YourLife® Osteo Joint™ provides nutrients essential for maintaining healthy joints, connective tissue, cartilage, and bone; and promotes optimal joint flexibility, function, and range of motion.*

Serving Size: 1 caplet

Suggested Use: 3 caplets daily, preferably with meals

Ingredients per Caplet:

General   A special blend of glucosamine sulfate, standardized devil's claw extract, methylsulfonylmethane, and lecithin in a base of rice starch.

How and Why It Works

Glucosamine Sulfate:   Glucosamine is essential for normal glycosaminoglycan synthesis, which begins with the synthesis of a core protein pool that is transported to specialized compartments within secretory cells such as cartilage cells. Next, sugar residues, including glucosamines, are added to the core protein, followed by the rapid addition of an extremely large number of long glycosaminoglycan chains. The addition of sulfur to the aminosugar residues occurs almost simultaneously in cartilage cells and in cells from which connective tissue is developed (fibroblasts). Thus, one hypothesis for enhanced cartilage repair is to provide sufficient glucosamine to ensure rapid synthesis of glycosaminoglycans. Enhanced synthesis of glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans may then be able to overcome the degradation that occurs during joint disease and after injury.

Glucosamine may also offer other health benefits. It has been suggested that the health benefit of oral glucosamine in osteoarthritis--a disease characterized by a net loss of joint cartilage and an increase in the amount of enzymes that break down proteoglycans--may be due to increased synthesis of cartilage proteoglycans. Ingested glucosamine may likewise enhance heparan sulfate production in endothelial cells of blood vessels thereby acting to reduce artery-clogging damage. A similar glucosamine-mediated increase in heparan sulfate production in certain types of skin cells may provide a therapeutic benefit for psoriasis.

Glucosamine may also have clinical value in postsurgical wound healing. Normal hyaluronic acid synthesis is a function of glucosamine availability. Rapid production of hyaluronic acid by fibroblasts in the early stages of wound healing may be crucial as hyaluronic acid stimulates the migration and division of mesenchymal and epithelial cells. Epithelial cells are the cells that form the epidermis of the skin and the surface layer of mucous and serous (secreting) membranes; mesenchymal cells are cells that give rise to various tissues including connective tissues such as cartilage and bone. Thus, consuming adequate amounts of glucosamine during the first few days after surgery or trauma may enhance hyaluronic acid production in the wound, promote swifter healing, and possibly diminish complications related to scarring.

Devil's Claw:   The antiinflammatory, analgesic, antiarrhythmic, and hypotensive effects of devil's claw, harpagoside (the main iridoid found in devil's claw), and harpagogenin (a harpagoside derivative) have been investigated. Intravenous and intraperitoneal administration of aqueous extracts of devil's claw root, harpagoside, and harpagogenin have demonstrated antiinflammatory activity in animal models. However, results from oral administration have been inconsistent. Evidence suggests that this inconsistency may be a result of degradation of the active compounds in devil's claw by gastric juice.

Although a mechanism of action has not been established for the antiinflammatory effect of devil's claw, evidence suggests that it is unlike that of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); that is, devil's claw does not affect eicosanoid production. Eicosanoids are metabolic products of the fatty acid arachidonic acid, many of which (eg, prostaglandins and leukotrienes) are directly involved in inflammation. The main iridoid glycoside, harpagoside, does not appear to contribute to the antiiflammatory effect of devil's claw; however, it does appear to contribute, in part, to the peripheral analgesic effect of devil's claw.

Extracts of devil's claw have also exhibited various cardiac effects in animal models--arterial blood pressure reduction in rats, decreased heart rate in rabbits, and a protective effect against arrhythmias in rats. The cardiac effects of devil's claw have been attributed to the iridoids, flavonoids, and triterpenes (ie, harpagoside, harpagide, luteolin and kaempeferol, and ursolic acid).

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM): Sulfur, whether from MSM or other sources, has many functions in the body. It is an essential component of 3 vitamins (ie, thiamin, biotin, and pantothenic acid) and 3 amino acids (ie, cystine, cysteine, and methionine) found in all proteins in the body. The sulfur in cysteine is necessary for the proper structure and function of enzymes. It is also necessary for proteins involved in the transfer of energy (oxidative phosphorylation). Sulfur is also a component of the anticoagulant heparin and the antioxidant glutathione. Of particular importance to joint health is sulfur' role as an essential component of chondroitin sulfate, a primary glycosaminoglycan found in bone and cartilage.

Lecithin:   Dietary lecithin contributes to the body' stores of choline--a necessary precursor to cell membrane phospholipids. Phospholipids have a strong affinity for both water-soluble and fat-soluble substances. This property makes them effective structural materials in the body. Large concentrations of phospholipids are found in combination with protein in cell membranes, where they facilitate the passage of fat in and out of cells, and in the blood, where they also function in the transport of fats (as part of lipoproteins). Phospholipids also appear to play a critical role in generating second messengers for cell membrane signal transduction. This process involves a cascade of reactions that translate an external cell stimulus such as a hormone or growth factor into a change in cell transport, metabolism, growth, function, or gene expression. Disruptions in phospholipid metabolism can interfere with this process.

A limited number of studies have reported a lecithin-mediated increase in the absorption and/or utilization of certain nutrients in animal models. Kimura et al demonstrated improved absorption in rats of a lecithin-dispersed form of vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol acetate) compared to nonlecithin-dispersed forms. Boccio et al demonstrated increased bioavailability and stability of iron (ferrous sulfate) from milk in a mouse model. Microencapsulating the iron in fluid milk with lecithin resulted in a 46% increase in iron bioavailability compared to regular fluid milk. Thus, microencapsulation prevented the interaction of iron with other ingredients in milk that may have inhibited its absorption. Igarashi et al demonstrated increased cell membrane affinity of the antioxidant superoxide dismutase when chemically attached to lecithin, compared to unmodified superoxide dismutase.

Summary

Glucosamine:   The clinical efficacy of glucosamine has been established for the treatment of degenerative joint conditions. Glucosamine administration has been shown to offer symptomatic relief--reducing pain/swelling and improving joint flexibility/restricted function--of osteoarthritis. In addition, glucosamine helps rebuild damaged cartilage by providing an essential nutrient for the production of the glycosaminoglycans found in cartilage, which are necessary for structural and functional integrity.

Devil's Claw:   Although animal and in vitro studies are inconsistent with regard to the pharmacologic effects of devil's claw, the few published clinical trials involving oral administration of devil's claw for symptomatic relief of arthritis show promise. Based on a limited number of open-label and double-blind studies, oral administration of powdered devil's claw (2010 mg/day) and extracts of devil's claw (2400-9000 mg/day) have been shown to be efficacious for symptomatic relief of arthritis (ie, reduced pain, greater mobility, and improved strength) and were well tolerated. However, oral administration of a lower dose of devil's claw extract (1230 mg/day) did not show the same therapeutic benefits in a small, open-label study. Although this preliminary research is encouraging, more clinical trails involving larger patient populations and longer duration are needed to verify the potential beneficial effects of devil's claw for symptomatic relief of arthritic symptoms.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM): MSM is a bioavailable source of sulfur. Sulfur has many functions in the body. It is an essential component of 3 vitamins (ie, thiamin, biotin, and pantothenic acid) and 3 amino acids (ie, cystine, cysteine, and methionine) found in all proteins in the body. The sulfur in cysteine is necessary for the proper structure and function of enzymes. It is also necessary for proteins involved in the transfer of energy (oxidative phosphorylation). Sulfur is a component of the anticoagulant heparin and the antioxidant glutathione. Of particular importance of joint health is sulfur' role as an essential component of chondroitin sulfate, a primary glycosaminoglycan found in bone and cartilage.

Lecithin:   Dietary lecithin, also known as phosphatidylcholine, is a phospholipid. It is widely distributed in foods and is an approved food additive. Dietary lecithin serves as a contributor to the body' stores of choline--a necessary precursor to cell membrane phospholipids. Large concentrations of phospholipids are found in cell membranes, where they facilitate the passage of fat in and out of cells, and in the blood, where they also function in the transport of fats (as part of lipoproteins). Dietary lecithin has also been shown to enhance absorption and/or utilization of certain nutrients in animal studies, but clinical data are lacking.

Safety:   No safety problems have been observed with oral dosages of glucosamine sulfate at levels up to 1500 mg/day. Devil's claw is contraindicated with gastric and duodenal ulcers, and patients with gallstones should use devil's claw only after consultation with a physician. Devil's claw may also interact with antiarrhythmic medications. No data are available for devil's claw with regard to its use during pregnancy and lactation; thus, this product should not be used during pregnancy and lactation. Mild gatrointestinal disturbances may occur in sensitive individuals with devil's claw, especially at higher doses. No toxicity has been reported for MSM. The amount of lecithin found in this product is known to be safe.

Who Would or Should Use the Product

1. Primary target consumer group(s): consumers who desire symptomatic relief of pain and inflammation associated with degenerative joint conditions such as arthritis, and who would like to rebuild damaged cartilage and maintain healthy cartilage.
2. Secondary target consumer group(s): consumers who desire symptomatic relief of pain and inflammation associated with joint injury, and who would like to rebuild damaged cartilage and maintain healthy cartilage.
3. Tertiary target consumer group(s): healthy consumers who would like to ensure an adequate intake of nutrients important for joint health.

Who Should Not Use the Product

Pregnant and nursing women should not use this product, nor should people with gastric or duodenal ulcers. People taking medication for arrythmia and those with gallstones should use this product only after consultant with a physician.

How Supplied:   50 Caplets

References available upon request.

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