Many people have joint complaints including various forms of arthritis, rheumatism, lupus, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and other disorders. There are many products intended to help such people, yet that there is no one formula that is best for everyone. Since most products are not 100% Food, they often do not contain all the nutrient factors needed for optimal joint health. At Doctors’ Research we believe that nutritional supplementation should be Food, or as close to Food as possible, which is why we came up with 100% Food Advanced Joint Complex.

Take glucosamine sulfate as an example. In most products, glucosamine sulfate is extracted from marine exoskeletons (shellfish) and is so over refined that other natural factors that can be helpful for joints are missing [1,2]. The same is true for refined chrondroitin sulfate, which can come from pork, sharks, or even whales [1,2]. However, Advanced Joint Complex contains concentrated bovine tracheal cartilage which is naturally high in collagen, proteoglycans, chondrocytes (including, but not limited to, chondroitin sulfates), glucosamine, and other factors which each have specific functions for joints and other connective tissue [1]. “The collagen fibers are arranged in arches so that near the surface they are horizontal in orientation--this allows the cartilage to resist tensile stresses and transmit vertical loads. The proteoglycans...give hyaline cartilage its turgor and elasticity and play an important role in limiting friction. The chondrocytes synthesize the matrix as well as enzymatically digest it...Matrix turnover is carefully controlled as chondrocytes secrete the degradative enzymes in an inactive form and enrich the matrix with enzyme inhibitors. Diseases that destroy articular cartilage do so by activating catabolic enzymes and decreasing the production of inhibitors, thereby accelerating the matrix breakdown. The chondrocytes react by increasing matrix production” [3]. Chondroitin sulfates (CS) “4&6 are glycosaminoglycans which participate in the matrix structure of cartilage. They are well absorbed after oral intake...Several clinical studies have demonstrated the chondroprotective efficacy of CS 4&6 in osteoarthritis involving the hip, knee and finger joints” [4]; an animal study found that CS-C significantly inhibited “edema, synovitis and destruction of articular cartilage” [5]. Unlike Advanced Joint Complex, typical extracted glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate formulas are simply to incomplete to work as well as nature intended [2].

Vitamin C helps neutralize free radicals to stop their damage and helps build connective tissues such as collagen [6]. Most other products contain ascorbic acid which is the USP synthesized so-called vitamin C. USP ascorbic acid is made by fermenting corn sugar into sorbitol, then hydrogenating it until it turns into sorbose, then acetone (commonly referred to as nail polish remover) is added to break the molecular bonds which creates ascorbic acid! All the vitamin C in Advanced Joint Complex is from Acerola (it is not a mixture of ascorbic acid with some Acerola thrown in as some do). Acerola is a cherry-like berry that is one of the most naturally concentrated vitamin C Foods known to exist--various cherries have been recommended to help people with arthritis [7]. Vitamin C in Foods such as Acerola exists in at least two forms unlike USP ascorbic acid which does not contain both forms [6]! Acerola is also less acidic than USP ascorbic acid (some feel that increased acidity tends to hurt, rather than help joints [7]).

Food vitamin D has been found to be more effective than at least one USP form for rickets [8]. Food calcium is 7 times as effective in raising serum ionic calcium levels [9]. Food magnesium is better absorbed and retained than magnesium salts [10]. Clinically, magnesium is often used for muscle tightness. Food zinc contains items that have better absorption than the zinc salts [11]. Food phosphorus works with calcium in the body, whereas Food potassium is an important electrolyte [7]. Alfalfa is a Food which is rich in trace minerals [12]. “Aloe vera increases collagen content...acts as a modulatory system toward wounds with anti-inflammatory effects...exerts anti-inflammatory activity through its inhibitory action on the arachidonic pathway via cyclooxygenase...Aloe vera contains a carboxypeptidase that inactivates bradykinin, salicylates, and a substance that inhibits thromboxane formation”[13]. Bioflavonoids are helpful to strengthen capillary walls [13]; not only can stronger capillary walls reduce bruising, they can improve circulation (and nutrition) to all parts of the body including joints.

Borage seeds contains gamma-linoleic acid and linoleic acid [13]. Borage is used for “rheumatism of the joints; as a pain reliever” [13]. Food boron is an essential mineral; part of its benefit is believed to be in the inhibition of certain enzymes [7] (proper enzyme inhibition is believed to be helpful for those suffering from forms of arthritis [1,3]). Burdock root is a Food traditional used by those with gout and rheumatism [10]. Cayenne contains capsaicin which has been shown to assist with pain modulation--”Long term desensitization of the fibers occurs after repeated exposure to capsaicin, and results in a subsequent loss of pain sensation...Capsicum binds to the C-type vanilliod receptor (VRI) and opens a cationic channel allowing the influx of calcium...Cayenne is used for painful muscle spasms in the areas of shoulder, arm and spine. In folk medicine the herb is used for frostbite, chronic lumbago... Cayenne is used for gout, arthritis, sciatica” [13]. “Chondroitin is a biological polymer that acts as the flexible connecting matrix between the protein ligaments in cartilage...Chondroitin helps attract essential fluid into the proteoglycan molecules, ‘water magnet’, which not only acts as a shock absorber but ‘sweeps’ nutrients into the cartilage as well. Glucosamine, another of the beneficial substances in this area, stimulates chondrocyte activity. It is also the critical building block of proteoglycans and other matrix components. Both chondroitin and glucosamine play vital roles in joint maintenance” [12]; there have been purification, absorption, and other problems in found in some chondroitin formulas which are not Food [2,12].

Devil’s Claw is primarily used for rheumatism; a double-bind study found it to “lessen the pain of osteoarthritis” [13]. “The major chemical component, which is though to be responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity of devil’s claw, is harpagoside, a monoterpenic glucoside” [12]. The grape seed extract used in Advanced Joint Complex is a minimum of 92% proanthocyanidins. Proanthocyanidins are a type of bioflavonoids which studies have found to significantly decrease “Pain, limb heaviness, and feeling of swelling” [12,14]. Additionally, proantocyanidins have been found to increase the resistance of connective fibers to degradation [13] and “Proanthocyanidins extracted from Grape Seed stabilizes capillary walls and prevents increases in permeability which causes edema” [14]). Silicon in Advanced Joint Complex comes from the herb horsetail (which has long been used for gout and rheumatism [14]); “to keep on regenerating cartilage your body needs one basic element: silicon...However the older you get the more difficult it becomes for your body to assimilate silicon...To remedy the situation, plant therapists prescribe horsetail” [15].

“Superoxide dismutase (S.O.D.)...protects intracellular components from oxidative damage” [7]; “superoxide has been successfully used to treat human inflammatory diseases” [12]. S.O.D. has been shown to inhibit articular tissue damage associated with osteoarthritis [16]. Ingestion of an isolated form of S.O.D. is not as effective as Food CuZn S.O.D. [17]; which with Mn S.O.D., exists naturally, in Advanced Joint Complex. Whole yucca seems helpful for people who complain that arthritic complaints increase with weather changes. “One report found that the oral administration of a yucca saponin extract for up to 15 months was well-tolerated for the treatment of various arthritic conditions’ [12].

Advanced Joint Complex is a Food and contains many Foods, each of which plays a unique role in joint and connective tissue health (including knees). No other isolated joint product truly compares with it, which is why Advanced Joint Complex is the choice of doctors who prefer to recommend Foods, and not chemical isolates, for optimal joint nutrition.