Do Joint Supplements Really Work?

It can sometimes be hard to believe whether or not supplements on the market will help our body repair itself, especially when you're paying a hefty price for a supplement that you cannot be sure is working for you. The best thing to do is give your body time to see how it reacts to your chosen supplements as it's rare that any noticeable changes will happen right away or overnight. Now, many scientific studies have been conducted that support the belief that certain supplements and vitamins can support your joint health and aid in recovery! That is exactly what we will be exploring in today's blog post, the most effective joint supplements including natural alternatives. It’s also important to know what exactly your joint health might naturally begin to decline and need additional support; therefore we will also explore what age you might want to consider putting your joint health as one of your priorities. 

Our bodies do not stay young and supple forever, but ageing is an incredible process as it represents a life lived. Here at Wellgard, we want to share with you how supplements can help keep your body functioning properly and healthy...

What is the most effective joint supplement?

When looking for joint supplements, just like any other, it’s always wise to check the ingredients to ensure that the supplements you are buying do contain the best vitamins for your joints. If you would like to know what the top five vitamins are, for your joints, then we will link one of our recent blog posts titled How Can I Improve My Joint Health? This blog post explores the top five vitamins that are proven to help aid in joint strength and support the surrounding muscle and bones. 

The one vitamin, for our list of five, that we will be honing in on specifically today is Glucosamine. In supplement form, Glucosamine sulphate can be taken to help develop joints, ligaments, tendons, cartilage and even synovial fluid. It’s even known to be able to help delay the breakdown of cartilage as well as repair it! Glucosamine is already naturally occurring inside the body, but a controlled dosage can be safely supplemented into the body for further joint support. Glucosamine plays a vital role in making glycosaminoglycans and glycoproteins, both important building blocks for our joints. If our ligaments, tendons and cartilage are all strong and maintained then it is believed that our joints will be able to rebuild themselves as well as prevent several joint-related health issues. Therefore, Glucosamine in supplement form is certainly a supplement to consider if you are looking for additional joint support! 

Is Glucosamine safe to take daily? 

Glucosamine supplements are typically made from shellfish therefore if you are allergic to shellfish then you might want to take a shellfish-free alternative. You should also be very cautious if you have diabetes, as taking Glucosamine might affect your blood sugar level. Therefore, we advise you to seek medical advice before taking the supplement if you are a diabetic. There can also be some mild side effects to be aware of when you start taking the supplement like: 

• Stomach upset. 
• Constipation.
• Diarrhea.
• Headaches
• Rashes

However, these mild side effects should not persist and if they do occur only last for a few days! Any new supplement can cause similar side effects at first as your body tries to get used to the new supplement. If these side effects do sound a little off-putting, then we have a suitable alternative… 

Can I take collagen supplements for joint health? 

If you are looking for a different type of supplement to help support not just your joints but the entire surrounding areas (including cartilage, bone, ligaments and muscles) then might want to consider high-quality collagen supplements. You may already know, if you’re an avid reader of our blog, that collagen is a nutritional supplement made from animal or fish material that is rich in vital proteins! Bovine and Marine collagen is rich in amino acids that play an important role in repairing and rebuilding our joint's cartilage. Bovine collagen especially can help ensure all the essential amino acids get working through the body to support our joints through old age; keeping them functioning, lubricated and strong. What's more, collagen is even known to be able to offer anti-inflammatory benefits that can also be very useful in supporting our overall joint health. 

Don't just take our word for it though, here at Wellgard we have thousands of happy customer reviews! Many of them share their journey using our Bovine Collagen Powder and how it’s been able to help strengthen as well as support their joints. Including improved mobility, and increased strength as less joint pain & inflammation!

At what age should you start taking joint supplements?

One of the most common reasons why we tend to become more aware of things like our joint health is when we start to get out of our young adulthood faze as this is when natural proteins inside the body can be less ‘effective’ When we say less effective we mean that the body might need to rely on these proteins more than ever before, and this can be a strain for the body. When we get to 30 years of age, our natural collagen production slows down rapidly so supplementing it back into the body with high-quality collagen supplements is the best way to ensure the body still has that vital support; in the form of essential proteins and amino acids. 30-40s is also the age range in which we are recommended to take better care of our joints as proteins like collagen are starting to diminish, and other naturally occurring proteins are now at risk of being overworked. Joint supplements can help the body with its natural recovery process, to limit your risk of joint-related issues like stiffness, dislocations, breaks and degenerative diseases.