Joint & Bone Health

Inflammation afflicts a wide swath of Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta), nearly 46 million people in the United States suffer from arthritis and painful joint swelling. But other conditions linked to inflammation, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and asthma, strike millions more and cost tens of billions of dollars per year to treat.

Lack of communication between doctors and patients poses a serious problem for the healthcare industry, especially when it comes to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM; Bethesda, MD), only about 12% of Americans who tried CAM between 1997 and 2004 consulted a licensed healthcare practitioner.

  First, the good news: Herbs are back. Frost & Sullivan’s (San Antonio, TX) latest research indicates that plant-based extracts and ingredients are generating strong interest around the globe. From North America and Europe to the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania, manufacturers are integrating botanicals into a multitude of supplements and functional foods.

Two new studies presented at this year’s meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (Atlanta) have raised hope that dietary supplements can play a greater role in helping people with osteoarthritis (OA) manage their pain. The studies, both of which were six-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, examined the effects of the supplement ingredients glucosamine and chondroitin. The results, while not conclusive, were promising enough to prompt both research teams to recommend that physicians discuss the supplements with their patients.

How will the new products fare in the market? That depends on how the science behind them stacks up. Here’s a look at the latest crop of ingredients to keep an eye on in 2006.

If recent newspaper headlines are any indication, there are good days ahead for bone and joint support products.

Dietary supplements cannot improve memory or mental acuity, but several new products offer support for those hoping to keep their faculties sharp for years to come.