How Vitamin C Could Supress Joint Inflammation And Pain
Antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C have shown a lot of promise as a preventative for joint inflammation or pains.
Joint pain is increasingly common in modern society. Current research shows that 14% of adults in the US have symptoms of osteoarthritis. This is expected to worsen in the future. Ensuring an optimal intake of essential nutrients is recognised as being important for maintaining healthy bone and joint structures. Optimal nutrition is also vital for calming inflammation.
Levels of antioxidants are often low in individuals suffering from joint inflammation or pain. This could be due to lifestyle or dietary factors which influence oxidative stress. Levels of oxidative stress are thought to be the main contributing factor to escalations in arthritic diseases or joint pains and inflammation.
For these reasons antioxidant therapies are something which is becoming increasingly studied as a means of supressing or preventing joint inflammation or pain. Amongst the top used antioxidants in the body is vitamin C. Because of this vitamin C is a logical choice of antioxidant supplement. Vitamin C is very effective throughout the body at cleansing possibly harmful radical molecules and build ups of oxidative stress.
Here the evidence that suggests vitamin C could be effective at supressing joint inflammation and pain will be considered to show how this vitamin could support the wellness of your joints.
Vitamin C And Our Joints
Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is a very effective antioxidant within the body. We need a daily supply of this vitamin to support our health. The neutralising or cleansing effect of vitamin C on oxidative stress throughout our bodies is very well studied.
One of the best things about vitamin C is the very high tolerance of intake in humans. The upper tolerable limit for vitamin C is about 2000mg a day for adults. This is really high in comparison to other essential vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C is used in all sorts of processes within the body. This includes the support of healthy levels of red blood cells and the immune system.
Oxidative stress is central to many issues of the joints. This is why current research is showing time and time again that vitamin C could have an important role in preventing or supporting inflammatory joint pain. During osteoarthritis for example high levels of oxidative stress limit recovery in the joints through aggravating chondrocytes. This is an important phase in the progression of this disease.
Research indicates that the antioxidant nature of vitamin C is able to reduce oxidative stress in chondrocytes. This is one way vitamin C could ease pain and inflammation to the joints. Inflammation is also worsened by reoccurring oxidative stress build ups. This is an important contributing factor to joint inflammation and resulting pain in the joints. Vitamin C could also play a preventative role here in cleansing oxidative stresses which would otherwise worsen the progression of inflammatory joint diseases.
Interestingly vitamin C is also thought to assist with optimal wound healing of musculoskeletal tissues. This is mainly because vitamin C has been shown to support healthy levels of collagen production. This is an important factor in the proper healing of joint tissues.
Vitamin C May Help Suppress Joint Inflammation And Pain
Various preclinical studies have shown that vitamin C could influence chondrocyte growth as a dietary antioxidant to support arthritis sufferers. As we have established our chondrocytes are very important for joint healing. Build ups in oxidative stress limit their growth or regeneration.
Studies show that vitamin C may protect chondrocytes from dying off and reduce proinflammatory cell signals. This is thought to be one of the main means as to how vitamin C could suppress incidence of joint inflammation and pain. Sufficient vitamin C could also protect the development of osteoblast cells too via the same means. These are important for optimal bone tissue formation and they have implications for proper joint healing.
Other preclinical studies have also pointed to vitamin C as having a role in helping the body to manage oxidative stress in the mitochondria. This was shown to have a profound effect on cartilage degeneration. This could be another important means as to how vitamin C may support the prevention of joint inflammation and assist with joint healing.
Studies using a combination of NAC and vitamin C supplements revealed a possible joint role in encouraging optimal joint healing. Researchers observed highly reduced levels of oxidative stress. NAC supports levels of the antioxidant glutathione. Review studies suggest that combinations of antioxidants with vitamin C could be more effective in slowing arthritic progression.
Vitamin C And Risk Of Arthritic Conditions
Vitamin C has also been shown to have a preventative influence on joint space narrowing and odd bony growths which occur during arthritis. Further studies revealed that when vitamin C is supplied at the right quantities then certain crucial inflammatory markers of inflammatory joint diseases are reduced.
One clinical study showed that patients with a vitamin C supplement routine were 11% less likely to develop osteoarthritis. This study included a 10 year follow up on patients. They also concluded that vitamin C supplementation was preventative of osteoarthritis because of the protection of chondrocytes which are associated with joint healing. Other clinical studies show that vitamin C may provide oxidative stress protection for chondrocytes against cell death. This could improve the production of collagen and would support more optimal joint health.
Other similar studies show that the risks of the condition may increase by 3.29 times when deficient in vitamin C. A 10 year follow up study also showed from MRI scans that vitamin C reduced bone marrow lesions. This is an important determinant factor in the progression of osteoarthritis.
Vitamin C Could Encourage Joint Healing Via Mesenchymal Stem Cells
As stem cell our mesenchymal stem cells are able to become cells which form parts of new joint tissues. Research also shows that vitamin C could help to promote cellular growth via DNA synthesis and mesenchymal stem cell development into cells needed for the healing of joint tissues. The antioxidant nature of vitamin C could help to protect mesenchymal stem cells. This would encourage their optimal progression or development to help with healing joint tissues.
Research shows that the rapid accumulation of radical or oxidative molecules is responsible for massive reductions in viable cartilage. This is detrimental for the healing of the joints. This could also be an important means as to how vitamin C could influence joint inflammation and pain.
Overall the research shows that while joint inflammation and healing is multi faceted our levels of vitamin C could positively influence the conditions which are required for optimal joint healing.
Summary
Joint inflammation and arthritic diseases are becoming more prevalent in society with research showing that antioxidant therapeutics such as vitamin C could have a beneficial role in preventing these outcomes.
Current research estimates that 14% of US adults suffer from symptoms of osteoarthritis. Nutrient intake is recognised as being able to influence this and antioxidants in particular are known to have a possible influence on joint health.
Oxidative stress levels are thought to be one of the main contributing factors in the worsening of arthritic issues or joint pain. Inflammation and oxidative stress levels are massively interlinked. Vitamin C is a very effective antioxidant and is able to cleanse the body of build ups of damaging oxidative stress. We need a regular intake of this vitamin every day.
Clinical studies have found that vitamin C may reduce the risks of the progression of osteoarthritis by 11% and other studies report similar.
Various studies have linked vitamin C with reductions in inflammation signals and as being able to support the healthy development or growth of chondrocytes. These are vital for joint tissue healing and recovery.
Vitamin C could also protect important bone cells and mesenchymal stem cells which are important for joint tissue healing. These influences would support healthy joint cartilage formation for example and suggest antioxidant vitamin C could be preventative of arthritic diseases. Vitamin C in conjunction with other antioxidant supportive supplements like NAC could possibly further assist joint tissue healing and slow arthritic progression.
Overall the research shows that vitamin C and maybe also antioxidant combinations could positively influence the conditions which are required for optimal joint healing.
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