Osteo-Fast is a synergistic blend of selected herbs and ingredients that alleviate the symptoms of osteo and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteo-Fast keeps the cartilage in joints healthy, relieves pain and inflammation and helps repair previously damaged cartilage. Osteo-Fast contains the following extracts:
Boswellia Serrata
Boswellia reduces inflammation and treats rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA) and bursitis symptoms. It may also be used to treat symptoms of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Boswellic acids – the active components – have strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. They also help prevent cartilage loss and inhibit the autoimmune process, making boswellia a potential therapy for RA in addition to OA.
In a 2004 study, boswellia was tested as a treatment for knee OA. Researchers recruited 30 people with knee OA and gave half the group a daily supplement of boswellia; others got placebo. People who took boswellia reported less knee pain, better mobility and an ability to walk longer distances than those taking placebo.
A 2008 study in India, where boswellia is a traditional remedy, found that boswellia significantly improved OA pain and function within seven days and slowed cartilage damage after 3 months.
MSM is a chemical found in plants, animals, and humans. MSM is used for chronic pain, osteoarthritis, joint inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, bursitis, tendonitis, tenosynovitis, musculoskeletal pain, muscle cramps, scleroderma, scar tissue, stretch marks, hair loss, wrinkles, protection against sun/wind burn, eye inflammation, oral hygiene, periodontal disease, wounds, cuts, and abrasions/accelerated wound healing. It is either taken by mouth or applied to the skin for these uses. MSM has also caused pruritus and increased allergy symptoms in some patients
Salix Alba (White Willow Bark) is used to ease pain and reduce inflammation.The medicinal use of willow bark dates back to the Greek physician Hippocrates (400 B.C.), who advised his patients to chew on willow bark to reduce pain, fever and inflammation. However, studies show several other components of Salix Alba, including plant chemicals called polyphenols and flavonoids, have antioxidant, fever reducing, antiseptic, and immune boosting properties. Some studies show that Salix Alba is as effective as aspirin for reducing pain and inflammation (but not fever), and at a much lower dose.Orally, Salix Alba extract can cause gastrointestinal adverse effects, but these appear to be less frequent than those caused by NSAIDs
Curcumin A human study has determined that turmeric extracts are as efficacious and safe as (if not safer than) ibuprofen for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.In a separate study of osteoarthritis patients, those who added curcumin to their treatment plan, had reduced pain and increased mobility, whereas the control group, which received no curcumin, had no significant improvements. A past study also found that a turmeric extract composed of curcuminoids (plant-based nutrients that contain powerful antioxidant properties) blocked inflammatory pathways, effectively preventing the launch of a protein that triggers swelling and pain.
Palmitoylethanolamide (P.E.A.)
Palmitoylethanolamide is a fatty acid amide that is found in egg yolk and plant fats, such as soy lecithin and ground peanuts It is made naturally by the body and is typically produced in response to stress and pain. Palmitoylethanolamide is distributed throughout the brain soon after oral intake, with the majority in the hypothalamus.
Evidence shows that chronic pain is mainly due to a process referred to as neuro-inflammation, which is a condition that is characterised by the activation of several inflammatory cells within the central nervous systems (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). Neuro-inflammation is characterised by immune cell migration into an area that has had an injury. This release of inflammatory molecules result in the activation and maintenance of chronic pain.
Recent research has focused on the use of PEA as both an arthritic pain relieving substance but also as a treatment that may slow the progress of further joint deterioration. In synovial (joint) fluid, PEA is normally present at high levels(1,500 pmol/mL), but these levels are markedly reduced in patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting a protective role for PEA in these conditions. In experimental models of joint disease, changes in PEA levels were also found in the spinal cord, supporting the theory of dysregulation in PEA metabolism in joint diseases. This suggests that PEA supplementation may prove beneficial in these situations.
To summarize, PEA offers benefit for arthritis both in regards to reducing the development and maintenance of chronic pain but also to help limit the progress of joint destruction associated with most forms of arthritis. For more details, please click here.
What Is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is also called degenerative joint disease or degenerative arthritis.
Osteoarthritis results from overuse of joints. It can be the consequence of demanding sports,obesity, or aging. If you were an athlete or dancer in high school or college, you may be wondering why your knee or hip aches when you climb out of bed in the morning. Ask your doctor about osteoarthritis. It can strike earlier in life with athletes or those who suffered an injury in young adulthood. Osteoarthritis in the hands is frequently inherited and often happens in middle-aged women.
Osteoarthritis is most common in joints that bear weight -- such as the knees, hips, feet, and spine. It often comes on gradually over months or even years. Except for the pain in the affected joint, you usually do not feel sick, and there is no unusual fatigue or tiredness as there is with some other types of arthritis.
With osteoarthritis, the cartilage gradually breaks down. Cartilage is a slippery material that covers the ends of bones and serves as the body's shock absorber. As more damage occurs, the cartilage starts to wear away, or it doesn't work as well as it once did to cushion the joint. As an example, the extra stress on knees from being overweight can cause damage to knee cartilage. That, in turn, causes the cartilage to wear out faster than normal.
As the cartilage becomes worn, cushioning effect of the joint is lost. The result is pain when the joint is moved. Along with the pain, sometimes you may hear a grating sound when the roughened cartilage on the surface of the bones rubs together. Painful spurs or bumps may appear on the end of the bones, especially on the fingers and feet. While not a major symptom of osteoarthritis, inflammation may occur in the joint lining as a response to the breakdown of cartilage.
Study shows curcuminoids/piperine combo reduces knee osteoarthritis symptoms
Curcumin in combination with piperine is a safe and effective means of ameliorating the debilitating effects of knee osteoarthritis, according to a new study.
Each 600mg Vegi-Cap contains Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) 100mg; Boswellia Serratta100mg; MSM 50mg; Salix Alba 50mg; Curcumin 100mg; Calcium Alpha Ketogluterate 200mg;Bioperine 2,5mg. Contains no preservatives or fillers.
The Four Stages of Osteoarthritis
STAGE 1 – MINOR
This is the least severe stage of OA. Patients in stage 1 will develop minor wear-and-tear in their joints, but typically feel little to no pain in the affected area.
STAGE 2 – MILD
This is when X-rays will start to show more noticeable bone spur growths (growths that often develop where bones meet each other in the joint). The affected area will start to feel stiff after long, sedentary periods, and will become uncomfortable.
STAGE 3 – MODERATE
In stage 3, the cartilage in the affected area starts to erode and narrow the gap between bone and joint. The joint becomes inflamed and starts causing discomfort during normal daily activity.
STAGE 4 – SEVERE
This is the most severe stage of OA, which means it is also the most painful. At this point, the cartilage is almost completely gone, leading to an inflammatory response from the joint. The bone spurs that developed in the earlier stages have now multiplied, often causing excruciating pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are the two most common types of arthritis, a condition that damages joints and affects their function.
The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis involves wear-and-tear damage to the cartilage that caps the bones in your joints. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of your joints, causing a painful swelling that can eventually result in joint deformity.
While both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis can affect the small joints of the hand, there are differences. Rheumatoid arthritis tends to affect the middle joints of the fingers and the joints where the fingers attach to the hand. Osteoarthritis more commonly affects the joints at the ends of the fingers and at the base of the thumb.
In rheumatoid arthritis, the same joints usually are affected on both sides of the body. This symmetry doesn't typically occur in osteoarthritis, so it's common for only one hand or knee to be painful.
Joints damaged by osteoarthritis may be stiff in the morning, but they usually feel better in about 20 minutes. Joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, often hurt for more than 45 minutes after you get out of bed.
What is the difference between Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Don't confuse the two -- osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are not the same condition. Osteoarthritis is the result of wear and tear on your joints, which causes weakening and deterioration of your cartilage. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is an auto-immune disorder, whereby your body attacks and destroys joint cartilage. Both conditions, however, share common symptoms, including joint paint, stiffness and swelling.
The risk factors for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are fairly different. Osteoarthritis is most common in old age; in fact, almost everyone in their golden years will show some sign of osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis, unlike like osteoarthritis, is not a golden-age condition. The typical age of onset for rheumatoid arthritis is mid-life, although children and adolescents can also develop the condition. Rheumatoid arthritis is generally caused by genetic factors; in fact, there is a particular gene responsible for this auto-immune disorder. Osteoarthritis is also caused by a genetic predisposition, but other factors also come into play, such as obesity, over-use of the joint and injury. Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are more common in women than in men.
Osteoarthritis typically affects the hands, knees, hips, neck and lower back. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, tends to affect primarily the wrist and finger joints. Interestingly, rheumatoid arthritis is symmetrical in its development: If your right hand has arthritis, so will your left hand. Rheumatoid arthritis also causes other symptoms that are unrelated to joint deterioration, such as fatigue, fever and a vague feeling of sickness. The symptoms of osteoarthritis get progressively worse as you age. The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, however, can flare up and dissipate. Some people with rheumatoid arthritis experience flare-ups that last a few months or a year.
