Articulating Well: Promoting Healthy Joint Function

by Lisa Schofield | January 3, 2023

When key joints work well, usually the rest of the body follows suit. Here’s how to help your customers “articulate.”

The language of joint dysfunction is usually peppered by “ouch!” The articular system, when healthy, is not something we normally notice until a joint pops, a sound that lets us know it’s there.

But when the joints begin to degrade, while they don’t emit a sound, they tend to inspire us to blurt swear words or colorful synonyms to “ouch.”

“Over 30 years of clinical practice and working with super proactive patients, only about 30 percent of healthy savvy patients/consumers are thinking about their joints before their joints start talking to them,” observed Chris D. Meletis, ND, director of clinical education, Trace Mineral Research. “All too frequently, by the time there is joint discomfort or overt pain, then an individual is playing catch up, as the ‘wear and tear’ has exceeded ‘repair’ for far too long, except for an acute injury. “ He created a mnemonic for his patients—(wear + tear) – (repair) equals expected tissue rejuvenation.

In the realm of joint health and the mobility it affects, he continued, consumers must be educated that proactivity is critical. After a lifetime of walking, sitting, exercising and injury, it is far better to be proactive versus waiting until the body is overtly communicating at a conscious level that excess damage has occurred.

Indeed, agreed Jolie Root, senior nutritionist and educator, Carlson Labs, Illinois, either holding on to or regaining mobility is a top health goal for consumers. Millions of people are affected by joint and mobility issues that keep them from enjoying the activities they love. And it isn’t just seniors—the impact of enthusiastic fitness routines tends to give younger adults joint pain.

She commented, “As the body ages even as soon as in the thirties, it’s natural for joint mobility to weaken or be diminished. With advancing age, the joints can become so restricted that everyday movements like walking, standing and holding objects becomes difficult without assistance by the time one is a senior. Restoring and retaining youthful mobility is a model for independent living, especially for seniors.”

At Your Healthy Place, a four-store natural products retailer in Wisconsin, “We have a wide range of our customers who ask for joint supplements,” said Tim O’Brien, owner. “It used to just be the senior population but I have noticed over the past 20 years that athletes, gym goers and anyone who is active is asking questions around joint supplements.”

The number-one condition affecting joints for many adults is osteoarthritis, which affects approximately 300 million people worldwide. Osteoarthritis is the gradually increasing degeneration of the cartilage on the joint surface. This results in chronic pain and stiffness in the joints and is a leading cause of disability.

And the joint health category may grow even more because of COVID-19. According to one study by Northwestern University, researchers found that radiological images show that the virus can cause the body to attack itself, resulting in deteriorating joints. Muscle soreness and achy joints are common symptoms among COVID-19 patients. But for some people, symptoms are more severe, long lasting and even bizarre, including rheumatoid arthritis flares, autoimmune myositis or “COVID toes.” According to the researchers, their 2021 study has, for the first time, confirmed and illustrated the causes of these symptoms through radiological imaging.

COVID weight gain is also a factor driving consumers to seek out not only weight loss but joint support products. According to the American Psychological Association, 42 percent of U.S. adults reported gaining weight without intending to since the pandemic started. While not a huge factor in joint support, those who gained a lot of weight and are now attempting to get into shape may be perfect candidates for an overall joint support formula.

And more research into osteoarthritis is continuing because there is no “cure” yet, and the medical community is seeking to understand more about its causes. So, in 2021, the largest study of osteoarthritis to date—across over 825,000 individuals from nine populations—researchers discovered new genetic risk factors for the disease and identified high-value drug targets. The researchers also found previously unknown differences in disease risk for weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing joints, the first ever female-specific risk factors for developing disease, and the first risk factors for early-onset disease. For the first time, they found genetic links between osteoarthritis and its main symptom, pain.

“Because we have investigated osteoarthritis in multiple joints, we have also identified specific genetic changes that underpin the risk for all forms of osteoarthritis. Some of these genes may prove to be validated as therapeutic targets for osteoarthritis, regardless of the joint affected,” commented co-first author Cindy Boer from Erasmus MC University Medical Center in the Netherlands.

One cause of development of osteoarthritis—that can’t really be helped—is repetitive movement. Meletis explained that the pressure of walking can create cumulative joint stress on knees. On level ground, the force on the knees per step is 1.5 times body weight. So, a 200-pound individual will put 300 pounds of pressure on his or her knees with each step. Pressure mounts with degrees of incline, such as stairs. Further, he noted, “the force on each knee is two to three times your body weight when you go up and down stairs, and four to five times your body weight when you squat.”

And younger adults, notably gamers, become susceptible to developing osteoarthritis. “Using our opposable thumbs for texting or gaming lead to repetitive movements, much like carpal tunnel syndrome; it is just a matter of time for those individuals susceptible to repetitive movement injury,” said Meletis. “There is a growing prevalence of ‘21st-century movement injuries.’ Hence, nourishing joint health makes good sense when looking to impact one’s susceptibility to this type of injury. So, whether an individual is a cross-fitter or an esports fanatic, repetitive motion is much like the ruts in the road from constant use.”

Root explained that repetitive movements can cause temporary or even permanent injury to joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons by initiating inflammation. These related conditions include tendonitis, bursitis and intersection syndrome, which occurs in the muscles of the forearm caused by repeated flexion and extension of the wrist (think golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow and runner’s knee). Then there’s rotator cuff syndrome, which affects the shoulder.

According to the report, “Resetting the joint health category” from Lonza, as joints are indeed subject to repetitive motion throughout life, it is no surprise that joint health issues affect most people as they get older; 52 percent of U.S. consumers over the age of 40 report joint health concerns over the previous month, of which 44 percent have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis.

According to 2021 data from Euromonitor International, the global joint and bone support supplement category is valued at $10.8 billion, with a 5.3 percent growth rate over the previous five years. And 2020 information from the Natural Marketing Institute/SORD, 82 percent of U.S. supplement consumers responded that they are interested in taking an effective joint health supplement.

Further, as the global population ages by 2050, it is estimated that one in six individuals will be 65 or older—and osteoarthritis will grow, pushing the joint support category into higher priority. And, says the Lonza report, “despite this, seniors only represent one segment of today’s overall joint health opportunity. Joint health solutions attract attention from people of all ages and fitness levels, including young athletes, weekend warriors, busy parents and the general population looking to lead healthier, more active lives.

Avoiding joint degradation is becoming a priority for these individuals and they are becoming proactive to protect their joint function. For retailers, the younger adults with this mindset represent the future of the joint care supplement category.

According to NBJ’s 2020 Condition Specific report, as the largest segment of purchasers of supplements for an active lifestyle, Millennial consumers around the globe have more than doubled their monthly supplement spending since 2010.

In its report, Lonza describes the current joint health market, which will greatly assist retailers in refining this space in the store—the diversification in the joint support supplement space is “an exciting development” for retailers, who can now appeal to a much larger consumer base. Many consumers in this space “share key priorities across demographics, including a desire for greater joint comfort, mobility, flexibility and range of motion. These benefits translate into day-to-day comfort for the majority while also supporting improved performance, endurance and recovery time for those consumers that are physically active.”

A 2014 report entitled, “The Burden of Musculoskeletal Disorders in the U.S. – MSK Matters: The Current State of Musculoskeletal Disorders in the U.S. Bone and Joint Initiative” noted the following pertinent data points:

• 36 percent of adults 20 to 50 practice endurance or high-impact sports
• 58 percent of adults aged 50 to 65 are active seniors who want to maintain their mobility and flexibility
• 68 percent of adults aged 65 to 90 are seniors wishing to reduce joint discomfort, remain active and retain independence

The joint support supplements that consumers turn to are the “old standbys,” that are often the first they ask about. Omega-3s, glucosamine and chondroitin, as well as MSM, are perennials.

Omega-3 EFAs (DHA and EPA), said Root, “govern initiation of the resolution of inflammation through the function of resolvins formed from EPA and DHA. Omega-3s help to ease the discomfort of aching joints by balancing the inflammation.” Additionally, she noted, herbs play a role in joint support, so don’t forget curcumin, boswellia, tart cherry and ginger all have shown benefit for connective tissue discomfort caused by strenuous exercise and by wear and tear degeneration of the joints.

There is still space in the market for glucosamine and chondroitin, yet they now serve as a foundation to a broader approach, according to Meletis. “The use of MSM is still a solid consideration as it is an abundant source of sulfur for connective tissue health, and certainly, collagen is the new superstar for joints, skin and hair,” he observed. “Glucosamine and chondroitin still serve foundational important anchors for overall body structure, so consumers should not think of the proposition as an either/or rather a both when it comes to adding collagen and MSM.”

Interestingly, a 2020 study showed that glucosamine supplementation may reduce overall death rates as effectively as regular exercise, according to researchers from West Virginia University. The researchers assessed data from 16,686 adults who completed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2010. All of the participants were at least 40 years old. King and Xiang merged these data with 2015 mortality figures.

After controlling for various factors—such as participants’ age, sex, smoking status and activity level—the researchers found that taking glucosamine and chondroitin daily for a year or longer was associated with a 39 percent reduction in all-cause mortality.

Further, glucosamine—the king of joint health supplements—was also linked in this study to a 65 percent reduction in cardiovascular-related deaths. That’s a category that includes deaths from stroke, coronary artery disease and heart disease, the U.S.’s biggest killer.

Product Selection

Missouri-based Hyalogic’s new Hyaluronic Acid Joint Support provides 100 mg hyalouronic acid plus 100 mg MSM in a vegan-friendly liquid. According to Darren Landis, company co-owner, hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water and when present in the joint cavity, it helps support lubrication and shock absorption. And as a naturally occurring nutritional sulfur, MSM is responsible for the flexible bond between cells to support HA levels.

The product, said Landis, addresses the common areas of concern in joints—shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees and ankles.

Trace Minerals has two new joint support supplements, said Meletis. In its Ionic D3 & K2 Drops, Ionic D3 + K2 pairs two essential nutrients that each function more effectively in the presence of the other, he noted. Just four drops provide 125 mcg (5,000 IU) D3 and 100 mcg MK-7 K2, and there are 296 servings. Also new is D3 + K2 Gummies, which is certified vegetarian, gluten free, sugar free, gelatin free and plant based.

These join Trace Mineral’s ActivJoint line of tablets and packets. The tablets provide sea minerals from ConcenTrace, an herbal blend that includes turmeric, boswellia and pine bark, an enzyme blend and joint supporting minerals. It is designed to provide nutritional support to help maintain mobility and functionality of healthy bones and joints.

ActivJoint Platinum is formulated with glucosamine (1,200 mg), chondroitin (600 mg) and MSM (800 mg), plus an herbal blend, enzyme blend, vitamins, minerals and a full spectrum of ionic trace minerals from ConcenTrace.

“ActivJoint packets are a powdered drink for added nutritional support for joints and ligaments, including before, during and after strenuous activity,” Meletis stated. Each packet contains glucosamine (1,200 mg), chondroitin (500 mg), MSM (300 mg) and a full spectrum ionic trace mineral from ConcenTrace.

ConcenTrace also appears in Trace Minerals’ Liquid Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM formulated with glucosamine sulfate (1,500 mg), chondroitin sulfate (750 mg) and MSM (1,000 mg), and Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM Tablets offering 1,500 mg glucosamine, 800 mg chondroitin and 1,000 mg MSM.

Carlson’s Enhanced Mobility is a blend of boswellia, curcumin, ginger and tart cherry. Specifically, Root described, ApresFlex AKBA boswellia extract promotes joint and connective tissue health and is specially designed for optimal absorption.

“CurcuWIN enhanced curcumin extract supports joint health and flexibility and is produced with UltraSOL technology, making it highly soluble and bioavailable compared with standard curcumin. Gingever ginger is an antioxidant that protects joints from free radical damage, and CherryPURE tart cherry provides the antioxidant power of proanthocyanidins, which help protect our body from free radicals and promote joint and muscle health.”

Washington-based Natural Factors has numerous choices for joint support: Celadrin Joint Health, Glucosamine & Chondroitin (500 mg and 400 mg), Glucosamine Sulfate (500 mg), MSM, MSM & Glucosamine Sulfate, MSM Joint Formula with Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate, Joint Curcumizer (an herbal blend of curcumin, white willow, devil’s claw and boswellia), and OsteoMove Extra Strength Joint Care, described as an advanced formulation of glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM.

Among the numerous offerings from NOW Foods, Illinois, are UC-II Advanced Joint Relief Veg Capsules, Collagen Joint Support Powder with hydrolyzed collagen, glucosamine sulfate and MSM.

Joint Vibrance from Vibrant Health, Connecticut, is a superfood powder formulated for joint support. The cartilage builder portion is made from a blend of type 1 bovine hydrolyzed collagen, type 2 avian hydrolyzed collagen, glucosamine hydrochloride 98 percent, and chondroitin sulfate 1 90 percent, combined with the antioxidants/flexilbity factors—MSM, calcium fructoborate (3 mg boron), hyaluronic acid 95 percent, ApresFlex Boswellia, bromelain, CurcuWIN turmeric (20 percent curcuminoids), silica and grape seed polyphenols.

Growing your joint support supplement section to accommodate gamers, athletes and health-and-fitness-oriented adults is easy. Revive your joint support section by cross-merchandising with fitness and see how flexible your sales can be! VR