Devil's Claw

"If you don't use it, you lose it," the saying goes. And indeed, if you don't move enough, you damage your bones and joints. Regular exercise that challenges the joints but does not place one-sided strain or permanently overload them promotes the production of synovial fluid (synovia) . It forms a protective lubricating film between the harder parts of the joints and prevents the bones from rubbing against each other. The synovial fluid also supplies the cartilage with Oxygen and nutrients and transports waste products from the highly complex joint system. This is particularly important because healthy cartilage also functions as a shock absorber for the joints. If it degenerates, inflammation, chronic pain and restricted mobility occur where bones collide. This also affects the muscles, as the muscles in question can shorten over time if the posture is protective.

Unfortunately, we usually only realise how important smoothly functioning joints are when problems arise. Suddenly, motor skills are less supple, we adopt protective postures to avoid pain during certain movements, which only exacerbates the problem. Especially from a certain age, joint care plays a major role. When we are young, the body forgives a lot. But over the years, the body's ability to supply the joint cartilage with sufficient important substances diminishes. Overwork, overweight, lack of exercise and unbalanced diet play a role in this process.

Poorly supplied cartilage “dries out”, becomes cracked and eventually regresses. This means that the shock absorber between the bones disappears. They rub against each other and lead to joint pain and ultimately to arthrosis. If the joints are to function smoothly, in addition to plenty of exercise, the supply of “joint nutrition” is helpful. This includes above all Glucosamine or Chondroitin .

The African devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) has its origins in the savannahs of southern Africa. Originally used as a secret magic root by medicine men, the medicinal plant also found its way into Europe in the 20th century. The ingredients from the storage root of the African devil's claw are used for supportive therapy for osteoarthritis and other mobility restrictions. Clinical studies have shown a clear benefit in the treatment of pain caused by musculoskeletal disorders.

According to the current state of science, the beneficial effects of devil's claw seem to be based on the fact that its ingredients inhibit the production of certain messenger substances. These messenger substances include, for example, Leukotrienes and Cytokines that promote cartilage damage in wear-related processes. The ingredients of the African devil's claw apparently work best when they are not isolated from each other.

The African devil's claw is particularly difficult to cultivate in Europe, although a lot of people here buy products containing African devil's claw. Teas made from the extract of the African devil's claw taste bitter, which takes some getting used to. This problem can be avoided by taking capsules with high-quality devil's claw extract. With these capsules, you can easily take a precisely measured amount of the medicinal herb in order to benefit from the positive effects every day.