Dr. Ron Blankstein

Oh My Aching… (Fill In The Blank)



Posted: Monday, March 15, 2010

by Dr. Ron Blankstein
Chesapeake Nutraceuticals

That's what you might be muttering to yourself if you have arthritis. It can affect any of your joints hands, shoulders, knees, etc. And it can range from a bit of stiffness to a disabling misery.

The term "arthritis" actually encompasses over 100 types of disorders and rheumatoid conditions, but the common denominator is inflammation of a joint. It is the most prevalent cause of disability in the U.S. where nearly 1 in 5 adults 46 million people are afflicted with it. (1)

General Types

Osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis. The cartilage in the joint breaks down due to injury or wear and tear, causing the bones to rub together. This leads to pain, stiffness and eventual loss of motion in the joint.(2)

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease affecting the synovium (lining) of the joints. It is often hereditary and can affect anyone of any age.(3)

And then there's the 100 other variations of arthritis you get the idea.

Natural Compound Of Interest

With the widespread prevalence of arthritis, there are many treatment options available: everything from herbs and lifestyle adjustments to drugs and surgery. Science is always on the lookout for newer and more advanced remedies.

One promising development that has been the subject of recent research is the plant compound Resveratrol (RSV). It is found in peanuts and some red fruits like plums and berries, but mostly in grape skins and red wine.

The resveratrol in red wine is the infamous plant substance credited with the "French Paradox", so-named because the French have a low incidence of heart attack despite their generally high-fat diet. The RSV in the red wine they have with meals apparently has a protective effect.(4)

RSV To the Rescue Again

Besides the documented anti-oxidant and antibiotic properties of RSV,(5) it is proving to be an exceptional anti-inflammatory. And that has led researchers to investigating it for relief of arthritis symptoms.

One of the features of Inflammatory Arthritis (IA) is the activation of something called nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) in the synovial lining of the joint. In laboratory tests, arthritic subjects were injected with RSV once daily for two weeks and compared to non-treated arthritic subjects. Results showed that the RSV group had much less cartilage damage and synovial inflammation.(6) This was due to the ability of RSV to inhibit NF-kappaB activation.

Another study showed that RSV is very effective in blocking the activation of the COX-2 gene, a protein that promotes inflammation and causes arthritis pain. Researchers concluded that resveratrol may turn out to be an improvement on aspirin for arthritis pain relief.(7)

Yet another study cited RSV as an "inexpensive, natural product that can modulate inflammatory responses, but lack side effects, (constituting a) goldmine' for the treatment of arthritis".(8)

This is exciting news for us in the alternative health field, but I cannot recommend that you start drinking red wine to get RSV in your diet. It would take 1,000 glasses a day to get a protective dose,(9) so that's not a practical solution. However, you can easily get powerful protection with ResQ10, my high-potency liquid formula that contains 50 mg of resveratrol in every dose. I urge you to see the details for yourself at http://www.chesapeakenutraceuticals.com/resq10.html.

Before you make any actual changes to your diet, exercise or supplement regimen, please consult with your health care provider.

Sources:

  1. "Arthritis", National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Sep 16, 2009
  2. "About Osteoarthritis", Arthritis Foundation, arthritis.org
  3. "About Osteoarthritis", Arthritis Foundation, arthritis.org
  4. "Red Wine Mist? Resveratrol Shows Potential Effects Against COPD, Asthma, Arthritis", The American Physiological Society, Science Daily, Nov 1, 2004
  5. "Red Wine: Nature's Source for Resveratrol and Polyphenols, Smart Publications, smart-publications.com
  6. Elmali N, Baysal O, Harma A, Esenkaya I, Mizrak B, "Effects of resveratrol in inflammatory arthritis", Inflammation, 2007 Apr 30 (1-2):1-6
  7. McIlwain H, Bruce D, "The Pain-Free Arthritis Diet", buzzle.com editorial, 10/4/2003
  8. Khanna D, Sethi G, Ahn KS, Pandev MK, Kunnumakkara AB, Sung G, Aggarwal A, Aggarwal BB, "natural products as a gold mine for arthritis treatment", Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2007 Jun; 7(3):344-51
  9. http://newsweek.com/id/44002

Dr. Blankstein has been practicing for over 30 years as a leading Cardiologist.

Trained in traditional medicine and Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, he knows the importance of good medical care. This consideration has allowed him to discover safe and natural ways of healing. His dedication to bringing the latest and best in health solutions to his patients and the public has given him the experience to research and develop proven natural remedies for many illnesses.

© 2009 Chesapeake Nutraceuticals

Reprint of this article, in whole or in part, digital or otherwise, is permitted provided that author by-lines are kept intact and unchanged and include an active link to http://www.chesapeakenutraceuticals.com.

 

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