Bone Spurs

Bone spurs (also called osteophytes) are smooth, hard bumps of extra bone that form on the ends of bones.

Bone spurs are most common in people 60 years or older, but younger people can get them, too.

The main cause of bone spurs is the joint damage associated with osteoarthritis (OA). OA occurs when the cartilage that cushions your bones break down due to wear and tear.

As the body tries to repair the loss, it creates bone spurs near the damaged area.

Vitamins and minerals are an important defense against bone spurs.

If you have OA, it is important to make sure you are not deficient in calcium. Since magnesium and vitamin D are essential for the absorption of calcium, you will also want to be sure your levels of these are not low. 

Type 2 collagen is a type of protein and the main component in cartilage. For this reason, some people take collagen supplements to support knee health and treat OA.

Vitamin C is also crucial for collagen formation and a lack of it can also weaken tendons and ligaments. It is thus essential to keep the cushioning and connective tissue of the joints healthy so that the body doesn’t overcompensate by creating bone spurs.

References:

Bakilan, F., Armagan, O., Ozgen, M., Tascioglu, F., Bolluk, O., & Alatas, O. (2016). Effects of native type II collagen treatment on knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial. The Eurasian journal of medicine, 48(2), 95.

Jiang, J. X., Yu, S., Huang, Q. R., Zhang, X. L., Zhang, C. Q., Zhou, J. L., & Prawitt, J. (2014). Collagen peptides improve knee osteoarthritis in elderly women: A 6-month randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study. Agro Food Industry Hi Tech, 25(2), 19-23.

Manoy, P., Yuktanandana, P., Tanavalee, A., Anomasiri, W., Ngarmukos, S., Tanpowpong, T., & Honsawek, S. (2017). Vitamin D supplementation improves quality of life and physical performance in osteoarthritis patients. Nutrients, 9(8), 799.