Joint Construction Complex - 3,000 MG
Glucosamine
Glucosamine is a supplement found in shellfish that studies show can aid with joint pain. It is able to do this as it can stop the collagen that cartilage is made of from degrading or slow the process down. This also makes it very useful to help stop osteoarthritis from progressing (1).
Unfortunately, for glucosamine sulphate to be effective 1,500 mg must be consumed. Unless it's all glucosmanine HCL, however, animal flex shows that it's a mix of the two. So there could be enough here, we expect they've gone for the cheaper glucosamine sulphate, or why bother including it at all when HCL is simply a purer version.
While the proprietary blend hides the exact dose of glucosamine present in Animal Flex, it is likely it will be enough, as it's listed as the top ingredient, however if there is enough in here, then it means there isn't enough MSM which needs 3000mg. And with the whole blend containing 3000mg, the total of 4500mg for the two ingredients simply don't fit.
Methylsulfonlymethane (MSM)
MSM is found in green fruits, plants, and vegetables and is high in sulfur. It has antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties similar to glucosamine sulfate and can ease the symptoms of osteoarthritis, improve joint health, and offer other antioxidant properties to the body (2).
The dose used is again an issue though. As the entire Animal Flex Joint Construction Complex blend weighs 3,000 mg, it is impossible for it to contain the 3,000 mg daily dose of MSM required for it to be effective. As above, either there's enough MSM or glucosamine in animal flex, but there can't be both.
Chondroitin Sulfate A & C
Chondroitin is a substance that occurs naturally in the human body and is one of the main components of cartilage. Supplementing with chondroitin can be useful for helping to ease joint pain and stiffness, as well as relieving the symptoms of osteoarthritis (3).
Different chondroitin sulfates can have different effects, with chondroitin a being the most effective for its collagen boosting properties, but also potentially being capable of causing the greatest catabolic effect (4).
The Animal Flex Joint Construction Complex proprietary blend therefore not only makes it impossible to know how much chondroitin is present overall but also what balance of the different types of chondroitin are included. That said, chondroitin really only works to support glucosamine, and once again, there has to be at least one of the ingredients that doesn't fit.
If we're being incredibly charitable, there could be 600mg of glucosamine HCL 2350mg of MSM which would give us close to the right amounts of these ingredients. It would mean the rest are pointless however. This wouldn't be terrible, but it would be a lot better if they just put the right doses of the two ingredients.
Joint Lubrication Complex - 1,000 MG
Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed oil is obtained from the seeds of the flax plant and is commonly used in supplements due to it containing alpha linoleic acid. This can help with blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol regulation, and is useful for treating things like diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
However, flax seed oil needs to be consumed in daily doses between 15 and 50 grams to be effective (5). This means even a proprietary blend can't hide the fact that there isn't enough present, as the entire Animal Flex Joint Lubrication Complex blend weighs just a single gram. Other omega oils as we mentioned in the intro are made of DHA and EPA right from the off, meaning that you don't need to intake nearly as much.
The most annoying thing about the choice of flax, is that Animal flex isn't actually vegan, which is really the only reason to choose flax seed over another omega source.
Cetyl Myristoleate
Cetyl myristoleate is an ester featuring a monounsaturated fatty acid and alcohol. Studies have shown it has the ability to lubricate joints and reduce inflammation, while helping to treat fibromyalgia, arthritis, and other musculoskeletal conditions (6).
With 250 mg daily of cetyl myristoleate being needed to be effective, it is possible it is the first ingredient there is enough of in Animal Flex to be of use. That said, with it once again hidden in the Joint Lubrication Complex blend with other ingredients, it is still impossible to know.
Joint Support Complex - 1,000 MG
Ginger Root
Ginger root is widely used as a supplement for its powerful antioxidant and inti-inflammatory properties. It can help to prevent oxidative damage to the joints, lower cholesterol, enhance the immune system, and encourage better digestive health.
It is also added to supplements for its ability to enhance the bioavailability of the other ingredients in them as well (7).
Unfortunately, at least 3 grams of ginger is required daily for it to be effective. With the entire Animal Flex Joint Support Complex weighing just a gram itself, it is simply impossible for it to contain enough to be of use. To make matters worse, there are options available and competitors do use them, they are however a bit more expensive as the extracts are patented. For example eurovita 77 an extract of the active ingredients in ginger (ginsenosides) can be dosed in 255mg and have the same effect.
Turmeric Root
Turmeric root has been widely used for decades as it contains curcumin, which is an amazing anti-inflammatory and a rich source of antioxidants. It can completely neutralise free radicals in our body, preventing them from causing damage to our cartilage, joints, and organs (8).
For this to be effective though, 1,500 mg of turmeric must be consumed each day. As the Joint Support Complex blend in Animal Flex only weighs 1,000 mg itself, it simply can't contain enough curcumin to be of use. In the same way as ginger, they could've used a pure curcumin extract to have gotten around this problem.
Boswellia Serrata Extract
Boswellia Serrata Extract is a gum obtained from a tree better known as frankincense. Long used in ayurvedic medicine, it is thought to offer benefits such as reducing joint inflammation, relieving the symptoms of osteoarthritis, and even easing swelling of the brain (9).
Unfortunately, most studies are in the early stages, and none of these benefits have been proven conclusively. Even still this isn't a bad inclusion in the Joint Support Complex in Animal Flex, the dose is probably fine and boswellia serrata is in a lot of the other best joint pain supplements.
Quercetin
Quercetin is a bioflavonoid found in fruits and vegetables like apples and onions. Studies have shown that it can have anti inflammatory, anti oxidant, and anti artherogenic effects on cells, however these don't translate well to living humans, as it has low bioavailability.
Even for the minimal effects it can have though, between 1,136 and 2,272 mg must be ingested each day to achieve them (10). This is far beyond what could be in the 1,000 mg blend present in Animal Flex.
Bromelain
Bromelain is an enzyme found in pineapples which can promote digestion and protein metabolism in the stomach, ease heartburn, provide nasal decongestion, boost the immune system, and function as an anti inflammatory pain reliever.
Daily doses of between 200 and 2,000 mg are required to produce these effects. This means even if there is enough present in Animal Flex (and in this case there probably is) to be of some use, the benefits will be on the lower end of the spectrum. Again it's another good ingredient for joint supplements, but it's more of a "b tier" ingredient, we like to see it, but it isn't a backbone ingredient.
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