Most of the ingredients in Dr. Joints are hidden within a proprietary blend. Here at Center TRT, we’re not fans of proprietary blends because we want to know what we’re putting in our bodies, and we’re pretty sure that everyone else feels the same way. Proprietary blends make it impossible to accurately assess the dosages of ingredients. Apart from FruiteX-B, which is featured at the maximum legal dosage of 220mg, we have no idea how much of anything is included in Dr. Joints. Therefore, we cannot know how effective or safe this joint supplement is.
The only indication we have regarding the amounts of each ingredient is where they appear on the list. In most countries, it is a legal requirement to list ingredients on the basis of the amount, starting with the highest. Based on this, we know that in Dr. Joints the highest-dosed ingredient is glucosamine and lowest is yucca root. Beyond that, it’s all guesswork.
Calcium Fructoborate (FruiteX-B) (220mg) - Identical to the borate carbohydrate complex found in many healthy foods, calcium fructoborate contains roughly 2.9% boron, 4.7% calcium, and 84.2% fructose [1]. Research into calcium fructoborate has indicated its usefulness in treating inflammation and as pain relief for osteoarthritis disorders [2].
Proprietary blend ingredients, in order of appearance:
Glucosamine Sulfate - Glucosamine is commonly prescribed for joint-related health issues in Europe and is readily available over the counter in the US. Glucosamine comes in two varieties: glucosamine sulfate and glucosamine chondroitin. The first is made from shell fish and the second from cow cartilage. The first type, glucosamine sulfate, has been shown to be effective at treating osteoarthritis and is a solid ingredient for a joint supplement. However, glucosamine chondroitin has been shown to be even more effective as the addition of chondroitin boosts the effectiveness of the glucosamine. Dr. Joints has failed to include the most effective variety and, in addition, we have no way of knowing for sure if it is included in a high enough dosage, although being at the top of the list it is possible.
Cetyl-Myristoleate - This may help to alleviate symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis by acting as lubrication for the joints and as an anti-inflammatory. However, there is currently a lack of serious studies proving its effectiveness conducted on humans. In addition, it is still unclear what an effective dose would be and whether Dr. Joints includes that dose.
Bromelain - An enzyme derived from pineapple plants, Bromelain is associated with a variety of health benefits, including the reduction of inflammation, particularly inflammation of the sinuses. It has also been shown to be effective against osteoarthritis, with studies demonstrating a decrease in swelling and joint stiffness [3]. Recommended doses range from 40-400mg, which is not especially useful information considering that Dr. Joints hides the dose included from us. However, it’s reasonable to assume based on bromelain being the third ingredient in this proprietary blend, that it may be reasonably dosed.
Boswellia Serrata Gum - Traditionally used to treat chronic inflammatory illnesses, recent research suggests boswellia can indeed be effective against rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. It has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and if taken at a dose of 300-400mg per day can alleviate symptoms and improve flexibility.
Turmeric Root - Now a mainstay of joint supplements, turmeric root is famous for its anti-inflammatory capabilities. It is important to note that its effectiveness depends largely on the curcumin content of the turmeric used. Since Dr. Joints doesn’t share this information with us, it’s hard to judge how effective this turmeric will be for joints, but since it does not list the turmeric as an extract we can assume it is very low in curcumin as the average is about 20% and considering you’d need 500mg of curcumin, it’s functionally impossible that Dr Joints has even close to enough.
Chicken Sternal Collagen Type II - Collagen Type II is generally acknowledged to be an effective joint supplement thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have demonstrated its ability to reduce symptoms in people suffering from osteoarthritis and rheumatism. Only a small dose—around 40mg—is required and therefore it is likely Dr. Joints has a sufficient amount.
Chondroitin Sulfate - The other side of the glucosamine and chondroitin equation, chondroitin supports the effectiveness of glucosamine. However, we would expect to see it a little higher on this list, as a suitable dose is around 250mg. It is unlikely that Dr. Joints contains enough. What’s more, it is more effective when used as a compound, as in glucosamine chondroitin, rather than two separate suplfates.
Devil’s Claw Root Extract - There is promising lab evidence to suggest devils claw is an anti-inflammatory with the potential to ease joint inflammation by blocking certain pathways. However, more information is needed to confirm preliminary findings and studies on humans are currently lacking. In addition to this, effective doses are thought to be in the 500-1,500mg per day, which means Dr. Joints is highly unlikely to contain anywhere near enough.
Methyl Sulfonyl Methane (MSM) - MSM is a reasonable ingredient to include in a joint supplement, with studies suggesting considerable effectiveness for the treatment of osteoarthritis. An effective dose can be as little as 50mg, which means Dr. Joints might include enough.
Yucca Root - Yucca might have anti-arthritic properties, but more evidence is needed to confirm the initial findings [4].
References
1. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/6661
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4930945/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC538506/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1440857/