In athletes and the general public, sore joints is an all too common thing. Whether it’s to the point of arthritis, tendinitis or general soreness, I’ve yet to meet anyone who enjoys sore joints. One common denominator in all of this though is inflammation. Getting a better control of inflammation can make these symptoms better. Our gut is a key regulator for inflammation control and can play a large role in helping those sore joints.
The gut’s role in inflammation
Another term for our gut is microbiome, the bacteria lining our intestines. This bacteria is the first line of defense from pathogens getting into our body. A weak or damaged gut means it’s easier for those pathogens to get in which can cause all sorts of problems. Many of these problems display themselves as inflammation which can be joint inflammation specifically in certain situations. Full circle; weakened gut leads to increased inflammation in the body leading to sore joints.
Ways to help sore joints
As described previously, inflammation is the main target to help. Antioxidant heavy foods are going to be the main target for this. Stop me if you’ve heard this before, eat your fruits and vegetables! Those are still the biggest antioxidant contributors and should make up a big part of your diet. In addition to the antioxidants they contain, fruits and veggies are generally high in fiber too. Fiber is the main “food” for the good bacteria in our gut. Just like us, a well fueled gut will perform better and help keep the bad stuff and and take in the good stuff. Other things to consider are probiotics and curcumin which strengthen gut bacteria and are potent antioxidants respectively.
Negative impacts on gut health
One of the biggest things that can damage gut health is consuming a poor diet day after day. Having a fast food burger or some candy once in awhile isn’t the end of the world. But 100% if done consistently our body isn’t going to be happy. Low quality and highly processed foods don’t properly feed the microbiome in the gut. Without food it’s tough for anything to survive and that results eventually in a weaker gut barrier. That allows more inflammation to get into the system. This is a big reason why individuals who tend to eat more processed foods more often also tend to be sick more frequently.
In the short term, antibiotics also can wreck havoc on the gut. Antibiotics are designed to eliminate those problematic bacterias causing inflammation and sickness in the body and they typically work great! The down side is that they tend to eliminate the good bacteria along with it. This can result in a bit of a spiral where poor diet increases the rate of being sick. Being sick can mean taking antibiotics to get better. After the antibiotics the gut is weakened and susceptible to getting sick….again. If restoring and strengthening the gut isn’t prioritized this process continues resulting in chronic inflammation which can certainly contribute to sore joints.
Key takeaways to help avoid sore joints
Nothing is a guarantee but there are things that can certainly help. Focusing on quality food is the foundation and potential supplements when needed can be that little extra boost in certain situations. But just as important is making sure we aren’t adding to that inflammation by consuming low quality foods. Big changes likely won’t occur overnight but consistency is the key.
Study referenced: click here