Maintaining Joint Performance
- By Stephen Holt, M.D.

Many millions of Americans who have bone and joint health problems are gobbling aspirin and NSAID in a manner that now presents a major public health concern. This concern is a direct consequence of the common side effects that these drugs may produce. Unfortunately, these side effects are sometimes fatal, especially in the elderly who are the main target population that takes drugs to manage their joint problems. Common side effects of NSAID include stomach upset that can herald the onset of peptic ulcer and life threatening bleeding from the upper or lower digestive tract. Liver and kidney problems are relatively common with NSAID use.

For these reasons, many people have sought alternative health benefits of dietary supplements that have great advantage as nutritional support for bone and joint health. That said, supplements are not drugs or substitutes for drugs. The product Supraflex™, which is known in professional circles as Arthrotrim™, is specific nutritional support for joint health. The product Supraflex™ uses many natural agents in varying amounts to produce "additive benefits" for the nutritional support of joint function and mobility. The use of many natural agents at one time produces an "additive benefit" that is referred to as "synergy." In other words, these agents add to each other's range of nutritional benefits for joint structure and function, including flexibility and the improvement of joint mobility during activity. Supraflex™ has no rivals in terms of its uniqueness and completeness of formulation with an overall versatility of its various ingredients.

Supraflex™ has six different modes of potential action as a dietary supplement, providing nutritional support for bone and joint health. These actions are best summarized in Table 1.

Supraflex™ contains full dose, high quality, low sodium containing glucosamine. Glucosamine is a mainstay of joint nutrition. Glucosamine has been extensively researched with a clearly demonstrated benefit for the repair of cartilage in joints. Not only does glucosamine help repair cartilage in damage joints, it promotes cartilage renewal and regeneration and it may provide added advantages of improving lubrication within joints, by exerting beneficial effects on joint fluid. Supraflex™ also contains chondroitin which is another joint specific supplement that has demonstrable benefits in terms of improvement in joint mobility.

Supraflex™ takes a lead from the traditional medical systems that were practiced in ancient India and Asia. It utilizes the herb Boswellia serrata which has been shown in experiments in the laboratory to antagonize or inhibit the production of substances that may promote inflammation in joints. This normal body function of the production of inflammatory substances (leukotrienes) is a key manner in which Boswellia may function as nutritional support for joint structure and function. Supraflex™ also contains the advantage of several antioxidants which can help minimize the oxidative stress that is put upon joints as a consequence of wear and tear and other negative factors.

The most unique components of Supraflex™ involve the use of a proprietary formula of herbal substances which are described variably in scientific literature to potentially inhibit Cox-2 enzymes. Cox-2 enzymes are produced as part of normal body function in the presence of inflammation and they contribute to pain and disability that is experienced by some individuals with joint disorder.

The study of Naturopathic Medicine (natural medicines) has resulted in the identification of a number of herbs which may inhibit Cox-2 enzymes in the body. It is notable that the inhibition of Cox-2 enzymes is the basic mode of action of popular and commonly used anti-arthritic medications (eg, Vioxx® and Celebrex®). It is important to understand that one cannot compare herbal systems that may inhibit Cox-2 enzymes with support joint health, there have been few accounts of the drugs that have been shown definitively to inhibit how these products can be used most effectively. these enzyme systems. Dietary supplements are not to be used to treat or prevent any disease.

It must be understood that nutritional supplements for bone and joint health do not work instantaneously.

Herbs that have variable documentation for their or immediately, as may aspirin and other common pain ability to inhibit Cox-2 enzyme systems include killers. Nutritional supplements are designed to go to Barberry bark, Goldenthread root, Feverfew, Ginger root, Green Tea extract, Tulsi leaves, Hops flower, Oregano leaves, Rosemary leaves, Chinese Skullcap, whole Turmeric root, Nettle leaves, and Devil's claw root. I stress that this proprietary formulation of these herbs may have a variable effect on unwanted activity of Cox-2 enzymes.

Supraflex™ has even more natural benefits. It has independent actions of the microelement boron and its content of collagen may provide indirect immune support for joint function. Added to the formula are white willow bark, a tried and trusted herb used for nutritional support of joint function. It also contains the interesting nutrient constituents of natural sea cucumber. To add to the complete nature of the formula one can find MSM and New Zealand green lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus), within the formula of Supraflex™. One potential inhibitor of Cox-2 enzyme systems is the herb Phéllodendron amurense which is present in prominent amounts within the Supraflex™ formula.

The benefits of dietary supplements for the promotion of bone and joint health have become a mainstay in the practice of alternative medicine and many millions of people have used different nutritional ingredients for the nutritional support of their joint problems. While many products have come on the market to support joint health, there have been few accounts of how these products can be used most effectively. 

It must be understood that nutritional supplements for bone and joint health do not work instantaneously or immediately, as may aspirin and other common pain killers.  Nutritional supplements are designed to go to the root of the problem in joint disorders and provide nutritional support which takes several weeks to be maximally effective. For example, in the case of glucosamine, scientific studies show that it can take up to six to 12 weeks before maximum benefit can be achieved from the use of a nutritional supplement. Therefore, users of dietary supplements are encouraged to continue taking these supplements for several weeks before they conclude they may not be effective.

If natural supplements can permit the reduction of the use of aspirin and NSAID then much benefit may accrue by avoiding the unpleasant and potentially dangerous side effects of aspirin and NSAID. However, supplements are not drugs. A reasonable, natural approach to bone and joint problems is to use a topical agent that may help with pain and flexibility while the action of the nutritional supplements are taking effect over a more prolonged period of time. Good examples are topical bone and joint rubs that are beneficial in this context include the product Blue Emu™ or Silver Emu™ and its other related products. These topical bone and joint rubs are notable by their content of emu oil which is regarded as a useful carrier mechanism for other natural ingredients that may help bone and joint problems.