About Supple^®

Ingredient Glossary

Combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. An ultra-premium form of glucosamine and chondroitin (which the researchers stated may not have been commercially available in the United States at the time of the study) was recently tested in a large federally funded study conducted by the National institutes of Health. For a subset of participants with moderate-to-severe joint discomfort, the combination of 1,500 mg glucosamine and 1,200 mg chondroitin sulfate provided statistically significant discomfort relief compared to placebo--about 79 percent had a 20 percent or greater reduction in discomfort versus about 54 percent for placebo. According to the researchers, because of the small size of this subgroup these findings should be considered preliminary and need to be confirmed in further studies. This finding, nonetheless, was considered to be significant and the Arthritis Foundation refers to this study as a landmark study.

Vitamin C is important in the formation of proteoglycans and collagen, major components of cartilage, and as an antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals before they have a chance to destroy cartilage. Free radicals are byproducts of tissue degradation and can rip holes in cartilage. The Framingham Study found that the progression of joint discomfort was reduced by more than 50% in people who consumed at least twice the recommended daily allowance (152 mg) of Vitamin C a day. In people that had no discomfort but joint problems on the X-ray, Vitamin C was found to protect against joint discomfort in the future.

Vitamin D is important for bone strength and structure and is believed to play a major role in the function of chondrocytes that produce proteoglycans and collagen, major components of cartilage. The Framingham Study revealed that people that consumed less than 400 International Units (IUs) of Vitamin D were three to four times more likely to experience a loss of cartilage and additional bone structure problems.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that maintains and stabilizes cell membranes against free radicals and should be a dietary concern for people with joint discomfort. Several studies have found that Vitamin E may be effective in reducing discomfort and improving mobility.

B Vitamins: Niacin (Vitamin B3), Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) play an indirect role in healing by boosting immunity and are important in energy production at the cellular level. B Vitamins also help breakdown carbohydrates into glucose for energy and fats and protein to maintain the nervous system.

Minerals: Calcium is an essential mineral for maintaining strong bones. Calcium depletion from the skeleton leads to bone thinning and an increased risk of fractures. Magnesium is an important mineral that gives structural stability to cells that support collagen synthesis and helps many enzymes that support protein synthesis and thus wound repair.

Rebaudioside-A (Reb-A) is a pure extract from the plant stevia rebaudiana that is a delicious tasting supplement. Reb-A is known worldwide by diabetics as a natural way to help reduce blood sugar levels.