Vitamins & minerals for joint health
Date
03 Feb 2025
Author/Presenter
Share
Table of Contents
Joint health
Our joints support all our daily essential movements, from walking to typing, enjoying sports and picking up objects. Joints are formed when two or more bones join. A gel-like substance called cartilage provides cushioning and contributes to the smooth motion of the joints. Since bones don't bend, joints enable the movements we need to carry out our daily activities.
Looking after your joints means also looking after your bones, protecting them from injury and falls and helping maximise mobility so that you can enjoy an active life and independence into your older years. This is important because, as we age, as the Jean Hailes Foundation1 reports, our joints can become stiffer and less flexible, inflammation can occur, cartilage and fluid between the joints can wear away, and bony growths (bone spurs) can occur. The Foundation also notes that keeping joints mobile and flexible helps to reduce the risk of falls.
Taking care of the joints also involves caring for the bones, as the joints are where two bones work together to help the body bend and move.
Nutrients for healthy joints
Vitamin C
Vitamin C aids in synthesising collagen, the main protein in joint tissues, cartilage and bone.
As an antioxidant, it may help prevent inflammation and stop some of the damage caused by free radicals, substances that can damage cells in the body.
Dietary sources of Vitamin C: Excellent dietary sources of vitamin C include oranges, green peppers, broccoli, leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, berries, watermelon, pineapple, grapefruit, cantaloupe, kiwi, mango, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage.
Cooking can destroy the nutrients, so eating them raw or lightly cooked is ideal.
Calcium
Calcium is a mineral that can help build and maintain bone strength and prevent loss of bone density.
Dietary sources of calcium: Dairy products, dark leafy greens, canned fish such as sardines or salmon and foods fortified with calcium such as cereals and orange juice.
Vitamin D
This brings us to vitamin D, which is important for joint care. It helps the body absorb and retain calcium. The body produces vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight, which can make it challenging to receive enough, especially during winter.
Dietary sources of vitamin D: Vitamin D3 is in a few foods, such as canned oily fish, fortified cereal, and juices.
Like vitamin C, vitamin D can also help fight inflammation as an antioxidant.
It's even more important for older people to monitor their vitamin D levels, as the Foundation states that the body becomes less efficient at producing it over time.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is also essential for bone health. According to the Cleveland Clinic,2 Vitamin K activates proteins involved in bone formation and mineralisation, strengthening the bones.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, vitamin K is involved in cartilage structure, while the British Medical Journal3 notes its role in the healthy functioning of proteins in cartilage and bone.
One 2020 study published in the Nutrients Journal4 concluded that maintaining an adequate vitamin K intake is the best recommendation for older people who wish to prevent joint problems.
Dietary sources of vitamin K: Green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and soybean and canola oils.
As vitamin K is fat-soluble, combining vitamin K food such as a leafy green salad with some fats such as olive oil would be ideal to improve absorption.
Magnesium
According to the Arthritis Foundation5, magnesium strengthens bone and supports muscle functions
Dietary sources of magnesium: nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables such as spinach, whole grains, legumes, and dark chocolate.
Summary
You should be able to obtain enough of these vitamins and minerals from a diet containing a variety of foods. Using food as your first and main source of vitamins and minerals is also ideal as they contain a wide variety of nutrients your body can benefit from.
However, along with lifestyle changes such as encouraging low impact exercise and weight management, supplementation may be helpful for supporting joint health. Supplements may also be required or recommended to you by your healthcare provider if you somehow cannot obtain enough vitamins and minerals from food.
Because we depend on the sun to get enough vitamin D, this vitamin commonly requires supplementation. According to the Arthritis Foundation5, if buying the supplement form, it's best to look for vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), as it's the same form the body makes from sunlight, so it's better absorbed and more effective than vitamin D2.
You should consult your healthcare provider before taking any supplements to ensure they are tailored to your health situation.
References
- Jean Hailes for Women’s Health. Bone and joint health [Internet]. Updated 2024 Jun 18 [cited 2024 Dec 22]. Available from:https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/healthy-ageing/bone-and-joint-health
- Cleveland Clinic. Do you need vitamin K supplements for your bone health? [Internet]. [cited 2024 Dec 22]. Available from:https://health.clevelandclinic.org/do-you-need-vitamin-k-supplements-for-your-bone-health
- British Medical Journal. Vitamin K is involved in osteoarthritis [Internet]. 2021 Apr 12 [cited 2024 Dec 22]. Available from:https://blogs.bmj.com/rheumsummaries/2021/04/12/vitamin-k-is-involved-in-osteoarthritis
- Chin KY. The relationship between vitamin K and osteoarthritis: A review of current evidence. Nutrients. 2020 Apr 25;12(5):1208. doi: 10.3390/nu12051208.Arthritis Foundation. Vitamin and mineral guide for arthritis [Internet]. [cited 2024 Dec 22]. Available from:https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/treatment/complementary-therapies/supplements-and-vitamins/vitamin-and-mineral-guide-for-arthritis