The use of Nutraceuticals in Osteoarthritis and joint pain. The case of NEOFLEX

Arthritis, with its most common form called osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease. It occurs most frequently in the hips, and knees. It can also affect the spine and the hands. This disease establishes itself with aging where the cartilage within a joint begins to break down and the underlying bone begins to change. This leads to pain in the affected joints during or after movement, and stiffness becomes perceptible when the person wakes up or after being inactive for a while. The changes in the cartilage lead also to swelling of the joint, tenderness and loss of flexibility. Once the diagnosis is done, people affected with OA are advised to stay active and exercise regularly, lose weight (especially of OA affects spine, hips or knees) and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Anti-inflammatories, pain killers, some food supplements with anti-inflammation properties are usually prescribed to people suffering from OA. Among these are paracetamol and commonly purchased prescription or over the counter NSAIDS such as diclofenac, ibuprofen or others. These unfortunately may not be suitable for people with asthma, angina, history of stroke or heart disease, ulcers or other gastrointestinal problems. Opioids such as codeine are also administered. Opioids can help relieve severe pain, but can also cause side effects such as drowsiness, nausea and constipation. To circumvent some of the adverse effects of NSAIDs, many healthcare providers are now leaning towards prescribing food supplements with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties to these patients. Among these nutraceuticals are curcumin (turmeric) and harpagophytum. But do all nutraceuticals bring benefit and show efficacy? Are curcumin and harpagophytum absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and reach the blood and secure a good bioavailability to bring pain killing effect or reduce inflammation? Of course not. In Neoflex, Curcumin and Harpagophytum are unique in their active ingredients formulation and display excellent absorption and efficacy properties. Indeed, extracts from curcumin containing the full bouquet of curcuminoids are embedded into a lipid matrix called phytosome. This natural and food grade delivery system enables curcuminoids to bypass gastric juice without being degraded and hence get fully absorbed from the intestinal tract. On the other hand, harpagosides, the active parts from harpagophytum, are extracted and treated in a way that targets a very high titration of these active ingredients that would protect the cartilage cells (chondrocytes) from progressive destruction through providing lubrification and anti-inflammatory activity. While devoid of known the side-effects of NSAIDs, Neoflex treats the OA by reducing the inflammation of the joint and by helping regenerating the cartilage.