Can the popular health supplement ammonia sugar be safely given to the elderly?

The Chung Yeung Festival is coming, as the saying goes, "people get old first", after getting older, the legs and feet of the parents and the elderly at home begin to become unfavorable, especially the knee joint, always feel unable to exert strength, when walking for a while, I feel that the knee joint hurts, and it hurts even more when going up and down the stairs. The health of parents is the wish of every child. In recent years, many people will buy some health foods to promote joint health for their parents and the elderly at home, and the most popular in the past two years is ammonia sugar.

Some friends will have questions, and they have seen a statement on the Internet: MSM in ammonia sugar is a banned ingredient that cannot be eaten, and even said that it will cause a large burden on the liver, damage the gastric mucosa, cause nausea and vomiting and other problems.

Is there any basis for this claim? What exactly is MSM in ammonia sugar? Is it safe? Can I still buy ammonia sugar for my parents and the elderly? What should I do if my joints are not good? Should you eat joint health foods such as ammonia sugar?

What is MSM?

Studies have found anti-inflammatory effects

The full name of glucosamine is glucosamine, which is one of the most abundant monosaccharides in the human body and is found in high amounts in articular cartilage. Cartilage and the surrounding tissues and joint fluid can protect our joints and act as a cushion during activity. Some ammonia sugar products generally contain other ingredients such as MSM. So, what exactly is MSM?

MSM is dimethyl sulfone, and it has many other names, including methylsulfonylmethane, sulfonyl dimethane, etc.

There are some studies that have found that MSM has a good anti-inflammatory effect. Inflammation is the cause of many non-health conditions, including arthritis, allergies, etc., so it is used in some health foods that promote joint health.

The content of ammonia sugar in articular cartilage is very high, MSM has the effect of relieving osteoarthritis inflammation, and has a good effect in preventing arthritis and promoting joint health, so the two are often used together in some health foods that promote joint health. If conditions permit, you can buy food for your parents and the elderly at home.

Is MSM safe?

Don't worry too much

The biggest concern is whether MSM is secure. Actually, MSM is nothing new, and its security is good.

First of all, MSM is a naturally occurring substance, which is part of the entire sulfur cycle of the earth, and is present in air and water.

Secondly, many plants and animals also have MSM in their bodies. Because it is found in air and water, it will enter the body of animals and plants through circulation, such as MSM in many vegetables, fruits, and grains. Because of this, MSM is found in many of the foods we eat, such as vegetables and meats.

In addition, there is MSM in our body. MSM is found in human skin, hair, nails, bones, muscles, and various organs, and the microbiota in our gut can produce MSM through metabolic processes.

In 2007, the United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration) also evaluated MSM for food safety, and finally classified it as a GRAS substance, that is, "generally considered safe", which can be used in various foods according to production needs. According to the GRAS document, a daily intake of 4845.6 mg is no problem, while the upper limit of use in cereal bars and energy bar products is 30 g/kg.

Therefore, the safety of MSM can still be assured, and it is said that it will cause a large burden on the liver, damage the gastric mucosa, cause nausea and vomiting, abdominal discomfort, etc.

MSM is disabled?

There is no basis for this assertion for the time being

In fact, many countries and regions allow MSM to be used in health foods or dietary supplements, such as United States, the European Union, Canada, Korea, etc. The European Union allowed MSM to be used in dietary supplements as early as 1997, almost 30 years ago. The United States classified it as a GRAS substance in 2007, i.e. "generally considered safe". Therefore, MSM has been used internationally for a long time.

In 2002, the former Ministry of Health of the mainland issued a "List of Prohibited Substances for Health Food", which mainly included various Chinese medicinal materials or protected animals and plants, and did not have MSM. In 2012, the CFDA issued the "List of Substances Likely to Be Illegally Added to Health Foods", which mainly targeted various chemical substances, and MSM was not among them.

Therefore, there is no basis for saying "MSM disabled".

Young people don't need to eat deliberately, but should control their weight and maintain muscle mass

In addition to buying it for the elderly, many young people will also eat ammonia sugar by themselves, planning to do joint health care in advance. In fact, young people who have no problems with their legs and feet, and no joint pain, do not need to deliberately buy health food to eat.

Pay attention to a balanced diet, ensure adequate nutrition, and pay attention to the prevention of osteoporosis; At the same time, develop the habit of self-discipline exercise and pay attention to healthy weight control, because excess weight can increase the load on the joints and increase the risk of arthritis. Young people should be careful not to sit or lie still for long periods of time. Joint health is not only about bones, but also about muscles. Muscles are used up and lost, and leg strength is lost, which will share more weight load on the joints, and long-term immobility will reduce the secretion of synovial fluid in the joint cavity and accelerate the wear and tear of the knee. Therefore, it is necessary to be self-disciplined, develop the habit of regular exercise, and pay attention to exercising leg muscles.

Also, don't be enthusiastic for three minutes when exercising, pay attention to moderation. Many people jump rope and run desperately as soon as they come up, resulting in sports injuries. It is not noticeable when you are young, but it will show up little by little as you get older.

These groups of people can eat joint health health foods under the guidance of professionals

1. Young people who usually sit for a long time in the office. Because of insufficient muscle exercise, leg strength is lost, more weight load will be shared on the joint, and long-term immobility will reduce the secretion of synovial fluid in the joint cavity and accelerate knee wear.

2. Young people who exercise a lot for a long time. Because of the large amount of exercise, the load on bones and joints is greater, and it is necessary to pay attention to the maintenance of joints.

3. Elderly people who do have bone and joint discomfort problems.

Older people should be careful not to use climbing mountains or stairs as daily exercise. The pressure on the knee when climbing a mountain is several times that of flat ground, and it is easy to cause knee damage when climbing every day.

Health food is not a medicine and cannot replace conventional medical treatment and rehabilitation. If the elderly at home often have joint pain, feel that the joints are stiffened, the movement is not good, and even there is swelling and foreign body sensation, they must seek medical attention in time to see what the cause is, and follow the doctor's instructions for symptomatic treatment. Take medicine when you should take medicine, and do rehabilitation treatment when you need to do rehabilitation.

Text: Nguyen Quang Feng

(Beijing Youth Daily client)