Joint Aid for Dogs (includes Muscle Maintenance) All Sizes

​Joint Aid for Dogs plus Muscle Maintenance can be fed to all dogs from any age at the ‘General Support’ level to maintain freedom of movement and muscle condition throughout their lives.  For dogs showing signs of restricted movement and/or reduced muscle mass, Joint Aid for Dogs plus Muscle Maintenance is recommended to be fed at the ‘Full Support’ level.

​What are the key benefits of using Joint Aid for Dogs plus Muscle Maintenance?

• Maintains flexibility of movement in all dogs.

• Supports the natural regeneration of cartilage, muscles and synovial fluid.

• Helps maintain the natural anti-inflammatory actions of the dog's metabolism.

• Contains essential dietary amino acids required to maintain muscular structure and activity.

• Contains key vitamins: A, B, C, D, E, and biotin that support muscular structure and good blood flow around the body.

• Contains natural powerful antioxidants (vitamins C and E, plus curcumin) that neutralise free radicals produced by working muscles.

• Contains the unique Oatinol Delivery System to maintain a healthy digestive tract and a high rate of absorption.

• Wheat gluten free.

• A 100% Non GM, soya free formulation.

• Manufactured as very palatable and easily digested 2mm pellets; perfect for mixing with the dog’s normal feed.

• Quick and easy to feed.

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​Contains 20 Active Nutraceuticals - nutritional substances that provide additional health benefits.  Through the addition of the following nutraceuticals, Joint Aid provides a complementary support for all dogs.

1 - Chondroitin - essential for the resilience and natural regeneration of cartilage.  It maintains normal enzymatic activity and water holding capacity to provide healthy resistance to compression.

2 - Collagen Matrix - possesses great tensile strength and provides the framework that gives tissues their firmness and resilience.  It is essential for connecting and supporting the bones, tendons, muscles and cartilage.

3 - Curcumin - the active ingredient of the spice, turmeric.  It is a natural and powerful antioxidant and supports the normal anti-inflammatory action of the body in conjunction with vitamins: C and E and selenium.

 4 - 8 - Amino Acids - High levels of 5 particular dietary amino acids, essential for the production of muscle tissue.

 9 - Glucosamine - gives cartilage its structure and shock absorbing qualities. It is essential for the regeneration of cartilage and is also involved in the formation of tendons, skin, bone and ligaments.

​10 - Glutamic Acid - a natural flavour enhancer and an important nutritional support for natural healing and gut health during times of stress.

​11 - MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) - MSM is a source of sulphur, which helps to form cross links with other molecules that maintain the strength and integrity of connective tissues.  It is also essential for the manufacture of collagen.

​12 - 15 - Trace Minerals (x3) - Provides selenium, manganese and magnesium to help maintain low levels of muscle reaction to work.

​16 - Vitamin C - essential for the production of collagen in the body that forms the matrix of connective tissues in mammals.  It directly affects the level of tissue growth, development or repair after injury so is crucial for healing and the body’s immune system.

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Why should I feed Joint Aid for Dogs plus Muscle Maintenance?

​We understand the need for supplying specialist nutracines to help maintain the structure and physiology of the joints and associated bone, cartilage and tendon. Joint degradation can occur due to one of two main reasons; wear and tear can occur simply as a function of age, or it can be caused by mechanical damage due to enhanced activity.

What we are also beginning to understand is what also happens to muscle and merely increasing protein intake is not the most efficient route to supporting muscular activity.

All cells contain protein in some form and the makeup depends on the type of cell. Even muscle cells vary between the types – smooth, cardiac and voluntary – as does the impact of normal processes affect their maintenance. For example, the abrasive effect of food passing along the gut, wearing down the absorptive surfaces, means massive regeneration and the gut wall has the largest need for dietary protein.
 

The voluntary, or striated, muscles also suffer from high levels of wear. We are probably all aware of the “ratchet” mechanism of muscle contraction, where muscle fibres slide over each over, but it does have certain limitations. Foremost is the conversion of a biochemical process (energy generation in the form of ATP) into a mechanical result, and it is accompanied by the generation of ultrastructural damage and the release of oxidative free radicals.

In line with all metabolic processes there is a balance between anabolism (building) and catabolism (breakdown). Normal levels of activity are within the natural constraints and muscle wear is matched by regeneration.
 

However, there is a biochemical and physiological process to muscle damage.  Muscular activity induces protein breakdown and the release of inflammatory markers and immunomodulatory cues which mop up damaged particles. At the same time, oxidative free radicals and enzymes continue the process of protein breakdown.

Countering this is the process of protein deposition and tissue repair. It is initiated by an increase of vascular activity (blood supply) to the site of damage; not only will this improve the oxygen supply, which is beneficial for energy metabolism especially in slow twitch muscle fibres, but increase the relevant nutrients and metabolites needed for muscle regeneration.

There are two aspects to muscle repair, whilst protein deposition would seem the most obvious, lipid metabolism is essential. Muscle fibres are, in the main, protein strands, but are encased in a protein/lipid complex cell membrane and it is the chemical properties of the both the neutral lipids and the phospholipids that allow the strands to slide over each other; giving rise to contraction.

Both vascular development and cell membrane lipids benefit from Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids. Although Omega-6 is sometimes regarded as being pro-inflammatory (it is actually anti-inflammatory but less so than omega-3), it is also a critical component in improving vascular flow. Omega-3 fatty acids are important in maintaining the neutral and phospho-lipids in the cell membrane.

Following on from the inflammatory phase of muscle degradation – when activity slows or stops – there is a phase of proliferation; proteolysis is reversed and the inflammatory cytokines promote collagen synthesis. This is initiated in the presence of the amino acid leucine, one of the branched amino acids that also include isoleucine and valine, and arginine also aids muscle development and vascular development.
 

In order to modulate muscle repair – over-proliferation can lead to muscle scarring, which is beneficial in wound healing – it is necessary to limit the pro-inflammatory phase, by promoting anti-inflammation and reducing oxidation. Antioxidant vitamins have been implicated in muscle integrity and tissue repair. Vitamin A improves muscle mass and reduces fat marbling, vitamins B, D, and biotin can help reduce proteolysis and vitamin C has been shown to moderate collagen synthesis.
 

Vitamin E has long been known as an effective antioxidant, but also reduces those enzymes associated with protein breakdown.

Trace elements are also associated with reduced muscle damage, especially selenium, manganese and magnesium.

Many of the components of Joint Aid will help support normal muscle dynamics. Some anti-inflammatory and antioxidant components are common to both joint and muscle physiology, as are collagen and chondroitin. Although more associated with cartilage metabolism, chondroitin helps modulate tissue regeneration and collagen makes up about 10% of regenerated muscle.

However, positive metabolites will enable a dynamic turnover of muscle metabolism, helping ameliorate the inflammatory phase and regulate proliferation. Specific antioxidants and trace elements have been added and the new product has been formulated to increase its levels of leucine, arginine and the branched chain amino acids.

By introducing these nutrients to the existing nutracines of Joint Aid, there are complementary antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support, beneficial omega-6:3 ratios and an amino acid profile suited to voluntary muscle.

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​The Unique Oatinol Delivery System

​Oatinol is a natural high quality oil based concept developed by and unique to GWF Nutrition. When incorporated into the feed it supplies four active nutraceuticals to:

• Maintain gut cell integrity.

• Maintain the lining of the gut.

• Support the immune system.

• Aid the absorption of active ingredients, vitamins and trace elements.

17 - Galactolipid Natural Emulsifiers - a combination of sugar and fat molecules that create the perfect medium for the absorption of active ingredients across the gut wall.

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18 - Natural Tocotrienol Antioxidants - a natural form of vitamin E.  They are 40-60 times more readily available than other forms of vitamin E and help to maintain the integrity of the cells forming the lining of the gut to aid absorption.

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19 - Oat Derived Beta Glucans - have prebiotic properties that support beneficial bacteria in the gut to promote healthy absorption.

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20 - Phospholipids - have emulsifying properties and have been shown to actively influence nutrient digestibility and absorption.