Supplements for joints/bones/vitamins

tank121

I'm now 51 and wondeing if anyone of a similar age can recommend any good joint care - vitamin supplements?
Does anyone use Seven Seas Active?

TIA

singleton

Can I ask whether there is a specific reason that you are asking? Do you have some issues or is this more that you are trying to prevent issues occurring?

steve_sordy

Since about 2000, I have been using Glucosamine Sulphate in various forms. I started with agonising hip pain when getting out of a taxi, I almost threw up! I sure as hell didn't want any more of that!

I did a bit of reading, saw my GP etc and started with Glucosamine Sulphate (GS) capsules. It took about three weeks of a daily double dose before the hip pain slowly stopped. I then went onto single dose. When the supply ran out after six months and with no further pain, I thought I was fixed so I didn't buy any more. Then six weeks later the pain came back as bad as before. I was convinced and I have been on GS ever since. GS works by assisting the body to maintain the cartilage that lines the joints and prevents bone to bone contact (where the agony comes from).

As the years went by other varieties became available and I now get one that has Chondroitin with it. Early on, I once bought the cheapest GS I could find. I later discovered to my cost that the cheap ones are based on bovine cartilage rather than the marine cartilage of the previous version. The cost for me was acute constipation, but not straight away. Instead, the symptoms built up slowly so that the cause was not obvious. It was only when the supply ran out and the first supplier had an offer and I switched back that my symptoms disappeared. So be warned, get the marine cartilage sourced product!

The link below takes you to what I get from simply Supplements. I take two capsules every morning. Arguably, one twice per day would be better, but I couldn't get into the rhythm of that and kept missing the second dose.

https://www.simplysupplements.co.uk/search?q=S484

I last bought 2x180 capsules in Jul last year for £35.49, less 8% from a discount code I found on line so that was £32.65 with free delivery. That is almost 6 month's supply; hmmm, I need to get some more!

The hip pain never came back. I started mtb in 2008 (age 57) and I started with arthritic knees in 2014. Eventually in 2019 when I could no longer ride an mtb, I bought an emtb (marvellous device!) I was reborn! But I now use Volterol joint relief gel on my knees before each ride. I feel no pain. I am now 70 and life is good. I intend to be still riding an emtb when I'm 90. I sort of hope to kill myself on one rather than spend my final years in a care home.

I know from experience that the medical profession treats "supplements" with disdain. Their view appears to be that if it is not officially pharmacologically active and prescribed then it cannot be effective. But gaining certification as a medicine is very expensive and takes years to jump though all the hoops. But anyone can sell a supplement. People vote with their money. The supplier I use, Simply Supplements, are a good company and have been around for many years, buy with confidence.

PS: I have always been sporty (swimming, windsurfing, running etc) and have done Pilates for the last 13 years, which I sincerely recommend to all bikers. I am not overweight and never have been.

webboo

I used the above like Steve for several years for various joint pains and it never made much difference. I too read up on it and most clinical trials found no evidence of any benefit. One had to be stopped because people were experiencing worst symptoms.
There was some reports of it causing deterioration in tendons I think, which as a rock climber as well as cyclist was a worry for me.
So I no longer use it, I do use creatinine as at my age 66 there is a tendency for muscle wasting. I still climb several days a week as well as riding several times a week.
I have not needed to go electric yet.
Yes I get joint pain but given what I do it’s probably inevitable however daily stretching helps.
You pay your money and make your choice.

steve_sordy

I guess that you have to try these things. If it works then fine, stick with it.
But if there is nothing wrong then why bother? Hence the good question from @singleton

If there is nothing wrong with any part of you, then I wouldn't bother with any supplements, with the exception of Vitamin D. According to my GP, pretty much everyone in the UK is vitamin D deficient in the winter months. Very few people eat enough oily fish at any time, and the sun isn't strong enough for 5-6 months of the year for even white skin to absorb enough Vit D. The darker your skin, the more deficient you will be, unless you eat a lot of oily fish.

The symptoms of Vit D deficiency are muscle weakness, joint pain and some degradation of the nerve endings (I believe it has to be pretty bad for that last one to occur).

And yes, I take a daily dose of Vit D, available from pretty much any pharmacy, Boots for ex. Ever since I was diagnosed as low in Vit D from a blood test by my GP.

First.Aspect

I take snake oil supplements.

gomezz

I'm approaching 76 take nothing but Statin, do get some knee pain but wear knee supports. Do a fair amount of trail riding on a normal full suss bike and also a lot of field archery over rough woodlands. The knee supports have made a big improvement to my mobility.