Probiotics for Joint Health
If you suffer from joint problems, you are not alone. It is estimated that 54 million adults and over 300,000 children have joint issues. The result is often stiffness, swelling, restricted mobility, and discomfort, which limits the ability to enjoy daily life.
Now, a growing number of researchers believe that joint health may benefit from “good bacteria” in the gut. They have found that a balanced intestinal track enhances the body’s immune system and reduces the inflammation that may be affecting joint health.
A Better Option
Traditionally, treatment for the symptoms of joint soreness and distress has been pain-relieving nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These over-the-counter medications may provide temporary pain relief, but they can also lead to unpleasant side effects, as well as alter the composition of the gut microbiome.
There may be a better, more natural option.
The Gut-Joint Connection
Probiotics help support immune health and inhibit the growth of damaging gut bacteria. When there is an imbalance or weakened immune system, it can trigger widespread inflammation. And research has discovered that inflammation is a major contributor to joint health.
This may happen because many joint issues are autoimmune conditions which occur when the body’s natural defense system is not operating in a healthy manner. Individuals with inflammatory joint problems often also experience inflammation of the intestinal tract.
If you have a joint disorder specifically caused by inflammation, probiotics may be helpful. Scientists believe that autoimmune issues involving chronic inflammation are related to harmful (pathogenic) bacteria in the gut. The beneficial bacteria of probiotics appear to have a positive impact on inflammation.
How It Works
Studies demonstrate that probiotics containing “good bacteria” may help to reduce inflammation by providing the gastrointestinal tract with healthy microflora. In fact, published research demonstrates that this type of inflammation was significantly reduced in people taking probiotic supplements.[10] Studies have found that with probiotic therapy, inflammation may decrease, providing some relief from joint pain and stiffness.
Even more exciting is that preliminary data suggest that probiotics may protect the joints by helping to avoid the inflammatory response in the first place.
Additional Joint Health Support
It is also common for people with joint ailments to have inflamed intestinal tracts with increased permeability of the intestinal wall, often called “leaky gut syndrome.”
Leaky gut syndrome allows toxins to reach the bloodstream and travel throughout the body, triggering inflammation that can harm the joints. Probiotics have been shown to significantly reduce the symptoms of leaky gut syndrome and help maintain the tight junctions in the intestinal lining to restrict pathogens from passing into the bloodstream.
The Benefits of Probiotics
If inflammation is at the center for your joint issues, probiotics may help attack it directly at the source. Probiotics promote optimal gut health and may reduce the possibility of inflammation from even starting.
Consider a scientifically- formulated daily probiotic supplement to help guard your joints against ongoing inflammatory attacks and live a healthy life.
