24 KEY INGREDIENTS PYCNOGENOL® Visittheirbooth FOR JOINT HEALTH Our joints are subject to wear and tear and with increasing age the lining of joints, the cushioning cartilage,gradually degenerates. When cartilage has reached significant abrasion articular tissue will be affected and tissue trauma initiates a local inflammation. The consequence is a reduced flexibility of joints and predomi- nantly pain. Inflammatory cells accelerate degeneration of joints by secreting reactive oxygen species (“oxidative burst”), pro-in- flammatory cytokines and degenerative enzymes matrix metal- loproteinases (MMPs). This process is paralleled by increasing pain which, left untreated, may reach excruciating levels. Amajority of people over the quently affected than men. It is age of 65 years show signs now understood that mechanical of osteoarthritis.Essentially all rupture triggers inflammatory joints may be affected,but the mechanisms which, in concert most commonly affected are hips, with repetitive injury to joints, knees, fingers and the spine. causes a progressive degradation There are specific risk factors forof cartilage. developing osteoarthritis, such as Osteoarthritis is the leading medi- obesity as it increases mechanical cal condition for which people use destruction of joints. According alternative therapies. The primary to statistics women are more fre- goal is the relief from joint pain and