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The human body is not a thing or a substance, given, but a continuous creation.
–Norman O. Brown, Philosopher
t may not be obvious at first glance, but disorders like arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, diabetic neuropathy, muscle soreness, acute injuries, tendonitis/tendinopathy, osteoporosis, and even depression have many underlying factors in common. They all share the common thread of impaired cellular energy production, ultimately leading to inflammation, pain, and tissue destruction.
We normally think of inefficient energy production as a cause of fatigue, and of pain and inflammation as our bodies’ response to injury. This is true – but the two phenomena are also intimately related to one another. Without all of the nutrients required for proper energy production, our cells often lack the ability to “turn off” the inflammatory cascade once it has begun. The low-energy state of the nutrient-starved cell can even trigger inflammation in and of itself, and it’s easy to see how this can lead to a vicious downward spiral of cellular damage and dysfunction. A lack of cellular energy is precisely why pain, inflammation, and tissue destruction often become chronic, as in all of the above listed disorders. This is also why proper dietary strategies to combat all of the modern afflictions associated with pain and inflammation will always involve restoring cellular energy production first and foremost.
In the previous edition of the Integrated Supplements Newsletter, we saw how an excess of the omega-6 family of fats in our diet (fats which lead to the production of arachidonic acid and inflammatory eicosanoids) is largely responsible for the chronic inflammatory state which slowly chokes the life out of our cells and impairs energy production - leading steadily to an increase in pain and tissue degeneration. We saw how dramatically reducing our intake of these pro-inflammatory fats is the first step in allowing our cells to “breathe” properly and produce the energy we need for tissue repair.
But there are also many nutrients which we should be trying to increase our consumption of – nutrients which may be able to stimulate energy production, tissue repair, and regeneration, and which, as a result, can reduce chronic pain in the process. Yet, because many such substances have become woefully lacking in our modern diet, we’ll have to make a concerted effort to find them in carefully chosen foods and supplements.
In this edition of the Integrated Supplements Newsletter, we’ll take a look at some of the nutrients we can use to energize our cells and actually reverse the downward spiral of chronic pain and inflammation which is so common in the disorders of aging.
Dietary Sulfur
Behind only calcium and phosphorous, sulfur is the most abundant mineral found in the human body. Sulfur is unique among minerals in that it is derived almost exclusively from amino acids (protein) in the diet – the most common sulfur-containing amino acids being methionine and cysteine.
As the body doesn’t possess efficient storage mechanisms for protein, the sulfur-containing amino acids must be continually supplied through foods, and the synthesis of some of our bodies’ most valued and protective substances requires a steady stream of sulfur from quality proteins. The potent antioxidants s-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and glutathione (GSH), as well as the structural components of connective tissue known as glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) all contain sulfur as the rate-limiting component of their manufacture.
Along the same lines, sulfur is also intimately involved in many of the body’s detoxification processes. Sulfation, the binding of a compound to sulfur, is one process the liver uses to detoxify certain potentially harmful substances. The detoxification of many pharmaceutical drugs, including the pain-reliever, acetaminophen, places enormous demands on the bodies’ sulfur status. In fact, sulfur is so important for several of the liver’s detoxification pathways, that certain sulfur-containing amino acids are used therapeutically in cases of acetaminophen overdose. But even if our daily doses aren’t excessive, any long-term usage of acetaminophen can be problematic. The depletion of sulfur is just one mechanism by which the chronic use of pain medications may actually make a person’s health worse in the long-run.
So, given the multifaceted role of dietary sulfur as both a structural component of our tissue, and a vital player in various metabolic processes, researchers have expressed concern that sulfur intake – especially among certain groups (e.g. the elderly, vegans, those under stress, taking medications, or consuming low-protein diets) may be dangerously deficient.
For example, researchers speculate that during times of less-than-optimal sulfur intake, the body may rob sulfur from cartilage to produce the protective sulfur-containing compounds in high demand by the relatively more important organs like the brain and liver. In so doing, the connective tissue of the joint matrix becomes weakened and more prone to degeneration.
In aging, injury, and stress (like athletic training, for example) our demands for sulfur increase dramatically. It seems that our body often doesn’t have enough sulfur-containing compounds available to effectively mop up the free radicals produced by oxidative stress, support the liver’s detoxifying functions, and provide structural support for connective tissue all at the same time. In one of the many vicious biological cycles of degenerative disease, robbing sulfur from connective tissue to serve more pressing biological needs, serves to create chronic inflammation as the connective tissue of the joint matrix is compromised – this inflammation and destruction of the joint is, of course, commonly known as arthritis.
Studies have shown arthritic cartilage to contain only one-third the sulfur of healthy cartilage:
Study Link - Calcium, sulfur, and zinc distribution in normal and arthritic articular equine cartilage: a synchrotron radiation-induced X-ray emission (SRIXE) study.
Quote from the above study:
Sulfur concentration in arthritic cartilage is reduced to about one-third with respect to that in normal tissue.
And, there are some researchers who believe that the popular sulfur-containing nutritional supplements, chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine sulfate, and MSM may be beneficial to joint health simply because they help to correct a dietary deficiency of sulfur.
Study Link - Chondroitin sulfate and other sulfate containing chondroprotective agents may exhibit their effects by overcoming a deficiency of sulfur amino acids.
If these researchers are correct, the many roles of sulfur may explain why these supplements can be useful for a wide variety of conditions involving pain and inflammation – not just arthritis.
But although these supplements can certainly be helpful, the quantity and quality of protein in our diet is the most important factor responsible for our sulfur status. Dietary protein is a well-known source of nitrogen, but it seems that the sulfur content of protein has been largely ignored until recently. Bodybuilders, for example have been told for decades in the pages of muscle magazines, that they must maintain a positive nitrogen balance through a high protein intake in order to build larger, stronger muscles. But recent research indicates that, all things considered, the sulfur content of protein may be equally as important as nitrogen for tissue growth and repair. Sulfur balance, however, unlike nitrogen balance, has been a largely neglected area of protein research.
Study Link - Are we getting enough sulfur in our diet?
Quote from the above study:
It should be pointed out that we could not find in the recorded literature any studies that effectively measure sulfur balance in human or other animals. All metabolic studies in this connection, even those that focus on the requirements for sulfur amino acids, study nitrogen balance but not sulfur balance. Essentially this means that the role of sulfur amino acids has only been evaluated in terms of protein synthesis, but never in terms of their ability to contribute sulfur to so many important metabolites.
As a source of sulfur, no protein source can top whey protein isolate. Whey isolate will contain over 5% sulfur-containing amino acids, half of which happens to come in the form of the amino acid cysteine.
But whey protein isolate is more than just our best source of dietary sulfur; because of its very unique protein composition, it may be the best supplement available for increasing our bodies’ level of a particularly important sulfur-containing compound called glutathione.
Glutathione – Cellular “Thermostat” for Pain and Inflammation
Glutathione (GSH) is a potent antioxidant and detoxifying molecule produced in the body from the amino acids, glutamic acid, glycine, and the sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine. Glutathione is not only the most powerful antioxidant in our body, it could be thought of as the linchpin holding our entire antioxidant and immune systems together. Nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and CoQ-10 need ample glutathione to function properly. It’s even been proposed that powerful food-based antioxidant polyphenols like those from green tea and red wine may not actually have any direct antioxidant activity within our body – they may exert their health-promoting properties solely through their ability to stimulate glutathione production.
Study Link: Polyphenols and glutathione synthesis regulation.
So, it’s important to remember that many of the antioxidant supplements which are so heavily touted probably won’t do a lick of good unless the body has sufficient sulfur-containing amino acids from which to produce glutathione.
And when it comes to glutathione-boosting ability, whey protein isolate outshines all other protein sources. It just so happens that whey protein not only contains an abundant amount of cysteine – the rate limiting amino acid for glutathione synthesis - but it also contains a cysteine-containing peptide known as glutamylcysteine. As its name suggests, glutamylcysteine is cysteine bound to glutamic acid – so, in essence, two-thirds of the glutathione molecule is present “prefab,” if you will, in whey protein isolate. This is important, because even with adequate cysteine, the production of glutamylcysteine in the body requires cellular energy in the form of ATP. People already suffering from low ATP levels may not be able to synthesize glutathione efficiently “from scratch,” but glutathione can be produced with less energy investment if we consume glutamylcysteine present in whey.
Note: The glutamylcysteine peptide is relatively fragile, and easily damaged in the production of many whey protein powders. CFM® Whey Protein Isolate contains the highest level of undenatured protein available (99%), including intact glutamylcysteine peptides .
So, it’s clear that whey protein can increase this powerful antioxidant, but how exactly does glutathione help to reduce pain and inflammation, and stimulate tissue repair?
We’ve written previously in the Integrated Supplements Newsletter about the phenomenon of uncontrolled free radical production known as oxidative stress. We’ve seen how oxidative stress plays a role in every facet of the aging process, and in every manifestation of degenerative disease. And with inflammation also being increasingly tied to aging and disease, it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that oxidative stress and inflammation go hand in hand.
The remarkable free radical-scavenging ability of glutathione makes this chemical one of our bodies’ primary defenses against oxidative stress. When oxidative stress is kept under control, cellular energy is produced efficiently, and the cell is much more resilient to all types of stress. But, when the glutathione status of the cell is depleted by stress, injury, toxins, or free radicals, this depletion in and of itself can impair energy production and trigger the inflammatory cascade we discussed last month in Part 1 of this article. Like a type of cellular “thermostat,” as glutathione levels decline, pain and inflammation invariably increase. The mere depletion of cellular glutathione (in the absence of any other type of cellular stress) has been shown to stimulate the production of inflammatory prostaglandins from arachidonic acid:
Study Link - Regulation of prostaglandin biosynthesis in vivo by glutathione.
Quote from the above study:
Overall, our results indicate that elevated GSH levels inhibit PG [prostaglandin] production in this model and provide in vivo evidence for the role of GSH in the regulation of PG biosynthesis
Study Link - Glutathione depletion and oxidative stress.
Quote from the above study:
An early event following GSH depletion is a phospholipase A(2)-dependent release of arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid can cause damage to the GSH-depleted cells through its metabolism by lipoxygenase. The generation of superoxide radicals during the metabolism of arachidonic acid is likely to play an important role in the toxic events that follow GSH depletion.
Study Link - Toxicity of glutathione depletion in mesencephalic cultures: a role for arachidonic acid and its lipoxygenase metabolites.
Quote from the above study:
These data suggest that the following events likely contribute to cell death when GSH levels become depleted. Loss of GSH results in increased release of AA, which is PLA2 dependent. Metabolism of arachidonic acid via the lipoxygenase pathway results in generation of oxygen free radicals possibly produced during conversion of HPETE to HETE, which contribute to cellular damage and death.
So, it’s important to note that, contrary to what was once believed, it’s not just injury, or infection which can trigger inflammation – but any stress, physical, or emotional, can deplete glutathione, and can be sufficient to trigger the inflammatory cascade into motion. If glutathione levels remain low, the inflammatory cascade (and subsequent pain) self-perpetuates, and the condition often becomes chronic.
Some researchers believe that chronic fatigue syndrome, and the closely related disorder, fibromyalgia (in which muscle pain, or myalgia, is a defining feature), are characterized by a competition between the immune system and the muscle cells for glutathione.
Study Link - Competition for glutathione precursors between the immune system and the skeletal muscle: pathogenesis of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Quote from the above study:
It is conceivable that the priority of the immune system for the survival of the host has drawn to this vital area the ever-diminishing GSH precursors, thus depriving the skeletal muscle of adequate GSH precursors to sustain a normal aerobic metabolism resulting in fatigue and eventually myalgia.
Glutathione depletion has even been found to be directly related to an increased pain response (hyperalgesia) after injury to the sciatic nerve:
Study Link - Wallerian degeneration and hyperalgesia after peripheral nerve injury are glutathione-dependent.
Quote from the above study:
This study identifies glutathione levels, and presumably oxidative stress, as important determinants of the neuropathological and behavioral consequences of nerve injury. . .
So, the weight of the research makes it clear that consuming abundant sulfur-containing amino acids and glutathione precursors like those found in CFM® Whey Protein Isolate may go a long way towards helping us maintain proper sulfur balance and glutathione levels. Additional nutritional co-factors for glutathione synthesis and function include B Vitamins, selenium, zinc, copper, and the incredibly important anti-pain, anti-inflammation nutrient, magnesium.
Magnesium, Pain, and Inflammation
Magnesium is known to be involved in over 325 enzymatic reactions in the body – including the synthesis of glutathione and the energy currency of the cell, ATP. Even by conservative standards of nutrient requirements, the United States Department of Agriculture estimates that 70 to 80 percent of the population may be chronically deficient in this essential mineral; and where people with pain disorders have been shown to require significantly more magnesium than healthy individuals, it’s clear that optimizing magnesium intake is of paramount importance in our battle against pain and inflammation.
Magnesium deficiency has been directly linked to an increase in the production of inflammatory markers, free radicals, and a pain-causing chemical called substance P.
Study Link - Role of free radicals and substance P in magnesium deficiency.
Quote from the above study:
In recent studies we have shown that Mg-deficiency has a profound effect on the process of inflammation, causing high circulating amounts of interleukins (IL-l, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFa). . . These peptides are known to elicit free radical production in a variety of cell types . . . both plasma substance P and calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP) were elevated during the first week of Mg-deficiency.
In animal studies, magnesium deficiency has been found to lead directly to damaged cartilage and joint disorders:
Study Link - Magnesium deficiency induces joint cartilage lesions in juvenile rats which are identical to quinolone-induced arthropathy.
Quote form the above study:
Typical cartilage lesions (e.g., swollen matrix, cleft formation) were found in knee joints of all magnesium-deficient rats, including those without ofloxacin treatment.
Studies have often indicated that patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome have low magnesium levels:
Study Link - The relationship between serum trace element levels and clinical parameters in patients with fibromyalgia.
Quote from the above study:
According to the results of this study, it was asserted that serum magnesium and zinc levels may play an important role in the pathophysiology of FM.
Study Link - Red blood cell magnesium and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Quote from the above study:
Patients treated with magnesium claimed to have improved energy levels, better emotional state, and less pain, as judged by changes in the Nottingham health profile. 12 of the 15 treated patients said that they had benefited from treatment, and in 7 patients energy score improved from the maximum to the minimum.
Magnesium has also been shown to support improved bone mineral density in some populations:
Study Link - Magnesium intake from food and supplements is associated with bone mineral density in healthy older white subjects.
Note: The fact that magnesium increased bone density only in white men and women in the above study may have to do with the importance of Vitamin D in magnesium metabolism. Light-skinned people are known to produce Vitamin D from sunlight easier than dark-skinned people, possibly leading to improved magnesium metabolism. Vitamin D, like magnesium, plays a major role in reducing pain and inflammation, as we shall see.
Magnesium and NMDA Receptors in Pain
A type of cellular receptor called the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor (NMDA), found in the brain and nervous system, is known to play a role in memory and learning. But when chronically stimulated by the amino acids glutamate or aspartate (which are released when pain receptors are triggered), the NMDA receptors make the nervous system hyper-sensitive to various stimuli, which can greatly exacerbate pain and inflammation.
In fact, the stimulation of NMDA receptor is one of the primary triggers for launching the inflammatory cascade driven by arachidonic acid:
Study Link - NMDA receptors activate the arachidonic acid cascade system in striatal neurons.
And in a self-perpetuating cycle, the arachidonic acid which is released seems to amplify glutamate’s stimulatory action at the NMDA receptor:
Study Link - Potentiation of NMDA receptor currents by arachidonic acid.
Such excessive stimulation of the NMDA receptor is known to result in excitotoxicity – a process by which over-stimulated nerve cells are damaged and actually killed by glutamate and aspartate.
Although glutamate and aspartate are amino acids found abundantly in food protein, their ingestion as free amino acids - as components of food additives (and nutritional supplements) may cause a relative excess of these amino acids in the blood. As a result of modern food production, which makes it common for us to consume these amino acids in their non-protein-bound form, our NMDA receptors may be chronically and dangerously over-stimulated.
Food additives like MSG – monosodium glutamate - and the artificial sweetener aspartame contain glutamate and aspartate respectively, and both MSG and aspartame have been linked with a myriad of excitotoxic side effects for decades.
Most people never for one moment suspect that things like diet soda (containing aspartame), or processed and prepared foods (commonly containing variants of MSG and the omega-6 parent chemical of arachidonic acid from cooking oil) could be exacerbating their arthritis, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, neuropathy, tendonitis, or pain – but, as we see from the above studies, the molecular-level evidence makes such an association more likely than not.
And as a real-world example, in fibromyalgia – a disorder which often puzzles conventional medical practitioners – the exclusion of excitotoxic food additives has been shown to provide complete, or nearly complete, resolution of symptoms:
Study Link - Relief of fibromyalgia symptoms following discontinuation of dietary excitotoxins.
Quote form the above study:
All [patients] had complete, or nearly complete, resolution of their symptoms within months after eliminating monosodium glutamate (MSG) or MSG plus aspartame from their diet. All patients were women with multiple comorbidities prior to elimination of MSG. All have had recurrence of symptoms whenever MSG is ingested.
But it’s not just free glutamate and aspartate which can cause the NMDA receptor to fire uncontrollably - chronic stimulation of the NMDA receptor is known to occur whenever a magnesium deficiency exists. In fact, one of the primary functions of magnesium is to inhibit the stimulation of NMDA receptors. This is one of the reasons that magnesium allows muscles and nerves to relax and is known to be a calming, anti-stress nutrient. Epsom salts, used in bathwater to reduce stress and relieve muscle tension are simply magnesium sulfate. It is thought that small quantities of these nutrients can be absorbed through the skin, and now that we know the science, we can see exactly why this combination of magnesium and sulfur has been used for centuries for reducing muscle and joint stiffness and pain.
Like so many other nutrients in our diet, many of us may assume that we’re taking in sufficient magnesium, when in reality, we’re not even coming close. Remember, up to 80% of people don’t take in even the paltry amount of magnesium which is deemed to be the “recommended daily intake” (400 mg). Considering that pain-sufferers, athletes and people under stress may need significantly more magnesium than this amount, it’s safe to assume that magnesium deficiency is nearly universal – even in people who take supplements. Multivitamins are never a good source of magnesium – the dose is far too low, and the type of magnesium used is usually very poorly absorbed.
Calcium and magnesium combination supplements are not the answer either. Calcium antagonizes magnesium and can impair its absorption. Magnesium is needed for calcium absorption, but the two can be thought of as opposites on a cellular level. For example, where calcium is responsible for muscular contraction, it is magnesium which is responsible for allowing muscles to relax, and for “calming” the nerves. A high calcium intake can worsen magnesium status, and with millions of women taking high-dose calcium supplements in the hopes of preventing osteoporosis, it’s likely that their magnesium levels are taking quite a hit in the process, as these products usually contain twice as much calcium as magnesium.
It’s worth noting too that some magnesium supplements (including a popular magnesium-containing product marketed towards athletes and bodybuilders) contain a type of magnesium called magnesium aspartate, that is, magnesium bound to aspartic acid. In light of what we’ve learned about aspartate’s effect on the NMDA receptor, magnesium aspartate probably isn’t the best magnesium source – especially for those looking to reduce pain and inflammation. To reap the full benefits of magnesium, first, look for a magnesium supplement which does not contain calcium (read the labels closely, even many tablet binders and fillers contain calcium), and which delivers magnesium in safe and effective forms like magnesium malate (magnesium bound to malic acid, an intermediate in energy production) or magnesium glycinate (magnesium bound to glycine, an amino acid which, as we shall see, exerts some significant anti-inflammatory effects in its own right).
Gelatin and Glycine
It’s not terribly surprising that gelatin, the protein source derived from the collagen found in the connective tissue of various animals, can be useful in supporting our own connective tissue and joint health. But when we look a little closer, we’ll see that the regular consumption of gelatin may be helpful in all types of pain and inflammation – not just those involving the joints.
The following study (which refers to gelatin as collagen hydrolysate) reviews the use of gelatin in bone and joint disorders:
Study Link - Role of collagen hydrolysate in bone and joint disease.
Quote from the above study:
Clinical studies suggest that the ingestion of 10 g [collagen hydrolysate] daily reduces pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip; blood concentration of hydroxyproline is increased. . . Collagen hydrolysate is of interest as a therapeutic agent of potential utility in the treatment of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Its high level of safety makes it attractive as an agent for long-term use in these chronic disorders.
But the bones and joints aren’t the only structures of the body in which the manufacture of collagen is important. Collagen also forms part of the supportive extracellular matrix which is interwoven throughout muscle tissue.
In fact, rates of protein synthesis in both muscle cells and in this collagen-containing extracellular matrix are increased after strenuous exercise, so there’s reason to believe that bodybuilders and athletes looking to optimize their muscular recovery may benefit from including gelatin as part of their protein supplementation, simply to supply for the unique nutritional requirements of connective tissue.
Study Link - Coordinated collagen and muscle protein synthesis in human patella tendon and quadriceps muscle after exercise.
Quote from the above study:
There is a rapid increase in collagen synthesis after strenuous exercise in human tendon and muscle.
And interestingly, people with fibromyalgia have been shown to have particularly low levels of intramuscular collagen. This inability to synthesize collagen properly may lead to the muscle weakness, and the increased susceptibility to muscle pain often noted in these patients.
Study Link - Collagen and muscle pathology in fibromyalgia patients.
Quote from the above study:
Fibromyalgia patients had a significantly lower amount of intramuscular collagen. This may lower the threshold for muscle micro-injury and thereby result in non-specific signs of muscle pathology.
But, in addition to simply containing the “building blocks” of connective tissue, gelatin is the richest known source of glycine – a simple amino acid which is rapidly coming into it’s own as one of the bodies’ most powerful anti-inflammatory nutrients.
Glycine has been shown to possess antioxidant activity, and to reduce levels of destructive inflammatory chemicals called cytokines. By inhibiting cytokine release, glycine has been shown to prevent chemically-induced arthritis in animal studies:
Study Link - Dietary Glycine Prevents Peptidoglycan Polysaccharide-Induced Reactive Arthritis in the Rat: Role for Glycine-Gated Chloride Channel.
Quote from the above study:
This work supports the hypothesis that glycine prevents reactive arthritis by blunting cytokine release from macrophages by increasing chloride influx via a glycine-gated chloride channel.
Glycine is what is known as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning that glycine is a substance which helps to calm over-excitation of the nervous system (in much the same way magnesium does, as we have seen). Due to this role, glycine (along with the other inhibitory neurotransmitter, the amino acid GABA) has been shown to play a major role in directly inhibiting pain and inflammation by inhibiting the stimulation of spinal neurons.
And in a similar mechanism to what we saw when we looked at the NMDA receptor, the inflammatory prostaglandins produced from the omega-6 fats are able to interfere with the pain-reducing action of glycine, as shown in this study:
Study Link - The glycinergic control of spinal pain processing.
Quote from the above study:
The central component of inflammatory pain originates from a disinhibition of dorsal horn neurons, which are relieved from glycinergic neurotransmission by the inflammatory mediator prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). . .Other but probably very similar disinhibitory mechanisms may well contribute to abnormal pain occurring after peripheral nerve injury.
In a practical sense, glycine can be found as a stand-alone supplement, and when it comes to gelatin consumption, it’s important to note that we’re not limited to that jiggly dessert most of us think of when we hear the word gelatin. Pure gelatin can be purchased (very inexpensively) at health food stores, and can be easily dissolved in warm liquids or soups.
Note: We add a precise amount of glycine to the flavored versions of Integrated Supplements CFM® Whey Protein Isolate. The glutathione-boosting properties of undenatured whey, combined with the protective anti-inflammatory effects of glycine, we feel, make it a product unmatched by any protein supplement available today.
Vitamins Can Reduce Pain and Inflammation
And no discussion of pain-reducing and tissue-building nutrients would be complete without taking a brief look at a supporting cast of vitamins. In these days of vitamin fortification and widespread supplement usage, it’s easy to develop a false sense of security with regard to our true vitamin status. Many people don’t realize that their vitamin requirements may be far greater than what they’ve been led to believe - and that vitamin deficiencies can and do still exist, even in those who take multivitamins. With vitamins playing such an important supporting role in all of the processes we’ve been speaking of, we simply cannot afford to come up short in any of them.
Here’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to some of the relevant research on sub-optimal vitamin intake as the cause of pain and inflammation:
Vitamin A
This study shows that inflammation causes the depletion of vitamin A:
Study Link - Acute Inflammation Induces Hyporetinemia and Modifies the Plasma and Tissue Response to Vitamin A Supplementation in Marginally Vitamin A-Deficient Rats.
B Vitamins
B vitamins are integral to proper energy production and nerve function. This study shows that B vitamins actually have a pain-reducing (antinociceptive) action:
Study Link - B vitamins induce an antinociceptive effect in the acetic acid and formaldehyde models of nociception in mice.
B vitamins, especially vitamin B-6, have been found to be lacking in people suffering from chronic fatigue:
Study Link - Vitamin B status in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Quote from the above study:
These data provide preliminary evidence of reduced functional B vitamin status, particularly of pyridoxine, in CFS [chronic fatigue syndrome] patients.
Vitamin C
As any nutrition textbook will attest, Vitamin C is integral to the production of collagen. And as we’ve seen, collagen production is often lacking in disorders associated with pain and inflammation. Recent research also suggests that Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) may reduce pain directly via its effects on the previously mentioned NMDA receptor.
Study Link - Evidence for the involvement of glutamatergic system in the antinociceptive effect of ascorbic acid.
Quote from the above study:
[Ascorbic acid] caused marked inhibition of nociceptive response induced by intrathecal injection of glutamate, NMDA, AMPA, kainate and substance P.
Vitamin D
Low levels of Vitamin D have been shown to worsen arthritis:
Study Link - Low Vitamin D Levels May Worsen Osteoarthritis Of The Knee.
And low Vitamin D levels (hypovitaminosis D) have commonly been linked with an increase in pain:
Study Link - Prevalence of severe hypovitaminosis D in patients with persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain.
Quote from the above study:
All patients with persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain are at high risk for the consequences of unrecognized and untreated severe hypovitaminosis D.
Study Link - Hypovitaminosis D-induced pain.
Quote from the above study:
A recent large study has shown the association between severe hypovitaminosis D and persistent, non-specific musculoskeletal pain, further suggesting that patients with no apparent cause of pain should be assessed and possibly treated for vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E has been shown to inhibit joint destruction in mouse models of rheumatoid arthritis:
Study Link - Vitamin E uncouples joint destruction and clinical inflammation in a transgenic mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis.
The Upward Spiral
We’ve seen how pain and inflammation rob our cells of the protective nutrients needed to produce energy properly, and that the result is a vicious downward spiral of reduced cellular energy, reduced cellular defenses, chronic inflammation, and constant pain.
But the nutrients and substances we’ve looked at here are the ones needed to stop and even reverse this downward spiral. Optimizing our sulfur intake is essential, and sulfur-containing proteins, especially whey protein isolate, are important for the production of glutathione. A constant supply of magnesium works to allow muscles and nerves to relax, and to inhibit the production of pain-causing chemicals. Gelatin can support healthy collagen production in our joints, and throughout our body. And gelatin, being the richest source of the anti-inflammatory, anti-pain amino acid glycine, may come with the added bonus of reducing inflammation as well.
These substances, and their vitamin and mineral co-factors work synergistically to reduce inflammation, reduce pain, and to restore the cellular energy needed for proper resistance to stress. The combination of these nutrients could very well be thought of as producing an “upward spiral” - steadily restoring cellular energy production and stimulating tissue repair, and regeneration.
About Us: At Integrated Supplements, our goal is to bring you the wellness information and products you need to live your life to the fullest. We are dedicated to producing the highest quality, all natural nutritional supplements; and to educating the world on the health promoting power of proper nutrition. You can find out more by visiting: www.IntegratedSupplements.com
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