Supps to Help Heal Tendon/ Ligament

Any advice on supplements, herbs, whatever, for healing tendons and ligament. R.I.C.E. is getting old fast.

Silverback

Glucosamine, Fish oil, MSM, and Chondroitin.

x2 massage would help too depending on location

break open a vit e cap and rub it in the area. sounds like bs but it really worked for me and my tendonitis in my elbow.

Cissus!!!

ART

[quote]plateau wrote:
ART[/quote]

x2

Try Animal Flex it is great I had knee problems playing a lot of sports and they have been good to me since I’ve been on this supplement.

From Berardi and Andrews on injuries (Injuries: Nutrition and Recovery):

[quote]
Summary

In summary, sports injury recovery is characterized by an organized response to the acute trauma. First, inflammation is provoked to remove damaged tissues. Next, cells proliferate to replace the damaged tissue. And finally new cells replace the intermediary cells to strengthen the repair process and lead to injury resolution.

During each step of the repair process, specific nutritional strategies can be employed to both support and enhance this repair process. The following are most useful:

  1. Eat every 2-4 hours.

  2. Each meal/snack should contain complete protein including lean meats, lean dairy, eggs, or protein supplements (if whole food is unavailable).

  3. Each meal/snack should contain 1-2 servings veggies and/or fruit (1/2 - 1 1/2 cups or 1-2 pieces) with a greater focus on veggies.

  4. Additional carbohydrates should come from whole grain, minimally processed sources like whole oats, yams, beans, whole grain rice, quinoa, etc. The athlete should eat fewer starches when not training, and more when training. Although a no carbohydrate or no starch diet is unwarranted.

  5. The athlete should eat each of the following good fats each day - avocadoes, olive oil, mixed nuts, flax seeds, and flax oil. In addition 3-9g of fish oil should be added to the diet.

  6. The athlete should include the following anti-inflammatory foods: curry powder/turmeric, garlic, pineapple, cocoa, tea, blueberries, and wine.

  7. The athlete should include the following supplemental vitamins and minerals for 2-4 weeks post-injury ? vitamin A, C, copper, and zinc.

  8. A combination of arginine, HMB, and glutamine should be supplemented to help preserve lean body mass while accelerating collagen deoposition.

Of course, when faced with an injury, nutrition isn’t the only thing athletes should consider. Progressive rehab centers are using additional adjunct therapies including prolotherapy, intra-articular and/or site specific injections of hyaluronans, autologous platelet concentrates, and other therapeutic compounds to speed up injury repair and to improve chronic injury/pain prognoses. And, of course, conventional rehab and physical therapy is conventional because it works.

In the end, if you’re faced with an injury, it’s important not to just sit it out with rest, ice, and Celebrex and hope for the best. Rather, be proactive with your nutrition, your therapy, and with your adjunct treatment strategies so that your healing is rapid and complete.[/quote]

[quote]THE_CLAMP_DOWN wrote:
Cissus!!![/quote]

This worked on a broken bone+ ligament damage for me in like 11 days. I just did a write up on it, go read it.

V

Zellulisan ointment by Pekana works very well, in addition to the fish oil and other reccomendations. Nice avatar!

So basically you just have to find what works for you as a individual everyone has different preferences. What works for one person may not work as well for another. Shop around for joint supplements and research on healing processes. R.I.C.E may be the best course of action that works on the majority of the population.

Also try a massage therapy they will massage in and around the knee and the iliotibial band. If you play a lot of sports like I do my iliotibial band was extremely tight and when I had it massaged it relaxed the tension on my knee. Have a go at that :wink:

After subloxing my right shoulder I have stretched tendons and ligaments there, would “Cissus” help my situation? And are there any side effects (especially for someone under the age of 18) for this supplement?

Sorry to jack the thread here!

I have read that Sinew Plex by Poliquin is a good product. Never used it, though.

What is Cissus? Sounds like like something you trim off a slab of meat and throw away.

Here are some “side effects” of cissus. I think they are beneficial.

From :The effect of Cissus quadrangularis (CQR-300) and a Cissus formulation (CORE) on obesity and obesity-induced oxidative stress | Lipids in Health and Disease | Full Text

Aim
Obesity is generally linked to complications in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of a proprietary extract of Cissus quadrangularis (CQR-300) to that of a proprietary formulation containing CQR-300 (CORE) on weight, blood lipids, and oxidative stress in overweight and obese people.

Methods
The first part of the study investigated the in vitro antioxidant properties of CQR-300 and CORE using 3 different methods, while the second part of the study was a double-blind placebo controlled design, involving initially 168 overweight and obese persons (38.7% males; 61.3% females; ages 19?54), of whom 153 completed the study. All participants received two daily doses of CQR-300, CORE, or placebo and were encouraged to maintain their normal levels of physical activity. Anthropometric measurements and blood sampling were done at the beginning and end of the study period.

Results
CQR-300 as well as CORE exhibited antioxidant properties in vitro. They also acted as in vivo antioxidants, bringing about significant (p < 0.001) reductions in plasma TBARS and carbonyls. Both CQR-300 and CORE also brought about significant reductions in weight, body fat, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting blood glucose levels over the respective study periods. These changes were accompanied by a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol levels, plasma 5-HT, and creatinine.

Conclusion
CQR-300 (300 mg daily) and CORE (1028 mg daily) brought about significant reductions in weight and blood glucose levels, while decreasing serum lipids thus improving cardiovascular risk factors. The increase in plasma 5-HT and creatinine for both groups hypothesizes a mechanism of controlling appetite and promoting the increase of lean muscle mass by Cissus quadrangularis, thereby supporting the clinical data for weight loss and improving cardiovascular health.

V

Here is what one could consider it’s main function:

From : http://www.bodybuildingtoday.com/bodybuilding/what-is-cissus-quadrangularis/

Q: What the heck is Cissus Quadrangularis, and why am I hearing that it is used for bone repair?

A: Cissus is used for this purpose and is a supplement. In clinical trials, Cissus led to fracture healing times 33% to 55% higher than other calcium promoting bone matrix preparations. The way it works is that is is a kind of antiglucocorticoid - controlling cortisone that can be catabolic and degrading to bone and bone matrix, as well as skeletal muscle tissue. Numerous studies link cortisol with bone degredation, as well as other ill effects, including fat accumulation. By exerting an anabolic/ antiglucocorticoid effect, Cissus helps preserve muscle tissue during times of physical and emotional stress. The possibility exists that Cissus may improve bone healing and improve the healing rate of connective tissue in general, including tendons. This would make it highly valuable as a supplement to bodybuilders, powerlifters and fitness competitors. One of the other great things about it is that it appears to also exhibit some fairly strong analgesic properties on a mg per mg basis, comparable to aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen. Reduction of swelling and promoting the process of healing via preventing the conversion of arachidonic acid to inflammatory prostaglandins. This is a significant discovery and is a truly beneficial supplement for all bodybuilders and their recovery from workouts and injuries, as well as for injury prevention.

V

Here is a writeup from Supplement judge.

Cissus RX from USPLabs:
Cissus Quadrangularis has been a staple of traditional Indian medicine for centuries. USPlabs researchers discovered the power of this unique herbal remedy and have now made it available to Western athletes and bodybuilders, or anyone else who wants to strenghthen muscle and bone.

Its unique blend of vitamins, minerals, and steroidal compounds not only build and strengthen muscle and bone, but actually promote and speed the healing process of tendon related injuries, while at the same time soothe the pain of sports related injuries. Common painkillers like aspirin only mask the pain of injured muscles, bones, and tendons and can damage the stomach lining and even cause ulcers. Scientific studies have shown Cissus Quadrangularis actually speeds the healing process and prevents ulcers by strengthening the gastric mucosa, the stomach’s protective lining.

Cissus quadrangularis is an ancient medicinal plant native to the hotter parts of Ceylon and India. It was prescribed in the ancient Ayurvedic texts as a general tonic and analgesic, with specific bone fracture healing properties. Modern research has shed light on Cissus? ability to speed bone healing by showing it acts as a glucocorticoid antagonist (1,2). Since anabolic/androgenic compounds are well known to act as antagonists to the glucocorticoid receptor as well as promote bone growth and fracture healing, it has been postulated that Cissus possesses anabolic and/or androgenic properties (1,3). In addition to speeding the remodeling process of the healing bone, Cissus also leads to a much faster increase in bone tensile strength. In clinical trials Cissus has led to a fracture healing time on the order of 55 to 33 percent of that of controls. That cissus exerts antiglucocorticoid properties is suggested by a number of studies where bones were weakend by treatment with cortisol, and upon administration of Cissus extract the cortisol induced weakening was halted, and the healing process begun.

With studies showing that hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women may increase the risk of breast cancer and heart disease, many women are looking at alternatives to estrogen to help prevent osteoporosis. Although there appears to be no published research showing that Cissus increases bone density in osteoporosis, or helps prevent the disease, the fact that the herb speeds recovery of fractures suggests that may increase bone density as well. It would almost certainly help speed the recovery of fractures that are a common occurrence with osteoporosis. Chronic glucocorticoid therapy is a high risk factor for the development of osteoporosis. Glucocorticoids are believed to interfere with the action of osteoblasts, the cells that are responsible of the deposition of new bone material. The drug mefipristone (RU-486), an antiglucocorticoid as well as progesterone antagonist, has been successfully used to treat osteoporosis but the side effects, such as endometrial hyperplasia, are serious enough to preclude its routine use for the treatment of osteoporosis. Cissus seems to be devoid of such side effects and may prove to be a viable compound in osteoporosis treatment.

While the increased rate of bone healing may be of great significance to persons suffering from chronic diseases like osteoporosis (4), the antiglucocorticoid properties of Cissus are likely of much more interest to the average bodybuilder or athlete, since endogenous glucocorticoids, particularly cortisol, are not only catabolic to bone, but catabolize muscle tissue as well. Numerous studies over the years have suggested that glucocorticoids, including the body?s endogenous hormone cortisol activate pathways that degrade not only bone, but skeletal muscle tissue as well. A recently published report documented exactly how glucocorticoids (including cortisol) induce muscle breakdown: They activate the so-called ubiquitin-proteasome pathway of proteolysis (5). This pathway of tissue breakdown is important for removing damaged and non-functional proteins. However, when it is overactive during periods of elevated cortisol (e.g disease states, stress, and overtraining) excess amounts of normal tissue are broken down as well. By exerting an anabolic, antiglucocorticoid effect cissus helps preserve muscle tissue during times of physical and emotional stress.

Although the bulk of the research on Cissus centers around bone healing, the possibility exists that Cissus may act to improve bone healing suggests it may improve the healing rate of connective tissue in general, including tendons. If this were the case it would be of even greater benefit to bodybuilders and athletes.

Besides the above-mentioned properties of Cissus, the plant is also rich in the vitamins/antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene. As analyzed, Cissus quadrangularis contained ascorbic acid 479 mg, and carotene 267 units per 100g of freshly prepared paste in addition to calcium oxalate (6).

The typical recommended daily dosage of Cissus extract is between 100 and 500 mg, depending on the concentration of the extract and the severity of symptoms. For the powder of the dried plant, the Ayurvedic texts recommend a dosage of 3 to 6 grams to accelerate fracture healing. Safety studies in rats showed no toxic effects at dosages as high as 2000 mg/kg of body weight. So not only is Cissus efficacious, it is also quite safe, in either the dried powder form or the commercially available extract.

Cissus also possess analgesic properties on a mg per mg basis comparable to aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen. Cissus quadrangularis constitutes one of the ingredients of an Ayurvedic preparation, `Laksha Gogglu’, which has been proved to be highly effective in relieving pain, reduction of swelling and promoting the process of healing of the simple fractures as well as in curing the allied disorders associated with fractures (7). The mechanism through which Cissus exerts its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties has not been well characterized. It may act centrally, but the anti-inflammatory features suggest that it acts by preventing the conversion of arachidonic acid to inflammatory prostaglandins.

  1. Chopra SS, Patel MR, Awadhiya RP. Studies of Cissus quadrangularis in experimental fracture repair : a histopathological study Indian J Med Res. 1976 Sep;64(9):1365-8
  2. Chopra SS, Patel MR, Gupta LP, Datta IC. Studies on Cissus quadrangularis in experimental fracture repair: effect on chemical parameters in blood Indian J Med Res. 1975 Jun;63(6):824-8.
  3. PRASAD GC, UDUPA KN. EFFECT OF CISSUS QUADRANGULARIS ON THE HEALING OF CORTISONE TREATED FRACTURES. Indian J Med Res. 1963 Jul;51:667-76.
  4. Shirwaikar A, Khan S, Malini S. Antiosteoporotic effect of ethanol extract of Cissus quadrangularis Linn. on ovariectomized rat. J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Dec;89(2-3):245-50.
  5. Combaret L, Taillandier D, Dardevet D, Bechet D, Ralliere C, Claustre A, Grizard J, Attaix D Glucocorticoids regulate mRNA levels for subunits of the 19 S regulatory complex of the 26 S proteasome in fast-twitch skeletal muscles. Biochem J. 2004 Feb 15;378(Pt 1):239-46.
  6. Chidambara Murthy KN, Vanitha A, Mahadeva Swamy M, Ravishankar GA. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Cissus quadrangularis L. J Med Food. 2003 Summer;6(2):99-105.
  7. Panda, J Res Ayurv Siddha, 1990, 11, 7

V

Vegita, too much thanks man

[quote]TheSolution wrote:
Vegita, too much thanks man[/quote]

No problem, Like I said, I recovered from a Break in my Ulna (left arm) in about 3 weeks. The docs said it would be more like 2-3 months. Also I started the Cissus a week after the injury, so basically only 2 weeks on the stuff. The relatively cheap price as far a supplements go made it a low risk trial and hopefully anyone who does have some nagging connective tissue injuries will give it a shot and have the same results I did.

V

Thanks Vegita. Good stuff.