A while back I got contacted by LithoLexal, a brand that creates supplements to support joint and bone health. I was really interested in learning more about them as I’ve suffered from knee injuries in the past and since then my knees have never been the same.
Knee pain and discomfort is something that I regularly experience but I just get on with it without thinking too much about it.
I’ve learnt to keep discomfort in control by regularly exercising (very important for joints!) and by being extra careful when performing certain moves to avoid any further injuries. However, if I could do something to improve the condition of my knees I would, so when I discovered LithoLexal I decided to give them a try and see whether their supplements will help my knees to improve. I’ve been taking LithoLexal Joint Health Advanced supplement for around 6 weeks now and here is what I really thought of it.
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What is LithoLexal Joint Health Advanced?
LithoLexal Joint Health Advanced is one of the supplements created by a brand LithoLexal with others being Litholexal® Osteoporotic Bone Health and Litholexal® Elemental Bone Care.
LithoLexal® Joint Health Advanced has been designed specifically to help maintain normal cartilage throughout life and it’s formulated for both women and men of all ages.
The supplement helps to enhance the joint repair process and it’s scientifically formulated to reduce inflammation and support natural cartilage formation.
The evidence-based clinically-proven formulation works to improve pain, stiffness and mobility of joints. This has been proven in a 12-week placebo-controlled clinical trial which compared the effects of LithoLexal® monotherapy to glucosamine.
LithoLexal® products are different from traditional calcium supplements which are rock-based and hard for the body to absorb easily and effectively. LithoLexal® is the only range of bone and joint health natural supplements containing a unique marine plant-based extract, which is completely different from the rock-based ingredient used in all generic calcium products.
LithoLexal Joint Health Advanced is an award-winning supplement which won the Healthy Ageing Award – Ingredient of the Year in 2016.
LITHOLEXAL JOINT HEALTH ADVANCED – INGREDIENTS
Here is a breakdown of the key ingredients that you will find in LithoLexal Advanced Joint Health supplement:
LithoLexal® – fractionated marine extract with high bioavailability and bioactivity.
Vercilexal® – fish cartilage proteoglycans.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
Vitamin C is an important antioxidant needed by every tissue in the body. In relation to joint health, it helps to manufacture collagen which is the main ingredient of all connective tissues – ligament, tendon, bone and skin.
According to Arthritis Foundation, the right amount of vitamin C may help prevent some forms of arthritis but if you consume too much, this may have a negative effect on certain types of arthritis.
You will have an increased need for vitamin C if you are stressed, take the contraceptive pill or aspirin, drink alcohol regularly and you smoke. Those living or working in polluted areas will also have increased requirements since carbon monoxide (from car exhaust fumes) is able to destroy vitamin C rapidly.
Calcium
Calcium is a macromineral essential for the formation of bones and teeth. It’s also required for muscular contraction and necessary for blood clotting and blood-pressure regulation.
Calcium deficiency can lead to thin and brittle bones because calcium is so important to so many vital biochemical body processes that your body will take it from your bones if required. If calcium taken from the bones is not replaced by calcium-rich foods or supplements, this can eventually result in osteoporosis. When supplementing with calcium it’s important to choose a good quality multivitamin/multimineral complex as calcium works together with other vitamins/minerals such as magnesium and vitamin D.
Although calcium is found in a variety of foods and many people get enough through their diet, some people don’t eat enough calcium-rich foods and should consider supplementing. If you follow a vegan diet, for example, see whether you would benefit from supplementing but seek advice from a qualified nutritionist first.
Older women (above 50) are often recommended to supplement and people on very low-fat diets would also benefit from supplementing due to impairment of calcium absorption.
Magnesium
Magnesium works in combination with calcium to keep bones healthy. It also has other functions such as energy production, muscular function and hormonal activity.
Magnesium deficiency is extremely common in the UK and the US, particularly in elderly people and women during the premenstrual period. Some of the deficiency symptoms include muscle cramps, sugar cravings, fatigue and nervousness. If the deficiency is not treated, over time this increases susceptibility to several diseases including heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney stones and cancer.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium, magnesium and other minerals. It’s important for the healthy formation of bones and teeth.
Many people in the UK are deficient, even in the summer months and are recommended to supplement. Deficiency symptoms include bone pain, muscular weakness and osteoporosis.
Manganese
This is an essential trace mineral important for energy production, thyroid function and protein and carbohydrate metabolism. Manganese is also involved in bone formation and muscular contraction.
Manganese deficiency leads to abnormal bone and cartilage growth as well as a degeneration of the vertebral disks. Manganese may prevent osteoporosis.
Ingredient List (in full):
LithoLexal® (fractionated marine extract), ascorbic acid, Vercilexal® (fish cartilage proteoglycans), manganese sulphate, cholecalciferol, bulking agents (microcrystalline cellulose; crosslinked sodium carboxy methyl cellulose), glazing agents (magnesium salts of fatty acids; hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose; glycerol).
How to use LithoLexal Joint Health Advanced
It’s recommended to take 2 tablets a day, one in the morning with breakfast and one in the evening after dinner. Make sure you don’t take the supplement together with tea or coffee as this will impact the absorption of minerals into your body.
LithoLexal Joint Health Advanced – My experience and honest review
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I started taking LithoLexal Joint Health Advanced in the hope that it will help to improve the condition of my knees. My knees are really creaky and the cartilage is damaged. This is due to age (I’m in my mid-30s now) but also due to old injuries (bad dancing move). I’ve been told that I also have some bone spurs which were created after the knee injury (visible on the MRI scan).
In the past, I visited many different physiotherapists to try and fix my knee pain and after many years I finally reached the stage when I was happy with the way things were. I was able to exercise ok (although with caution) and occasional knee pain wasn’t affecting my life.
Now, to keep my knees pain-free (most of the time), I have to exercise regularly which works very well but this doesn’t eliminate the discomfort I get when, for example, keeping my legs crossed for too long, when squatting or when sleeping in certain positions. I was really interested to see whether LithoLexal Joint Health Advanced would help at all with any of these issues. I was also hoping that it would help to reduce creakiness in my knees.
I haven’t been taking the supplement for 2 months yet but I am almost there. I haven’t noticed any drastic changes in the condition of my knees which is understandable as any major changes will take time to develop, especially when it comes to knee cartilage. I was told by a physiotherapist that knee cartilage doesn’t repair itself that easily due to limited blood flow and once there is damage, it will stay with you all your life. I still have hope though that my knee cartilage will repair itself somehow or with help from supplements such as LithoLexal.
To know whether there’s been any improvement in my knee cartilage since taking LithoLexal, it’s impossible – I would have to have an MRI scan before and after to see how much LithoLexal actually helps. But I also believe that taking the supplement for a longer period of time would probably make more difference.
Anyhow, the only thing I’ve noticed since supplementing with LithoLexal was when I was walking for hours and hours every day over a period of one week – I was surprised to see that my knees were doing quite well.
Just to mention that I am normally fine when I walk for an hour or two, I don’t get any discomfort but walking for longer does affect my knees and at some point, they will start to complain and I would have to rest. But recently, I didn’t get any of these and I was walking a lot without any major issues. I did get a bit of discomfort, but not a lot and this didn’t stop me from continuing to walk for longer.
I don’t know whether the improvement is due to the supplement or my regular exercise regime, it’s difficult to say but it’s very likely that this supplement has helped. I will continue taking it to see whether I notice any more improvements.
It doesn’t seem that LithoLexal helped with creakiness of my knees though or discomfort which I experience in certain positions, but I don’t know, maybe this will change in the near future when I take the supplement for a little bit longer.
Does LithoLexal have any side effects?
I have personally not noticed any side effects but people need to be made aware of the consequences when consuming too much calcium. Taking supplements you don’t need may actually have adverse effects on your health so it’s worth consulting your doctor first, to make sure you don’t affect your health negatively.
According to LithoLexal, there has been no reported side effects related to taking LithoLexal® therapy by patients over the past several years. Furthermore, there have not been any dropouts due to intolerance reported during the LithoLexal® clinical trials. The LithoLexal supplements are considered safe and well tolerated.
However, if you are allergic to fish you should avoid using this supplement and also you should not take this supplement in conjunction with glucosamine as this will make the supplement less efficient.
Final thoughts
I believe that LithoLexal Joint Health Advanced supplement is worth trying although it may take some time before you notice any difference. Do give it a go especially if you feel your diet is lacking the nutrients you need to keep your joints healthy and you have old injuries or you are reaching an age when supplementation is recommended for joint health.
I think it’s always good to consult your doctor before taking any supplements like this one, just to make sure it doesn’t interact with any medication you are already taking.
Where to buy
LithoLexal Joint Health Advanced is available to buy directly on LithoLexal website but you can also find it on Amazon, Holland & Barrett and other retailers.
Full Disclosure: This post was created in collaboration with LithoLexal who sent me LithoLexal Joint Health Advanced supplement to test and review in this post. All views and opinions expressed are my own.
References
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/calcium-supplements
Mortimore, D. (2002) The Complete Illustrated Guide to Vitamins and Minerals. HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.
