Endurance athletes, and active individuals in general, are particularly hard on their joints. Many marathon runners, triathlon winners and dedicated bike riders find themselves with achy, swelling joints at a younger age than their less active counterparts. Taking the right herbal and dietary supplements could reduce your joint pain, whether it's from exercise fatigue or a long-term condition like arthritis. Try a few of these five options with the guidance of a sports nutrition expert and your doctor's approval.
Ginger
Need a mild but effective pain reliever so you can stop taking over the counter NSAIDs that can hurt your kidneys, liver and stomach? Look for ginger extract. It's shown some effectiveness as a pain reliever you can take either on a daily basis or after you notice tenderness. It also has demonstrated the ability to reduce joint stiffness in the morning, making it helpful for both active and retired athletes.
MSM
Methylsulfonylmethane, commonly known as MSM, is a powerful joint supplement with proven benefits but an unknown history of medication interactions. Taking a daily dose for 12 weeks can reduce both pain and tightness in joints regardless of the cause. However, you may find that the treatment interferes with medications you take for other health problems. Talk to your doctor before adding MSM to your daily routine and be prepared to document your own side effects. Most patients in the three completed studies reported few to no side effects.
Turmeric
Ayurvedic doctors have recommended turmeric as a supplement to patients for thousands of years, and modern medicine backs up some of the claims about this herb. The colorful root powder has been proven to reduce pain and swelling in clinical trials, in addition to reducing the body's inflammatory response to common allergens. Plan to stop taking your turmeric supplement before having any surgery performed, though, since it also acts as a mild blood thinner. While blood thinning can be a great treatment for people with heart disease or even just endurance athletes looking for an edge, it increases your bleeding during surgery. Notify the surgeon if you're not able to give yourself a few days to get the turmeric out of your system so the surgery team can plan around it.
Glucosamine
One of the most tested and widely recommended supplements for joint pain is glucosamine. Your body is supposed to produce this compound naturally to rebuild your joints as they're damaged, but your supply of it diminishes as you get older. Taking a daily dose of it now can prevent joint deterioration, but it also works when you already have arthritis.
Stinging Nettle
Finally, don't forget about the humble stinging nettle. The same compounds that are so irritating to your skin when you brush against its needles are quite soothing to joint pain and other forms of internal inflammation. It's often combined with other herbs like turmeric to make a broad spectrum joint supplement, or it can be taken separately.
Looking for more information? Visit us today at ProLine Sports Nutrition for customized recommendations on supplements.
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