How to Naturally Increase Cartilage in Your Joints
If the cartilage in your joints has started to break down—leading to knee pain or other joint pain—there are a few things you can do to help prevent further breakdown and promote cartilage repair. As the cartilage becomes stronger and thicker, you can hope to experience a reduction in pain and an increase in mobility.
As you read through the suggestions, please note that many of the recommended exercises, foods, and supplements have been selected because they have cartilage-promoting potential or have had promising effects in preliminary trials. Large-scale, placebo-controlled trials are still needed to confirm their cartilage-strengthening benefits medically.
So, how do you increase articular cartilage naturally?
1. Support Your Joints with Low-Impact Exercise
Low-impact exercises can help to strengthen the muscles around the joints, preventing injuries and taking pressure off the joint itself. They can also help you maintain a healthy weight, which is important for reducing pressure on the joints and preventing further cartilage degeneration.
To begin with, try things like swimming, cycling, and walking briskly. For strength in the knee joints, try wall squats, calf raises, hamstring curls, and leg raises. High-impact exercises like jogging, running, and high-intensity sports can put more strain on your joints and cause pain, so it’s best to avoid these activities unless your joints significantly improve.
Safety First
Before beginning an exercise program, consult with a physical therapist to determine your current abilities and limitations and find out if there are any exercises you should and shouldn't perform.
If you need additional joint support or help with balance, you can use a walking cane or rollator when walking indoors and outdoors, and hold on to a wall, countertop, or the back of a chair when performing strengthening exercises at home. Knee joint support pads can also help to cushion the joint when walking at a faster-than-moderate pace.
2. Follow a Cartilage-Promoting Diet
A cartilage-promoting diet will naturally support the four components of cartilage:
Collagen
Proteoglycans
Water
Chondrocytes
To achieve this, focus on foods that are rich in:
Water
Collagen
Antioxidants
Polyphenols
Vitamin C
Vitamin K
Hyaluronic acid
Magnesium
Calcium
Omega-3 fatty acids
Protein and amino acids
A cartilage-promoting diet will actively work to reduce rather than promote inflammation, which is a major factor in osteoarthritis (a kind of degenerative joint disease). This means avoiding refined sugars, oils, and flours and focusing instead on consuming a wide variety of whole foods.
Top 13 Foods and Beverages for Healthy Cartilage
Pomegranates
Pomegranates have been used in traditional medical systems to treat osteoarthritis pain and inflammation. Additionally, they may help to protect against gastric ulcers from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are often prescribed for osteoarthritis (OA). The combination of antioxidants, anthocyanins, and other phytochemicals found in pomegranates work in concert to reduce joint inflammation.
In a six-week clinical trial, a standardized pomegranate fruit extract improved physical function, reduced the degradation of cartilage enzymes, and increased the antioxidant status of patients with knee osteoarthritis. To enjoy the benefits, eat pomegranate seeds fresh or look for a standardized pomegranate supplement.
Blueberries
Blueberries are rich in Vitamin C, which promotes collagen production, and polyphenols, which help to stabilize cartilage collagen and prevent degeneration. Blueberries are great in fruit salads and make a great addition to smoothies as well.
Oranges
Like blueberries, oranges contain large amounts of Vitamin C, which helps to maintain a mature collagen network in the body and promotes cellular healing. They also contain naringenin, which helps to prevent the breakdown of hyaluronic acid in the body. Make a fruit salad with diced oranges or squeeze them fresh and drink the juice.
Plums
Plums contain high concentrations of magnesium, potassium, and Vitamin K. Magnesium promotes and production of hyaluronic acid and Vitamin K is important for bone and joint health. Enjoy fresh or sundried (in the form of prunes).
Dark Leafy Green Vegetables
Dark leafy green vegetables, brussels sprouts, and broccoli contain Vitamin K along with minerals like magnesium, calcium, and iron. Spinach, kale, and broccoli contain carotenoids, which have a protective effect on hip cartilage. Brussels sprouts also have anti-inflammatory properties that might help to promote cartilage repair.
Brown Rice
Brown rice is a great source of hyaluronic acid, which works to keep our skin and joints lubricated. To enjoy brown rice, use it instead of white rice in your favorite stir-fries or make a brown rice salad together with celery, walnuts, and sultanas—yum!
Legumes
Legumes contain amino acids—the building blocks of protein—which might help to rebuild cartilage naturally. Legumes are also very heart-healthy foods that can help with high cholesterol and weight management. Losing extra weight takes some pressure off the joints, making it easier to lead an active lifestyle and increase the strength of your knees.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts are a great source of minerals like magnesium as well as hyaluronic acid. Seeds are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which prevent cartilage loss and reduce inflammatory markers in the synovial fluid. To get the best of nuts and seeds for healthy joints, pre-soak or lightly roast them before eating and consume a wide variety as snacks or as a crunchy topping on salads or desserts.
Fish
Eating fish is one of the best things you can do for healthy cartilage. Oily fish like tuna, sardines, and salmon contain essential vitamins and minerals for bone and cartilage health along with omega-3 fatty acids. To get the most out of your fish, roast it in the oven with vegetables or lightly fry it with butter. Butter contains Vitamin K2, which is believed to enhance the absorption of Omega 3.
Bone Broth
Bone broth is full of collagen, glucosamine, chondroitin, proline, and glutamine—all of which are important for healthy cartilage and cartilage repair. If you've ever found that your joint pain is reduced after consuming gelatin-based gummies (which are almost pure collagen), you'll understand why bone broth is so effective.
To make your own bone broth at home, boil high-quality bones with celery, carrot, onion, and garlic for several hours. You can also buy bone broth at specialty stores in many cities, including here in Denver, Colorado. Once the broth is ready, heat it up and have it as a drink or use it as a base for cooking and soups. Aim to consume two to four cups of bone broth per day.
Turmeric and Ginger
Turmeric and ginger are two spices from Asia that have known anti-inflammatory properties and have been investigated for their potential benefits for cartilage repair. In various studies reviewed in a 2014 meta-analysis, ginger reduced joint pain and disability from osteoarthritis symptoms. Turmeric (which has curcumin as its main compound) reduces joint pain and inflammation.
A note about safety: While ginger isn't toxic at high concentrations, very high doses of curcumin (4,000mg per day and above) can lead to side effects including headaches, diarrhea, and skin rashes. To start off with, add these spices to cooking in regular culinary amounts and seek medical advice before taking encapsulated turmeric or ginger extracts.
Fermented Dairy and Sauerkraut
Inflammation in the gut is closely linked to inflammation in the rest of the body, which is why consuming probiotic-rich dairy or fermented vegetables is a good idea for people with joint pain. When you consume a wide variety of good bacteria, your gut starts to become healthier and the body's inflammatory response is reduced. This, in turn, may reduce inflammation in the joints.
Green Tea
For a warming, cartilage-promoting drink, try green tea. Green tea is rich in polyphenols and catechins—both of which help to protect and restore cartilage. A paper published in 2020 in Antioxidants (Basel) explains that green tea catechins help to prevent muscle and cartilage degradation and boost the synthesis of mitochondrial energy metabolism. This boosted synthesis works to accelerate cell repair.
3. Take Cartilage-Promoting Nutritional Supplements
To supercharge a cartilage-promoting diet, some people try nutritional supplements. If cleared by their doctor, these supplements can make great gifts for people with arthritis, as the cost of supplements can quickly add up. For best effects, supplements for cartilage repair should contain standardized amounts of the key compounds and have been lab-tested for contents and safety.
Glucosamine Sulfate
Glucosamine, like hyaluronic acid, is a basic component of cartilage and synovial fluid. While the body produces glucosamine naturally, dietary glucosamine could help to boost the body's stores of this substance, supporting cartilage synthesis.
Research on glucosamine for osteoarthritis varies in quality. However, some research indicates that 1500mg of glucosamine sulfate per day (in a typical adult of 75kg) could reduce knee joint pain, prevent further degeneration in knee cartilage, increase joint mobility, and help to prevent total joint replacement.
Chondroitin Sulfate
Chondroitin sulfate is a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan that can be extracted from the cartilaginous tissue of birds, fish, cows, pigs, and fish such as sharks. It increases the body's production of hyaluronic acid in the synovial cells, increasing the thickness of the synovial fluid.
As a supplement for cartilage support, the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) gave chondroitin sulfate the highest evidence grade and the highest recommendation rating. According to the paper linked above, chondroitin sulfate can reduce pain and inflammation related to osteoarthritis, slow its progression, and even modify the course of the disease.
Icariin (Horny Goat Weed or Yin Yang Huo)
Icariin, Horny Goat Weed, or Yin Yang Huo is a flavonoid and phytoestrogen extract that has been used in Chinese Traditional Medicine for a wide variety of health issues, including osteoporosis and fatigue. According to research summarized in Herbal Remedies as Potential in Cartilage Tissue Engineering: An Overview of New Therapeutic Approaches and Strategies (Molecules, July 2020), this extract may help to reduce inflammation, increase cartilage repair, and increase cartilage thickness.
Avocado/Soybean Extract
A one-part avocado oil, two-part soybean oil preparation is sometimes used as a remedy for joint health. This particular combination has been found to be more effective than either of the oils taken alone. While its mechanism of action isn't yet fully understood, this combination:
Reduces inflammation
Prevents the degeneration of cartilage and joints
Supports the regeneration of connective tissue
Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a naturally occurring chemical that can be found in over 70 common plants, including blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, peanuts, and the skin of red grapes. Various studies have found that resveratrol has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, and anti-osteoarthritis properties, all of which may help with joint pain and cartilage repair.
In one study by Wang et al. 2014, an acellular collagen-resveratrol scaffold was transplanted into osteochondral defects in rabbits. After 12 weeks, the coll-res scaffold was found to:
Repair osteochondral defects
Help the new cartilage integrate with the surrounding tissue and subchondral bone [2]
Before Taking Supplements…
If you're interested in trying any of these supplements, begin by talking with an experienced health professional. In order to be effective, supplements need to be standardized, dosed properly, and taken in the best combinations (as some combinations are contraindicated).
By Following Exercise and Diet Recommendations, Articular Cartilage and Function Can Improve
While there’s no quick fix for worn-out joint cartilage, low-intensity exercise, a variety of cartilage-supporting foods, and taking certain supplements could help to reduce pain, increase your range of movement, stimulate cartilage synthesis, and slow or prevent further degeneration in the joints.
To rebuild your joint cartilage naturally, it's important to work closely with an experienced health professional who can develop a personalized treatment plan and monitor your progress. Then, follow through on your agreed-on plan—keeping your doctor in the loop—to see the best possible results.