Did you know that some plants are actually really good for joint health? These plants are researched for their excellent medicinal properties to improve joint mobility, reduce pain and inflammation.
If you search “What is resin?” on Google, you may see images of thick, sticky substances oozing out from tree barks. This substance is known as “tree resin”, which is widely used for multiple purposes, such as in the making of perfumes and cosmetics. Tree resins have been around for ages, and people have used them for medicine for just as long. Today, we'll be taking a closer look at one particular resin called Indian Frankincense, also known as Boswellia Serrata, and its potential benefits for keeping joints healthy.
Indian Frankincense, produced as resin from the stem of the Boswellia Serrata tree.
Boswellia Serrata is a tree that grows in the dry mountainous regions of India, Northern Africa and the Middle East¹. The resin from the stem of Boswellia Serrata is known as Indian Frankincense, which has been clinically shown to help protect joint cartilage, slow down the wear and tear of our joints and reduce inflammation².
Indian Frankincense Protects the Joint Cartilage
We use our joints every single day for movement. This results in the gradual wear and tear of the cartilage at our joints as our bone ends rub against each other. Our joints may also become inflamed as a result.
Indian Frankincense helps to protect our cartilage from these inflammatory damage hence allowing the cartilage to recover and rebuild. It is also able to increase the production of an important substance called Glycosaminoglycans (GAG) which improves our joints’ ability to carry weight, including the weight of our own body³. Overall, Indian Frankincense protects our cartilage from damage and improves GAG production to improve joint function², helping our joint cartilage to rebuild and recover effectively.
Indian Frankincense slows down wear and tear of joints
Our joints undergo wear and tear over time due to our daily movements and this results in the gradual loss of joint cartilage essential to cushion the bones. This sets off a vicious cycle whereby the deterioration of joint cartilage leads to symptoms such as pain and inflammation of the joints.
Under such inflammatory conditions, our joint cartilage responds by producing a substance called “MMP-3” that unfortunately causes further joint degradation, adding on to the usual wear and tear. Indian Frankincense is able to stop MMP-3 production, hence slowing down the wear and tear of our joints².
Indian Frankincense reduces joint inflammation
Joints can be inflamed due to several reasons such as injuries, swelling, arthritis, etc. During inflammation, inflammatory cells are transported to the joints and this can lead to further joint damage.
Indian Frankincense is able to stop the transportation of these pro-inflammatory cells to the joints, thus preventing potential inflammation⁴.
Indian Frankincense can help to slow cartilage degradation and reduce inflammation in the joints.
The Achilles heel of Indian Frankincense
Indeed, Indian Frankincense possesses great medicinal effects in managing joint issues, but its effectiveness is unfortunately limited due to its low bioavailability – it is usually poorly absorbed and thus, difficult to be used by the human body.
As a result, researchers have tried to come up with new formulations of Indian Frankincense that have increased bioavailability, one such improved formulation being AFLAPIN™ that is used in Ginflex®.
AFLAPIN™ differs from the normal Indian Frankincense as it contains Boswellia Serrata non-volatile oil. The addition of this non-volatile oil helps to increase its absorption and confer higher bioavailability. AFLAPIN™ also contains more of the active compound in Indian Frankincense, hence increasing its medicinal effects and leading to greater health benefits.
AFLAPIN™ is the superior Boswelia Serrata extract as it has higher bioavalibility, proven to provide relief within 5-7 days⁴'⁵.
Hence, AFLAPIN™’s therapeutic effects are more potent than the usual Boswellia Serrata extracts. Multiple clinical studies also show that AFLAPIN™’s effects are seen as early as 5 to 7 days⁴'⁵. This provides quick relief of joint symptoms, significantly reducing pain in patients.
AFLAPIN™ is also able to synergize with other natural ingredients to bring about greater benefit to the joints. In this manner, these natural plant extracts can work together to maximize their medicinal benefits in relieving joint pain and inflammation.
AFLAPIN™ can be found in health supplements such as Ginflex® which is scientifically formulated with 4 plant based ingredients to optimize joint health and is widely used by Orthopedic doctors in Singapore.
Stick around for next week’s article where we talk about other natural plant based ingredients that can help you with your joints!
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Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational or educational purposes only, and does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals. The disclaimer also provides that no warranties are given in relation to the medical information supplied in the article, and that no liability will accrue to Miraco Nutripharm Pte Ltd or any affiliated authors in the event that a user suffers any loss as a result of reliance upon the information.