The normal functioning of joints plays an important role in the life of any person. Healthy joints allow you to spend time actively and play sports. However, joints are parts of our body that are subject to constant wear and tear. With normal functioning of the body and with a sufficient amount of nutrients, joints are able to work for a long time. Athletes are especially susceptible to wear and tear on their joints because they regularly subject them to high levels of stress. Therefore, vitamins for joints may eventually become an athlete’s essential item.
What vitamins for joints and ligaments do athletes need during exercise?
To maintain or restore the function of joints and ligaments, there are sports supplements and vitamin complexes aimed at protecting joints. Sports supplements are also necessary for people after suffering injuries such as fractures, dislocations or sprains. The human body is able to restore itself after injury, but only if it receives the right amount of essential vitamins and other substances. Joints require attention as you get older, so older adults should take supplements to prevent and protect against potential problems. Taking such complexes allows you to delay the onset of age-related changes and ensure active longevity.
The most common substances in chondroprotective sports nutrition supplements are the following: chondroitin, glucosamine, hyaluronic acid, methylsulfonylmethane or MSM, collagen hydrolysate. These substances help strengthen cartilage tissue, reduce inflammation, increase elasticity and mobility of joints, ligaments, cartilage, and also improve joint lubrication.
Vitamins for joints and bones
In a large abundance of microelements there are substances, the deficiency of which worsens the condition of joint tissues. Their list contains vitamins such as:
- Vitamin C - helps improve the elasticity of vascular walls, thins the blood, and blood thickening is the cause of many joint diseases and hemorrhages in them. Vitamin C is also involved in the synthesis of collagen, which is very important for joint health, because it is the main element of joint tissue.
- Vitamin D is a vitamin that is also called a prohormone. This element strengthens cartilage and bone tissue.
- Vitamin E is a joint protector from the negative effects of free radicals that destroy joints. It also helps in the regeneration of cartilage tissue.
- Vitamin B1 - this vitamin normalizes carbohydrate metabolism, and carbohydrates are part of the building material for all cells of the body, and it is also contained in cartilage tissue. In the absence of the required amount of carbohydrates, the aging process of joints may begin earlier.
- Vitamins B5 and B6 – help strengthen collagen fibers and reduce pain from the inflammatory process.
- Vitamin B12 – has an anti-inflammatory effect.
- Vitamin A is responsible for the proper formation of cartilage.
Vitamins for cartilage and joints
Not only vitamins contribute to the normal functioning of joints. There are a number of other elements that are very important for the functioning of joints and their condition and are found in sports nutrition complexes for joints. These include such connections as:
- Sulfur – this mineral is involved in the formation of cartilage tissue, its growth, and also eliminates inflammatory processes.
- Selenium - reduces the likelihood of developing viral arthritis, which can develop as a complication of ARVI.
- Calcium is the main substance of the skeletal system.
- Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation and improve the mobility of natural joints.
- Omega-6 – improves the general condition of joints.
- Dihydroquercetin is a flavonoid that helps normalize the nutrition of cartilage tissue cells.
As for the side effects of taking these substances, everything is purely individual.
- Firstly, most products contain all of the listed elements, so allergic reactions are excluded.
- Secondly, you should always follow the dosages specified by the manufacturer.
Such complexes are usually taken once or twice a day after meals.
Why are chondroprotectors needed?
Human upright walking, no matter how strange it may sound, with all its advantages, has an adverse effect on the health of our joints - especially the knees, hands, and spine.
The spinal column was originally intended by evolution to be a horizontal frame, the knees were supposed to share the weight of the body with the elbows (if we still ran on all fours), and nature certainly did not create us to work with a keyboard. And hello - osteochondrosis, arthritis, osteoarthrosis and so on. Even sports that are considered good for health are almost always traumatic for the joints for the musculoskeletal system (the only exceptions are swimming and chess) - especially with additional load, as with strength training.
And running - even in high-quality sneakers with good cushioning on a suitable surface (or even on a treadmill) - always places a shock load on the knees and ankles. Under the influence of this load, cartilage can be destroyed and thinned, and in case of mistakes and falls, ligaments and other parts of the joint capsule can be damaged.
Therefore, it is worth taking care in advance of means to strengthen the connective tissue of the joints in order to reduce the likelihood of microtrauma and facilitate recovery if injury cannot be avoided.
What foods contain vitamins to strengthen joints?
Even the most balanced diet is not able to provide the body with the required amount of the above substances, and heat treatment will destroy most of them. But it is still believed that natural vitamins are absorbed much better than synthetic ones, so you should not neglect natural sources, for example, beekeeping products. A large number of substances for joints are also found in various medicinal plants, for example, in dandelion roots.
List of foods with the maximum vitamin content:
- Vitamin C – black currant, rose hips, raspberries, citrus fruits.
- Vitamin A - dairy products, fish oil, apricots, pumpkin, carrots.
- Vitamin B1 – grains, legumes and green vegetables.
- Vitamin B6 – meat, eggs, green vegetables.
- Vitamin B5 – eggs, milk.
- Vitamin B12 – eggs, meat, lettuce.
- Vitamin D – egg yolk, fish, meat, offal.
- Vitamin E – sunflower oil, grains, meat and green vegetables.
- Sulfur – beef and turkey meat, soy, milk powder.
- Selenium – meat, cottage cheese, eggs, cereals, nuts, seafood.
- Calcium – milk, parsley, garlic, eggshells, dairy products, cheese.
- Omega-3 – fish and seafood.
- Omega-6 – oatmeal, safflower oil, walnut and wheat oil, sesame oil, mayonnaise, olive oil.
Sodium phosphate - delivers oxygen to muscles
Probably everyone who has ever trained intensively knows that if you breathe deeply and evenly during exercise, your performance will be higher. And this is explained by the fact that during deep breathing, oxygen is supplied to tense muscles in a timely manner. If you hold your breath, you won't be able to do half of what you are capable of. So, sodium phosphate is able to increase the flow of pure oxygen into the bloodstream. With sufficient oxygen consumption, activity time increases. The muscles do not become acidic so quickly and refuse to move. During strenuous exercise, it is very difficult to breathe evenly. Breathing often becomes shallow and uneven. A sodium phosphate supplement increases the effectiveness of each breath. Provides a more complete release of transported oxygen. As a result, training sessions become longer and athletes become less tired. The overall endurance of the body increases. Every now and then the workouts get longer.
It is recommended to take 3-5 grams per day. 1 gram per dose. Those. take three to five times a day. For 3-5 days before you are going to run a long distance or participate in a competition.
find sodium phosphate supplements here.
The problem is that usually, with poor nutrition, the amount of phosphates in the body is already exceeded. For example, in meat treated with phosphates the norm is exceeded hundreds of times. Violation of the calcium-phosphorus balance leads to fragility and brittleness of bones. Phosphates lead to calcium leaching. This is why this supplement should be used with great caution. And only after the doctor’s recommendations.
Rating of vitamins for joints and ligaments in sports nutrition
Universal Nutrition Animal Flex 44
Animal Flex contains all sorts of substances that improve joint health. The product contains 44 packets containing tablets with vitamins, minerals and joint support complexes that relieve inflammation, improve joint lubrication and restore musculoskeletal function. The main substances are chondroitin, glucosamine, methylsulfonylmethane, hyaluronic acid. The powder form of the product contains collagen. Vitamins and minerals include vitamin C, E, zinc, selenium, manganese, as well as extracts of turmeric, ginger, and boswellia.
VPLab Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM
The complex of 180 tablets contains the necessary substances to improve joint health. One tablet contains:
- glucosamine – 500 mg;
- chondroitin – 400 mg;
- methylsulfonylmethane – 400 mg.
One serving is 3 tablets.
Activlab Machine Joint Recovery
One serving (4 tablets) of the joint complex contains glucosamine potassium sulfate - 2000 mg, sodium chondroitin sulfate - 600 mg, hyaluronic acid 10 mg, collagen hydrolyzate - 250 mg, as well as ginger, turmeric, vitamin C and manganese.
Arthro Guard from BioTech (USA)
One serving of the complex is 3 tablets, which contains 603 mg of glucosamine, 400 mg of methylsulfonylmethane, 300 mg of chondroitin, 150 mg of collagen. As well as calcium, manganese, phenylalanine, histidine, bromelain, gyrpagosides, curcumin and more.
Collagen and rules for taking it
Collagen is a simple protein that provides good elasticity to joints. The composition does not contain essential amino acids, but this does not reduce the benefits of the substance, which makes up a third of the total protein in the body. During intense training, taking collagen helps increase the joint's resistance to increased stress. In addition, its supplement helps improve the appearance of hair and skin.
We advise you to study: “What is the difference between micellar casein protein.”
The permissible dose of collagen is up to 2 g per day. For amateur athletes it is already 5 g, and for those who engage in intense training – 10 g. To obtain the maximum effect, you must additionally use the supplement in combination with chondroitin and glucosamine, and supplement it with vitamin C to improve absorption by the body.
Don't miss interesting news and events in the telegram channel: https://tlgg.ru/fitbarnews
Top vitamins for joints from the pharmacy: names of drugs
SustaNorm Life formula
One tablet of the pharmaceutical drug contains 375 mg of glucosamine, 600 mg of chondroitin, 25 mg of bromelain, 200 mg of vitamin C, 5 mg of manganese. One box contains 3 blisters of 10 tablets.
Kalcemin
One tablet of the complex contains 250 mg of calcium, 50 IU of Vitamin D3, 2 mg of zinc, 0.5 mg of copper, 0.5 mg of manganese, and boron.
Orthomol Arthroplus
The main substances in this complex are: glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, collagen hydrolyzate, N-acetyl-L-cysteine. And also a huge amount of vitamins and minerals necessary for joints, namely: vitamins B, A, D, E, C, K, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, molybdenum.
Why is it better to take glucosamine and chondroitin together?
It has been proven that the substances are most effective when taken together. Chondroitin retains moisture in the joint, providing a shock-absorbing effect. Friction in the joints is reduced, which eliminates the development of inflammation and pain. Both substances produce cells that act as support for cartilage, the lack of which causes its destruction.
Glucosamine with chondroitin are recommended:
- when doing bodybuilding;
- systematic strength sports with weight lifting;
- during periods of increased physical activity, for example, when preparing for competitions;
- for systematically recurring pain in the joints.
How to take glucosamine and chondroitin: 1500 and 1200 mg per day, respectively.
How much to take glucosamine with chondroitin: to prevent injuries, it can be taken continuously.
We advise you to study: “Sports nutrition Omega 3-6-9: one of the most important supplements.”
