Cissus Quadrangularis vs Glucosamine for Joint Pain?

knee joint pain

Glucosamine and cissus quadrangularis are both commonly used to reduce joint pain and improve mobility. People with ongoing joint pain often want to be able to remain active, and natural supplements are a great way to reduce pain and accomplish daily tasks. Glucosamine was long lauded as the best supplement for joint pain, but recently the extract of cissus quadrangularis, an herb from India, has gained popularity as an effective joint pain reliever.

What are Glucosamine and Cissus?

cissus quadrangularis
The cissus quadrangularis plant resembles a skinny cactus.

Glucosamine is an amino sugar that is found in shellfish, bone marrow, and fungi. It is made by hydrolyzing chitin, a structural component of cells. It is a precursor to glycosaminoglycans, which are key components of joint cartilage. Taking glucosamine may then help to repair damaged joints.

Cissus comes from the cissus quadrangularis plant, a member of the grape family that is found across Southeast Asia and Africa. It was often used in classical medicine to help heal injuries, and is taken as a supplement to aid in anything from healing broken bones to stopping gastric distress [1].

It helps to quicken the healing process because it has antibacterial and antifungal properties, and also works as an antioxidant. Cissus supplements taken for joint pain will help to improve joint function by lessening pain and revitalizing injured joints.

Cissus Quadrangularis vs Glucosamine?

jogging joint pain
Jogging can cause joint pain. Use supplements to counteract the effect.

Because glucosamine is found naturally in healthy cartilage, it makes sense to take for joint pain. Glucosamine supplements are a natural way to improve the quality of life for someone having joint problems. It is thought to be particularly effective for knee pain, and it is often taken with chondroitin, a compound derived from cartilage that allows for faster pain relief [2].

Cissus has many benefits, since it has so many uses. Besides relieving joint pain, it helps general healing processes and can relieve a variety of minor ailments. It has even been used for a weight loss supplement. Either supplement is great for joint pain relief, but cissus can also be used for other health benefits.

Taking Supplements for Joint Pain

Glucosamine is most effective in amounts of 500 mg 3 times daily, thought the full 1.5 gram amount can be taken at once. Cissus is recommended in amounts between 500 and 1000 mg, though it depends on the concentration of the plant extract. It is always best to start with a lower dosage, because cissus can take some time to have its full pain-relieving effect.

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874105006653
2. https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/glucosamine/NS_patient-glucosamine

Why the Body Plateaus And What To Do About It

plateaus can stop weightloss and muscle gain

You have probably heard of or even experienced plateaus. Plateauing is when whatever we have been doing to either lose weight or build muscle seems to suddenly stop working. This stall is despite the fact that you are still dieting and working out as hard as ever (maybe even harder!). What is going on here? There are a number of reasons why people reach plateaus and also ways to prevent and break free of these nasty situations.

Why Do We Plateau?

The human body loves balance. The body works hard to create a balance between energy (food) intake and output. When an exercise or diet program is first implemented, the body is shocked into making changes. You are essentially putting an overload of stress on the body and it is forced to adapt by losing weight and/or building muscle.

Unfortunately, this cannot last forever. The body eventually reaches a point where it has effectively compensated for the increased energy output. Once there are enough extra resources to handle the extra activity and stresses involved with the program, you will hit a plateau and then no more weight loss will occur for quite some time.

Preventing Plateaus:

The key concept to remember in terms of weight loss and muscle building is that everything works (for a while) and variety is the spice of life. Plateaus can be prevented with proper planning. This involves not eating the same foods each day. It is also helpful to vary caloric intake slightly from one day to the next.

In terms of exercise, vary your routines as well. Use both strength and aerobic routines and make sure to periodically change what you are doing. This might mean adding new exercises or performing sets in a different way. You might even be able to perform exercises at a different speed or in a slightly different range of motion. The bottom line is to keep your body guessing. Do not allow your system to accurately guess what might be coming next. Doing so can certainly prevent the body from becoming comfortable and will force it to continue losing weight and/or building muscle.

Breaking Free Of Plateaus:

If you are currently experiencing a plateau, the good news is that you can break free quite easily. What you need to do is change the overall environment or circumstances. This could mean increasing activity levels, decreasing overall caloric intake, or changing around your entire exercise program or routine. Basically, you need to try shocking your body once again in order to make it think that more stress is coming and it needs to prepare.