Is green tea good for my joints?

Although it’s too soon to recommend green tea to promote the health of your joints, exciting new research suggest the compounds in green tea may influence how joint cells respond to environmental damage. Read on for an update on the recent research and additional suggestions for keeping your joints healthy.

The joint power of green tea

Researchers recently studied the effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), one of the primary constituents in green tea, and its effect on joint cells. Scientists exposed two sets of joint cells to a chemical known to damage the cells. One set of cells was treated with EGCG, whereas the other set was not. The lab tests showed that EGCG blocked a chemical chain reaction linked to joint damage. In fact, the highest tested dose of ECGC virtually halted the chemically induced joint damage.^1†

How much green tea is needed for joint health

These recent findings support earlier experimental studies in cell cultures² and animals³ where green tea was shown to protect joint cells. While these studies don't show how much green tea would be needed to achieve joint health protection, already promising research indicates that 3 bags of green tea daily (steeped for 5 minutes in 2 cups hot water) or an equivalent green tea extract (ie, providing at least 190 mg EGCG daily) offers antioxidant protection,^4,5 which is important in protecting the body’s cells against the oxidative damage caused by a variety of environmental influences.^†

Tips for keeping your joints healthy

Here are my five need-to-have guidelines to help keep your joints nourished and flexible:

 

• Regular physical activity. Exercise is important for healthy joints, but be sure to see your physician before beginning a regular exercise regimen.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Those extra pounds increase the amount of stress placed on your joints, which can lead to discomfort and impaired mobility over time.
• Proper nutrition. A variety of vitamins and minerals are needed to spark the chemical reactions that synthesize and renew cartilage, collagen and other joint components. Be sure to eat a balanced diet and regularly consume a multivitamin, such as Natrol® My Favorite Multiple® Original to help ensure sufficient amounts of all essential nutrients.^†
• Balance fat intake. Too many “bad” fats and not enough “healthy” fats in the diet can make the body produce inflammatory compounds that can affect joint comfort. Eat omega-3 rich fatty fish (eg, salmon, trout, herring, tuna, mackerel, sardines) at least 1-2 times weekly; reduce your intake of foods high in saturated fat (eg, red meat, whole milk, butter, cream, cheese, etc) and eliminate margarine, vegetable shortening, all partially hydrogenated oils, and all foods that might contain trans-fatty acids (such as deep-fried foods and many processed foods). Use extra-virgin olive oil as your main fat.
• Nourish with joint health nutrients. For extra joint health protection, consider Natrol’s innovative product, Omega-3 Glucosamine , which combines the most beneficial ingredients shown to assist with joint care — glucosamine and chondroitin — with a concentrated dose of the omega-3 fats, EPA and DHA.^†

References

1. Ahmed S, Pakozdi A, Koch A. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) inhibits IL-1ß-induced IL-6 production and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts in vitro. FASEB J. 2007;21:101.7
2. Adcocks C, Collin P, Buttle DJ. Catechins from green tea (Camellia sinensis) inhibit bovine and human cartilage proteoglycan and type II collagen degradation in vitro. J Nutr. 2002;132:341-346.
3. Haqqi TM, Anthony DD, Gupta S, et al. Prevention of collagen-induced arthritis in mice by a polyphenolic fraction from green tea. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1999;96:4524-4529.
4. Henning SM, Niu Y, Lee NH, et al. Bioavailability and antioxidant activity of tea flavanols after consumption of green tea, black tea, or a green tea extract supplement. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;80:1558-1564.
5. Leenen R, Roodenburg AJ, Tijburg LB, et al. A single dose of tea with or without milk increases plasma antioxidant activity in humans. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2000;54:87-92.

^† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.