Nutritional Impacts on Joint Health

Pp: 23-38 (16)

* (Excluding Mailing and Handling)

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is a common cause of musculoskeletal disability among the elderly. This can place burdens on society as this becomes more problematic for health care professionals to treat. For years, the management of osteoarthritic symptoms has been limited through the use of non-steroidal. Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) for relief of pain and other debilitating symptoms. Since NSAIDs can cause other adverse side effects, nutritional supplements are being promoted as aids for preventing and reducing symptoms that relate to osteoarthritis without the development of adverse side effects. This chapter reviews the background of osteoarthritis as a degenerative joint disease while also looking at animal studies and human clinical trials that evaluate the effects of various nutritional supplements on joint health.

Keywords: Boron, Chondroitin sulfate, Curcumin, Dietary supplements, Dimethyl sulfoxide, Functional foods, Glucosamine sulfate, Inflammation, Joints, Magnesium, Nutrients, Omega-3, Osteoarthritis, Resveratrol, Soy, Vitamin E.