Hope Science

Gums & Joints… The Same Solution?

*Article appeared in the April 2011 veterinary magazine “The Messenger”

And it’s not just another one of the multitude of unproven joint products, as it is also evidence-based.

This is an often used term and at the same time an often abused term. As an example, we often see “contains clinically proven ingredients” In reality this usually implies that the actual product was in fact never tested clinically.

We are talking about EFAC, which stands for Esterified Fatty Acid Complex. Esterified oils sound similar, but are not the same as essential oils. Esterified oils are supported by clinical trial research published in both the Journal of Periodontology

and in the Journal of Rheumatology. After many years of research EFAC was awarded a US patent in late 2009 for its unprecedented benefits.

EFAC for Gum Health

Esterified oils are the only evidence-based product for gum or periodontal health. There are products for limiting plaque, but none for the gums themselves. Esterified oils do not remove plaque and therefore do not replace a cleaning. Rather they promote healthy gum tissue and in the process help to limit trauma from dental procedures or cleanings. When used regularly these “cellular lubricating” oils provide a natural anti-inflammatory affect. There are of course a number of chronic oral scenarios that may potentially benefit from a maintenance dose of esterified oils.

Researchers from Boston University discovered that induced periodontal conditions were fully resolved when esterified oils were applied topically to the gums. The theory is that less inflammation enables the host’s natural immunity to respond more effectively to overcome the condition.

A Major Discovery

Periodontal conditions may lead to bone resorption of the teeth and to damage of the surrounding connective tissues. A truly major advancement was the discovery that these oils help to maintain healthy connective tissue and bone density, as evidenced by healthier teeth and normalized gum pocket depths.

The Best 2 for 1 Deal in Veterinary Medicine

Compliance with esterified oils used topically for gum health in dogs and cats is high because these oils seem to be very tasty to our furry patients. As an example, my dog “Lucky” comes running when he hears me opening the foil container. For fussy cats the paste-like oil can be placed on the nose to be licked off. Most veterinarians and vet techs first apply the oil at the time of a cleaning and then send the balance of the box home for the client to apply.

When applied to the gums some of the esterified oils are swallowed and also provide benefit for the joints… gum and joint health using the same tasty oils!

EFAC for Joints

Research has shown EFAC to be far more effective and much faster acting than current natural joint products.

At the annual Scripps medical conference in San Diego researchers were awarded 1st place out of the 90 papers presented.  Pain scores related to knee discomfort decreased after only 2 weeks and continued to improve and improve when tested at 4 and 8 weeks. Researchers also wanted objective measurements and tested how far patients could walk in 6 minutes. Presumably patients walk slower due to pain and/or stiffness. The remarkable results in the graph speak for themselves. Also please note that the placebo group of patients did not improve, which means participants were not simply “getting in shape”.

When used specifically for the joints, EFAC comes in a variety of forms; chews, capsules and as a powder.

There has simply never been anything like EFAC for joint health.

Safety

University of Minnesota researchers gave animals 1300 times the regular daily dose and still no pathology was found. The bottom line is that EFAC is very safe, as it food-based and has no known side effects.

Why EFAC?

It is really more a question of why not? It’s the only evidence-based solution for gum health with the outstanding benefit of being far superior to current joint formulas. EFAC is a welcome advancement, as it addresses unmet clinical needs and does so safely.

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