One area that concerns a lot of people over the age of 50 is the health of bones and joints. As we get older, these areas are liable to deteriorate in strength and function, and a combination of exercise and correct nutrition is considered desirable to ensure these areas remain as healthy as they can be as the years go by. Many people don’t get sufficient nutrients in their diet, and for them a daily supplement to focus on joint and bone health is ideal. Indeed, even if you think your nutrition is spot on, still take a nutritional supplement just to make sure.I’ve recently been sent a supply of a product that addresses these areas, and the manufacturers have contracted me to sample, use it for a period, and to give my comments. The company is Neo G, based near Harrogate, and they are well known suppliers of products in the health and well-being sector, with a further particular emphasis on sports and performance. Probably they are best known for medical-grade orthopaedic supports to apply to various parts of the body, and it is good to see them expand more into nutritional supplementation – particularly in this area of joint and bone health for the over 50’s.
The product is called Daily Defence and is available in both general and specific over 50’s formulations. The over 50 variant has the same ingredients as the general one, but with the one change of double the amount of calcium per dose.
There are five active ingredients, many of which will be familiar to those already taking supplementation for bone and joint health.
• Calcium – There is 240mg in each 20ml dose of the over 50’s product, and 120mg in the general formulation – that’s 30% and 15% of your Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) respectively. Well known for promoting health in teeth and bones, this is a particularly important supplement for helping to prevent bone wasting conditions such as brittle bones and osteoporosis – hence the double measure in the over 50’s product, I assume. I’ve been cutting down my dairy products of late, so this extra boost of calcium is very welcome.
• Copper – The 0.26mg in each dose is 26% of the Nutrient Reference Value for this trace element. It is known for helping to maintain the connective tissues in the body, such as tendons and ligaments, as well assisting in the absorption of iron. A lesser known benefit is that copper reduces histamine levels, which can help alleviate allergies.
• Glucosamine Sulphate – This is a compound that occurs naturally in the body, with its main effect being the growth of cartilage by serving as a building block in its production. It is thought that a reduced level of Glucosamine Sulphate is a major causative factor in osteoarthritis, and to add to this, natural production of it by the body decreases notably with age. Hence it is good to add as a supplement, and the 1gram included in each dose of Daily Defence is in line with general understanding on supplement volumes.
• Chondroitin Sulphate – This is another naturally occurring substance, found throughout the cartilage, collagen and connective tissues. It has the specific function of attracting water into these tissues, thus preserving them and aiding their flexibility. Similar to Glucosamine Sulphate, production by the body declines with age, and again it is believed that a deficiency can lead to osteoarthritis.
• Vitamin D – A key function of this vitamin is to assist and promote the absorption by the body of calcium and phosphorus. It is known as the Sunshine vitamin as the suns UV rays help create it in the body – but a more reliable source is supplementation. The amount of 200 iu of Vitamin D provided in each serving is spot on for the NRV.
As you pour it into the cap, the initial thought is that it is much more viscous than expected – it is thick, and pours slowly. There are many ingredients, and it makes sense to shake the bottle thoroughly to ensure you get the correct amount of each in your poured measure.
The taste actually reflects the colour; I would say that the colour is somewhere between coffee and butterscotch, and the taste goes along with that. I know some people say the taste is like lemon – but I’m sticking with the butterscotch/ coffee flavour I detected. It is sweet but not annoyingly so, and the aftertaste is pleasant. This contrasts with some other products in the same field which have a distinct ‘medicine’ taste and I was looking for something to wash my mouth out after – not so with this Neo G product. In fact, one problem may be that you like the taste so much it may be tough to restrict yourself to the single daily dose!
Because it is so thick, it is important to try to ensure you don’t leave any in the cap – the 20ml dose means the full 20. And you need to wash out the cap before using it again tomorrow.
If you, like me, are over 50 and concerned about keeping your joints healthy, then taking a non-drug product that supplements your diet in this area is probably wise. And of the various products available, this ’50 Plus Joint Health’ liquid from Neo G ticks all the boxes for me.
Check out the Neo G site – click here – for more. And If you too want to give it a go, it’s available in the UK now at Boots.
