Unlocking Mobility: How Joint Supplements Aid Movement

Mobility and an active lifestyle are inseparable.

Sadly, many people suffer limited mobility due to ageing or injuries.

Joint supplements offer a way to combat stiffness and help you get moving freely again. Their scientifically-backed ingredients work to reduce pain, maintain flexibility, and enhance joint health.

Whether you suffer from arthritis, have pain due to a joint overuse, or are experiencing stiffness more and more with age, this SiR article explains how joint supplements can lubricate stiff joints, repair cartilage, and support long-term joint function, so you can move freely and with less discomfort.

Joint Mobility: Age, Injuries, and Other Factors Influencing It

Knowing how supplements aid mobility starts with understanding basics of joint anatomy and natural processes that maintain joint health.

Joints are complex structures where your bones meet. They allow movement and flexibility.¹

Your joints are supported by:

• Cartilage, which cushions the bones.
• Synovial fluid which lubricates joints for smooth movement.

The issue is, age or chronic joint stress can degrade your cartilage and synovial fluid. Pain, stiffness, and lack of mobility typically ensue.

Luckily, there are steps you can take to delay or even inhibit this process—including joint supplements. Below I list main benefits of joint supplements for your movement and motility.

Cartilage Repair & Synovial Fluid Enhancement

Joint supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin are shown to not only reduce further damage to cartilage but also support its repair.

Glucosamine provides building blocks for cartilage while chondroitin retains water within cartilage, bolstering its shock-absorbing qualities and supporting free movement.

The main benefits you may notice from the combination of glucosamine+chondroitin are improved flexibility and less pain.²

Inflammation Relief

Chronic inflammation is a major driver of stiffness and pain, especially in rheumatoid arthritis. Omega-3s and curcumin have potent anti-inflammatory processes that may even rival some pharmaceutical drugs (NSAIDs) without causing side effects.^{3 4}

By alleviating inflammation, these supplements can significantly improve your motility and joint function for a more active lifestyle.

Joint Lubrication

Our joints need adequate hydration for smooth movement. Hyaluronic Acid (HA), a key component of your synovial fluid, may boost the fluid’s quality and viscosity.

This supplementation lubricates your joints, reducing friction and wear for ease of movement.⁵

Improved lubrication also aids in protecting your long-term joint health from degradation.

Pain Reduction

Pain is one of the worst offenders of joint motility, movement, and overall quality of life. Joint supplements with MSM provide sulfur to the body which is an essential building block for your joints.

MSM is shown to reduce pain, protect from oxidative stress, and enhance joint resilience.⁶ Together with bromelain and ginger it acts as a natural analgesic. This can lead to reduced pain perception and allow for more mobility and comfort in your daily activities.

Finding the Right Joint Supplement for Your Goals

In order to choose the joint supplement that will work best for you, it’s important to determine what your main goal or issue is.

For example, a glucosamine supplement may offer better results for cartilage repair and protection. Whereas, omega-3s might be more potent at reducing pain and inflammation.

Ideally, your supplement will contain multiple ingredients that have synergistic benefits. A basic combination of glucosamine+chondroitin+curumin+MSM+Boswellia Serrata is enough to cover most people’s joint health needs and wants.

Make sure you opt for a supplement with a transparent ingredient label listing every ingredient and dosage clearly (proprietary blends are a red flag), even if it means paying a bit more. The supplement should also be third-party tested and produced in cGMP or FDA-approved facility.

Further Reading:

• Joint Supplement Benefits for Athletes
• Joint Supplement Benefits for Arthritis Sufferers
• Benefits of Natural Joint Supplements
• Boosting Your Sports Performance With Joint Supplements
• Pain Relief Benefits of Joint Supplements
• Boosting Joint Health Improvement Through Supplements
• Unveiling the Benefits of Joint Supplements for Bone Health
• Strengthening Joints With Natural Supplements
• Understanding the Benefits of Supplements for Joint Inflammation

References

1. Juneja P, Munjal A, Hubbard JB. Anatomy, Joints. [Updated 2023 Dec 9]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. ↩︎
2. Zhu X, Sang L, Wu D, Rong J, Jiang L. Effectiveness and safety of glucosamine and chondroitin for the treatment of osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Orthop Surg Res. 2018 Jul 6;13(1):170. doi: 10.1186/s13018-018-0871-5. PMID: 29980200; PMCID: PMC6035477. ↩︎
3. Mori TA, Beilin LJ. Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammation. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2004 Nov;6(6):461-7. doi: 10.1007/s11883-004-0087-5. PMID: 15485592. ↩︎
4. Hsiao AF, Lien YC, Tzeng IS, Liu CT, Chou SH, Horng YS. The efficacy of high- and low-dose curcumin in knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med. 2021 Dec;63:102775. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102775. Epub 2021 Sep 16. PMID: 34537344. ↩︎
5. Tamer TM. Hyaluronan and synovial joint: function, distribution and healing. Interdiscip Toxicol. 2013 Sep;6(3):111-25. doi: 10.2478/intox-2013-0019. PMID: 24678248; PMCID: PMC3967437. ↩︎
6. Toguchi A, Noguchi N, Kanno T, Yamada A. Methylsulfonylmethane Improves Knee Quality of Life in Participants with Mild Knee Pain: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2023 Jun 30;15(13):2995. doi: 10.3390/nu15132995. PMID: 37447322; PMCID: PMC10346176. ↩︎