Metabolix Joint Therapy with Hyaluronic Acid is a unique nutritional blend designed to work synergistically to help support joint function and long term health. All of the components described below have been demonstrated through scientific research to be effective in providing relief and preservation of the connective tissue found within joints as well as other important connective tissue structures throughout the body. Glucosamine, which occurs naturally in the body, plays a key role in the construction of cartilage - connective tissue that cushions the joints. Glucosamine is needed to produce glycosaminoglycans or GAGs (the key structural components of cartilage) as well as for the incorporation of sulfur into cartilage. Sulfur is necessary for making these structural components. Interestingly, endogenous production of glucosamine slows with age. Strong evidence from many well designed trials indicates that glucosamine sulfate supplementation may be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis. In general, findings from these studies suggest that glucosamine provides several benefits for people suffering from osteoarthritis. This is a type of arthritis caused by continuous wear and tear on the joints leading to inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss of cartilage. The tissues most affected by osteoarthritis are the weight bearing joints, such as the knees and hips, as well as the joints in the hands. It has been shown to be as effective as ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, improved function and mobility, and slowed progression or even prevention of joint destruction.

In comparison to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) glucosamine sulfate takes longer to begin working. However pain control lasts longer with glucosamine and it causes fewer side effects. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may cause stomach upset, cramps, constipation, diarrhea, and in some cases, stomach ulcers. MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), an organic form of sulfur is found in all living organisms, including many food sources. It is abundantly found in fresh fruit and vegetables. However it is rapidly lost due to heating during the preparation of food. It is also lost when vegetables and fruit are left for a period of time, heated or not.

Several studies suggest that the body’s concentration of MSM drops with increasing age, possibly as a result of changing diet or body metabolism. Research also suggests that there is a minimum concentration of MSM that must be maintained in the body to preserve the normal function and structure. MSM is an important source of sulfur, supplying sulfur to the sulfur containing amino acids methionine and cysteine. Taurine another sulfur amino acid derived from methionine and cysteine, has metabolic actions that include bile acid conjugation, detoxification, membrane stabilization, osmoregulation, and modulation of cellular calcium levels. MSM also has unique properties related to its chemical structure and biological activities, one of the most important serving as a major sulfur donor for the proper functioning of the body's anti-oxidation system.

Ginger has a long history of medicinal use, particularly as an anti-inflammatory agent for a wide variety of diseases such as arthritis. It has been cultivated for millennia in both China and India, and even as far back as 2500 years among the Greeks and Romans. In the thousands of prescriptions in Chinese traditional medicine that are combinations of many herbs; ginger is used in nearly half of them to mediate the effects of other ingredients. Ginger’s action of suppressing inflammation in arthritis is attributed to suppression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, molecules produced by synoviocytes, chondrocytes, and leukocytes. The former two of these specialized cells, synoviocytes and chondrocytes, are responsible for producing the gylcosaminoglycans described above which give the its cushioning properties, whereas leukocytes are white blood cells of the immune system that are implicated in many inflammatory conditions. In addition, ginger is a potent anti-oxidant; it can significantly enhance the activity of the superoxide dismutase, a key enzyme in the neutralization of “free-radicals”, molecules that initiate and propagate chemical chain reactions that damage the body’s cells.

Boswellia serrata tree is commonly found in India and the oleogum resins derived from it are used in traditional medicine in India and African countries for the treatment of a variety of diseases known and it posses potent anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic and analgesic activity. Animal experiments showed anti-inflammatory activity of the extract. The mechanism of this action is due to boswellic acids, one active compound is acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKbetaBA), a natural inhibitor of pro-inflammatory transcription factors, or molecules that initiate an inflammatory response. Another key feature of this herb is its ability to suppress osteoclastogenesis, the process by which bone is reabsorbed. Bone re-absorption is a natural phase of bone remodeling but if not balanced by the formation of new bone can lead to degenerative conditions such as osteopenia and osteoarthritis. Boswellia serrata extracts have also been show to inhibit development of atherosclerotic lesions. Silicon, as orthosilicic acid [Si(OH)4], is available from fluids and in food it exists as polymeric silica. Connective tissue is composed of cells which produce the fibrous protein matrixes of collagen and elastin, as well as the hydrated (water retaining) network of amino-sugars called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs described above) or muco- polysaccharides, one important example is hylauronic acid (HA), which is discussed further below. Silicon is believed to stabilize the glycosaminoglycan network. The amino-sugar glucosamine, which is also needed for the biosynthesis of GAGs, has been clinically proven to be effective in the treatment of arthritis Because of silicon's chemical association with GAGs, it seems that the combination of both glucosamine and silicon could have a complementary therapeutic value in the treatment of arthritis and other related connective tissue diseases.

One of the hallmark features of osteoarthritis is degeneration of the bony surface underlying the already deteriorated cartilage within the joint. Studies of silicon deprivation in growing animals have showed reduced growth and marked defects of bone and connective tissue and that silicon supplementation reduces the number of osteoclast cells, thus partially preventing bone re-absorption and bone loss. In addition, silicon supplementation of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis not only inhibits bone resorption but also increases trabecular bone volume and bone mineral density.

Silicon's proposed regulatory action in bone calcification and its vital role as a structural component of connective tissue are the reasons for silicon's classification as an essential trace element in animal and human nutrition. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a carbohydrate naturally produced in the human body and is chemically classified as a glycosaminoglycan, more specifically a mucopolysaccharide. As described above it is a polymer that can be several thousands of molecules long. Its key feature is that it binds to water giving it a stiff viscous quality similar to “Jello”. In fact Jello is actually made from a protein called gelatin (the fine crystals in each package). Even small amounts of HA, either provided directly to the joint by injection or taken as an oral supplement, can serve as a “primer” helping the body synthesize its own HA. HA molecules that are long and large in size produce a high viscosity (lubrication) effect which resists compression and allows our joints and skin to bear weight, withstand tension and endure abuses, such as physical trauma and abrasion that no other tissue in the body could withstand.

Found in all bones and cartilage structures throughout the body, HA is especially found in various forms of cartilage but none more than the hyaline cartilage (hyaline is short for hyaluronic acid). Hyaline cartilage covers the ends of the long bones where articulation (bending) occurs and provides a cushioning effect for the bones. Compare the joints of the human body to an automobile engine - the joint fluid in the body mimics the oil in a car engine. At regular intervals we replace the oil in our car engines because the heat and friction breakdown the oils viscosity. The oil becomes thinner and less able to protect the metal surfaces from excessive wear. Hyaluronic acid acts the same way in our joints. As we age the viscosity of the joint fluid breaks down and becomes thin and is unable to cushion the joint cartilage. This leads to increased friction and wear on the cartilage surfaces of the joints. Hyaluronic acid helps to restore the normal viscosity of joint fluid and to prevent further damage to the joint. Therefore supplementation with hyaluronic acid is crucial in offsetting the decreased synthesis or production of hyaluronic acid that occurs with aging and chronic injury.

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