infectious arthritis, etc.). Affects bone growth and the formation of connective tissue of articular cartilage. In combination with vitamin C, it contributes to the regeneration of bone tissue, contributes to the speedy healing of fractures. Together with vitamin C, it firmly binds free radicals that have a destructive effect on the joints (their antioxidant properties are used). The daily dose is 20 to 30 mg. Its source is all vegetable oils, milk, nuts, egg yolk.
Retinol
Vitamin A is also involved in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, protects against the development of osteoporosis. Resists viral and bacterial infection. It is also an antioxidant, participates in bone growth and the formation of connective tissue, and prevents cartilage destruction. Contained in parsley, vegetables, oil, liver, milk, eggs.
Menaquinone
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) is a product of plant photosynthesis. K2 (menaquinone) - one of the three vitamins in this group - is indispensable for bones and joints. Contained in many bacteria of the large intestine. It takes part in the synthesis of osteocalcin protein, preventing the destruction of bone tissue. As many studies have shown, there is a link between hypovitaminosis K and osteoporosis. But it is not suitable for the treatment of osteoporosis - only to prevent its development, because it improves bone density. Participates in the synthesis of bones, increasing their mass. Food sources of vitamin K2: oil, liver, eggs, meat. The daily dose is 120 mcg.
B vitamins
B vitamins (B1 - thiamine, B6 - pyridoxine, B12 - cyancobalamin) are included in the list of drugs for the treatment of severe joint pain. They are involved in neurohumoral regulation. Contained in liver, eggs, milk, fish, cottage cheese, pork.
Vitamin B6 retains collagen in bones and joints, prevents gout and salt deposition.
Trace elements
In addition to vitamins, micro and macro elements (selenium, zinc, chromium, calcium, silicon, copper) exert an effect on the condition of joints. They strengthen the ligaments, joints, have their own mechanism of action.
Zinc is necessary for the exchange of vitamin E, stimulates the growth and strength of bones.
Selenium is involved in the restoration of cartilage, significantly reduces pain.
Manganese is involved in the production of collagen.
Joint vitamins - treatment complexes
Joint vitamins and trace elements are found in many products, but you cannot cover the whole daily need for them with one meal. Vitamin complexes are produced containing all the necessary components for the normal functioning of the joints. There are special multivitamins with the addition of chondroitin, glucosamine and collagen - the "building material" for cartilage.
1. Vitrum Osteomag - contains vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, cyclic, copper. It is very effective both for prevention and for the treatment of osteoporosis, strengthening joints, it relieves joint pain. It is prescribed for sports injuries, fractures.
2. Calcemin Advance - normalizes phosphorus - calcium metabolism, contains calcium, zinc, copper, vitamin D3. Helps increase the density of tissues of joints and bones, is used to prevent osteoporosis, for pain.
3. Collagen Ultra - consists of vitamins A, D, C, calcium, collagen and glucosamine. It is indicated for injuries of the knee joint and meniscus cartilage.
4. SustaNorm consists of ascorbic acid, glucosamine, chondroitin, manganese. Effective in degenerative processes in joints and inflammations. Indications for use: prevention of osteoporosis, arthritis, gout. Widely used in sports medicine.
5. ArthriVit - contains vitamins C, B6, niacin, pantothenic acid, trace elements. Indications are inflammatory diseases of the joints, destructive processes in the bones.
6. Orthomol Arthro Plus - treats arthritis, improves joint flexibility, is indicated after various injuries and operations. The composition includes: vitamins A, C, E, D3, B, trace elements.
7. Triovit - useful for people performing heavy physical exertion. Consists of vitamins - antioxidants: A, E, C, selenium.
8. Brewer's yeast - a complex of B vitamins: saturate bone and cartilage with vitamins, reduce the risk of seizures, strengthen bone tissue, optimize the mineral balance.
If untreated, hypovitaminosis leads to changes in the bones and joints, their ligaments and cartilage, which can become irreversible. But an overabundance of vitamins is also dangerous for the body due to its complications.
Therefore, before you start taking vitamins for joints, you need to consult a doctor, discuss the dosage, frequency and duration of admission and strictly adhere to them.
In order for the joints to remain healthy, a balanced diet, a healthy lifestyle, and rejection of bad habits are necessary.
