Tag Archives: alpha-linolenic acid

I know what you’re thinking…you’re too young to worry about arthritis and overall joint health.  However, most people are not getting enough nutrients and vitamins in their bodies to protect themselves from the normal wear and tear signs of aging.  I’m already feeling achy when it rains, and it’s been raining quite often here in California.  Anyway, there are a couple of ingredients that can help you manage your joint health, and they vary in their targeted functions and time for realizing benefits.

The first is omega-3 fatty acids.  I take omega-3 pills daily because even though you think eating fish once or twice a week is enough, it’s not.  The chains in the omega-3 fatty acids, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), help with inflammatory issues.  Without going into too much chemistry details, these chains compete with arachadonic acid to convert enzymes that produce cytokines, which regulate the inflammation in your body.  So while the arachadonic acid makes you more inflammed, EPA and DHA help in the anti-inflammatory benefits.  DHA and EPA are commonly found in fish oil and krill oil.  If you’re vegan/vegetarian, you can get these from flax seeds.  However, with flax seeds, you’re getting ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) which is converted efficiently in your body to EPA and DHA.

You can also get joint relief from ingredients like boswellia (a tree) extract, curcumin (found in turmeric), and hops and pine extracts.  These ingredient help reduce joint pain, and you can find pills with these key ingredients at your natural product stores.