ALPHAFLEX60

AlphaFlex60
Hydrolysed collagen type 2 derived from chicken,
hyaluronic acid,
vitamin B3 and vitamin C.

Hydrolysed collagen type II
Decreased pain, increased joint functions and increased articular cartilage thickness.
Hyaluronic acid
Improvement of mobility and reduction of pain.
Vitamin B3 Reduction of muscles fatigue.
Vitamin C Formation of collagen.
Feed your joints!
People over 50, athletes,
strength workers,...

JOINT PAIN
Joint pain is one of the most common health problems. In many cases
degeneration of the cartilage will be at the origin of this chronic pain.
Cartilage is deteriorating naturally by age but in a lot of cases this
“ageing” effect is accelerated a lot, in most cases as a consequence of
increased pressure on the joint. Such a fast deterioration is often seen
by athletes, by people doing heavy work like construction, but also
as a consequence of corporal conditions like for instance obesity but
also malnutrition.
Joint pain is mostly marked in the knee joint and the elbows. The
cartilage which normally is very shiny and white becomes more
yellowish and loses its brilliant aspect.
The cartilage mass becomes thinner and the joint space becomes
smaller causing more friction. It is this friction which is responsible
for the pain.
The evolution of the joint space can be followed by X-ray
photography and easily measured. Normally the degree of artrose will
be determined according to the scale of Kekgren.
In a normal joint, the space is wide open, there are no osteophytes
present and there are no friction points between the cartilage.
In an early phase the cartilage becomes thinner. Later on the knee
becomes swollen, oedema can persist, the cartilage becomes thin
and eventually will contact and causes friction. The bone becomes
thicker, osteophytes are formed and at a late stage cartilage will
disappear at several places and causes friction from bone on bone.
Finally the joint space disappears and the joint becomes immobilized.
[1, 2].
To date, there is no cure. The only treatments available are to reduce
symptoms, such as pain and inflammation, maintain joint mobility
and limit loss of function. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs) are the main tools used but have many undesirable effects:
digestive disorders, allergies as well as various disorders affecting the
liver, kidneys, central nervous system or bones.

PREVENTION OF CARTILAGE DAMMAGE
There are 5 substances of natural origin present in the cartilage which
tend to decrease with age or with abnormal pressure.
Supplementation with these substances can more or less slow down
or in early stage reverse cartilage degeneration.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine is produced naturally by the body from glucose and
glutamine. It is very present in the structures of our joints and plays
an important role in maintaining the integrity of the cartilage of
our joints. Scientific studies argue that glucosamine has beneficial
pharmacological effects to relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis
[3, 4].
Chondroitin
Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a natural glycosaminoglycan found
in cartilage and extracellular matrix [5]. Chondroitin reduces
the degradation of joint cartilage and stimulates its production.
Chondroitin sulfate also appears to possess anti-inflammatory
properties [3, 6].
Methyl-sulfonyl-methane (MSM)
MSM is a natural form of an organic sulfur compound as well as a
component of amino acids and proteins, the cornerstones of our
body. Sulfur is an important component of collagen, which is essential
for the structure of connective tissues such as skin and cartilage.
Sulfur forms in our bodies disulfide bridges, which provide structure
and elasticity / suppleness.
Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid, on the other hand, is a mucopolysaccharide
consisting of tandem repeats of D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl
glucosamine. It is abundantly present in the synovial fluid [7]. It helps
to protect the joints by increasing the viscosity of the synovial fluid
and making the cartilage more elastic.
Collagen
There are more than 25 kinds of collagen, of which types I to IV are
the most important. Collagen has a dual function. On the one hand,
with elastin and glycoproteins, it is responsible for the cohesion of
tissues and organs. On the other hand, collagen imparts hydration,
resistance and suppleness properties to these same tissues and
organs. Collagen is a source rich in glycine, proline, hydroxyproline,
lysine and hydroxylysine.
Collagen type I represents 90% of collagen in vertebrates. It is found in
most connective tissues. However, there are other types of collagen,
such as type II collagen that forms thinner fibrils than type I collagen.
It is collagen of the cartilage [1, 8]
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that is involved in the formation
of collagen.

COMPOSITION AlphaFlex60
AlphaFlex60 contains vitamin B3, vitamin C and 2 components
found in joints; hydrolyzed collagen type 2 (derived from chicken)
and hyaluronic acid.
Nutritional values 1 capsule 
Hydrolysed Collagen Type II
(Origin: chicken)
Hyaluronic acid 
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) 
Nicotinamide (vitamin B3)

The collagen used in AlphaFlex60 is type II because it is the
most abundant collagen in articular cartilage.
In its natural state, collagen is a resistant protein that once ingested
resist to the activity of digestive enzymes. However for this reason it
also will not be properly assimilated by our body. In order to have an
optimal bioavailability of collagen type II it is necessary to hydrolyze
the collagen protein to give it the possibility of being so it can be
assimilated and available for biological processes. The hydrolysis splits
the large molecules of collagen into bio-available small peptide
fractions which will accumulate in the cartilages and stimulate the
production of collagen by the chondrocytes [9].
In addition, the collagen type II used in Alphaflex60 is derived
from chicken. This collagen has a specific amino acid composition
which is very close to human collagen and hence is therefore very
active.
Usage tips
1 tablet per day to be taken with water.
Indications
The synergistic activity of both products is at the best when taken in
early stages of collagen deterioration. The products is suited for as
well joint problems caused by age as by traumatic or stress incidence
like increased pressure on the joints.

EFFECTS OF ACTIVE COMPONENTS
Decreased pain, increased joint function and increased
articular cartilage thickness therough the activity of
hydrolysed collagen type II
Several studies have shown that the use of collagen
hydrolyzate was beneficial for the treatment of patients with
osteoarthritis and other types of joint pain [10].
First, a randomized double-blind study in 389 patients with
osteoarthritis showed that administration of hydrolyzed collagen
per day for 24 weeks decreased the WOMAC pain score, increased
physical function, and improved perception of the patient’s
disease. The most significant interveners were patients with
the most severe basic symptoms [11].
Another randomized double-blind study in 250
patients with moderate osteoarthritis (190 evaluable)
showed that administration of collagen hydrolyzate
combined with calcium and vitamin C for 14 weeks
significantly improved the function of the knee
joints compare to the control group given placebo
[12]. The same results were found in patients with
severe osteoarthritis [12].
The effect of the collagen hydrolyzate has also been
tested in athletes. Sixteen mountain cyclists and ten
basketball players were given a 10 g dose of collagen
hydrolyzate for 6 months with vitamin B and magnesium.
A significant increase in the thickness of the cartilage of the
scapulohumeral joint and the femoro-tibial joint was observed
in the study group. Conversely, cartilage thickness in the control
group was significantly decreased after 6 months [13].
In cell culture models, collagen hydrolyzate causes a significant
(P <0.01) increase in the production of type II collagen and
proteoglycans without effect on proteases. These results confirm that
collagen hydrolyzate can counteract the progressive degradation of
cartilage in the joints of patients with osteoarthritis.

Improvement of mobility and reduction of pain
by hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid, on the other hand, is a mucopolysaccharide which
composes the synovial fluid [7, 14]. It therefore allows the proper
functioning of the synovial fluid which is important to lubricate and
protect the joints. It improves mobility and reduces pain.
Intra-articular administration of hyaluronic acid is the treatment of
choice in patients with sympathetic knee osteoarthritis [15]. Compared
with steroids, the effect of hyaluronic acid lasts considerably longer
[16]. Hyaluronic acid must be injected several times into the joint
cavity, which is a major disadvantage of this therapy [16; 17]. In view
of these inconveniences, the administration of oral hyaluronic acid is
more desirable.
Previous studies have suggested that symptoms of osteoarthritis of
the knee may actually be alleviated by ingesting hyaluronic acid [18-
21]. However, these studies have tested the effect of hyaluronic acid
over relatively short periods.
Another study evaluated the effect of
this treatment over a longer period
[14]. This study showed that oral
administration of hyaluronic acid
may have beneficial therapeutic
effects on patients with
sympathetic knee osteoarthritis
and may be even more
beneficial for relatively young
patients. Oral treatment
with hyaluronic acid is most
effective when combined with
a quadriceps strengthening
exercise [21].
It has been reported that high
molecular weight hyaluronic acid can
bind to the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)
and carry out biological activities [14; 22].
The association of hyaluronic acid with TLR4
leads to a reduction in inflammation via increased
cytokine signaling suppressor secretion (SOCS3) and also suppression
of pleiotrophin expression. A study using MRI also suggests that
oral hyaluronic acid may also have an effect in increasing the
glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content in the cartilage [22].
Another possibility is that the therapeutic effect of hyaluronic acid
can be obtained by mechanisms similar to those of glucosamine.
Glucosamine is another supplement that can alleviate the symptoms
of osteoarthritis of the knee and can inhibit the progression of the
disease [23, 24]. Although its mechanism is not fully understood,
glucosamine improves the symptoms of osteoarthritis and inhibits
the progression of the disease via a chondroprotective effect and an
anti-inflammatory action [25-28]. In vivo, glucosamine is converted to
N-acetylglucosamine in cells by the actions of a series of lysosomal
enzymes [29]. As mentioned previously, the hyaluronic acid consists
of tandem repeats of D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl glucosamine.
Therefore, it is possible that the N-acetyl glucosamine released from
oral hyaluronic acid may improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis of
the knee in the same way as glucosamine. In fact, one study showed
that hyaluronic acid had an anti-inflammatory action analogous to
glucosamine [30].
Reduction of muscle fatigue by vitamin B3 and formation of
collagen by vitamin C
Our formula AlphaFlex60 is enhanced with vitamin B3 to help
reduce fatigue and especially muscles fatigue. A randomized study
of 72 patients with osteoarthritis showed that treatment with
niacinamide improved the overall impact of osteoarthritis, joint
flexibility and reduced inflammation [31].
Vitamin C, on the other hand, is necessary for the formation of
collagen. Several studies have shown that an adequate intake of
vitamin C can help prevent the progression of osteoarthritis [3,31].