Aging can be an intimidating life stage. We try desperately to hold onto the vigor of youth knowing that our bodies are eventually going to start declining and we may not ever be as healthy as we are now.

Naturally, finding solutions to prolong and maintain health is usually a top priority for adults that are starting to come to terms with their age.

One specific area of interest for this population is joints. Any location in your body where two or more bones meet to allow movement is considered a joint. In total, the human body has 360 joints where bones come together in various iterations, all playing an important role in mobility.

With so many of these features in our body, it is essential to know how to take care of them and promote better joint health. Since bones weaken over time, joints are often one of the first things to suffer as you get older.

Supplements are products that are not technically considered food, but they do perform a similar function in delivering vitamins and minerals for the body’s cells to use. What do supplements have to do with joint health?

Calcium

There are many supplements that can support overall health, but many of them are designed to target specific areas of the body. Calcium supplements are one of them.

Calcium is one of the most abundant minerals in the human body because it is present in bones. Consuming a diet that is rich in calcium helps maintain strong bones, as well as strong tissues at the joints that allow for better movement.

If you want to add even more calcium to your diet to enrich your bones and joints for optimal health, then a calcium supplement is a great way to achieve those goals. 

Curcumin

Curcumin is a common ingredient in joint health supplements. It can help manage oxidative and occasional stiffness, which is a very helpful feature when dealing with joints.

Those who exercise or are getting older can quickly benefit from what curcumin does for the body, reducing activity-induced soreness and inflammation around the joints.

The more you use your diet to support optimal joint health, the more you will see the advantages that nutrients like curcumin can provide.

Glucosamine

Glucosamine is a nutrient found naturally in the body. It plays an important role in creating the building blocks for joints, such as ligaments, tendons, and cartilage.

Together, these parts create the movement necessary for muscle operation, so it is clear that maintaining healthy glucosamine levels is crucial for healthy joints. For this reason, you may choose to take supplements that include this important ingredient.

There are many studies indicating that taking glucosamine can delay the breakdown of cartilage while also speeding up production of it.

If you are looking for ways to maintain joint health, then a glucosamine supplement could be the right choice for your goals. 

How NOT to Use Supplements

The above vitamins and minerals can certainly play a big role in supporting joint health, but it is very important to understand the nature of supplements.

They should never be used as a replacement for a balanced diet. Food is always going to be the superior delivery method for all vitamins and minerals, no matter how many nutrients are packed into a particular supplement product.

If you want to make supplements a big part of your diet, then you should first make sure that you are already eating balanced foods.

Then you can add supplements to your eating habits to further support your body’s health. Many people make the mistake of thinking that supplements can make up for gaps in the diet, and while this may be true when people are forced into diet limitations, it is not the most effective way to support wellness. 

Get your diet to a healthy place and then start adding supplements to provide additional nutrients to your cells. Focus on balanced eating before you start researching the best supplements for maintaining joint health. 

Combine with Exercise

This is important to understand in terms of overall health for your joints. While a healthy diet and supplements with the above ingredients can certainly position your joints well for long-term health, they also need to be exercised well.

The key is to moderate your physical activity based on the status of your joints. Are you in regular pain for certain joints? Then your exercises should not be too intense. Are you on the older side and worried about your joints becoming a bit fragile?

Then focus more on light exercises rather than powerlifting or intense contact sports for your movement.

The most effective way to take care of your joints, whether you are getting older or leading a very active lifestyle, is to combine healthy exercise with a balanced diet that delivers key nutrients.