Several years ago Knox Gelatin introduced a new product named Nutrajoint with great fanfare. This supplement contains gelatin, vitamin C and calcium, and advertisements touted "recent scientific studies" proving that gelatin can contribute to the building of strong cartilage and bones.
In fact, the evidence goes back more than a century, and not only established gelatin's value to cartilage and bones but also to the skin, digestive tract, immune system, heart and muscles.
These early studies, however, have fallen off the radar screen of Knox as well as that of nearly everyone else. So it was not surprising in 1997 when the editors of the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter advised consumers not to buy Nutrajoint or similar supplements because the idea that gelatin can contribute to the building of strong cartilage and bones "is a theory that has yet to be investigated." As for the theory itself, they sniffed that it "sounds tidy--rather along the lines of 'you are what you eat.'" In conclusion, they stated that even if Nutrajoint worked as claimed, it would be totally unnecessary because "the body can manufacture its own proline and glycine as needed and therefore suffers no shortfall."
The notion that the body can create proline and glycine is, of course, the reason that neither amino is considered "essential." The ability to manufacture them easily and abundantly as needed, however, is probably true only of people enjoying radiant good health.Common sense suggests that the millions of Americans suffering from stiff joints, skin diseases and other collagen, connective tissue and cartilage disorders might be suffering serious shortfalls of proline, glycine and other needed nutrients.
Other uses include of Gelatin:
-- Supports skin, hair and nail growth
-- Good for joints and can help joint recovery
-- Can help tighten loose skin (like the kind you get after having four babies in five years...)
-- Can improve digestion since it naturally binds to water and helps food move more easily though the digestive track
-- Rumored to help improve cellulite
-- Great source of dietary collagen (side note: collagen is too large to be absorbed by the skin, so those skin creams are pretty useless... get it internally and use coconut oil for lotion!)
-- Source of protein (though not a spectacular one) but its specific amino acids can help build muscle.
Gelatin is largely composed of the amino acids glycine and proline, which many people don't consume in adequate amounts as they are found in the bones, fibrous tissues and organs of animals and as a population, we don't consume these parts as much anymore. These amino acids are needed not only for proper skin, hair and nail growth, but for optimal immune function and weight regulation.
Weston A. Price Foundation
Joint pain is a big part of our practice and many different things contribute to joint pain. For example some can be as simple as a Vitamin D deficiency or more complicated as rheumatoid arthritis. In any case it is always best to be evaluated by a health care professional but something simple you can add into your own regiment is the use of gelatin. Adding a pack of gelatin into a protein shake or smoothie daily can benefit your joints in a matter of a few weeks.
Dr. J