Explaining Cortaflex

As joint supplement comparison tables have caused confusion through limited and even inaccurate information, we thought we would include a brief explanation of the Cortaflex supplements, as they are unique in the marketplace, and often misrepresented when compared with other joint supplements!

The Cortaflex  range were amongst the first joint supplements to be widely and successfully used in all types of horses and ponies in America, and were introduced to the UK some 25 years ago. They are now used all over the world, with well over 2 million units sold! They included then, and still include now, vital trace elements and precursors (or building blocks) of key compounds such as glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans which are necessary for the production and maintenance of healthy cartilage (the spongy, elastic, shock absorbing material found on the ends of bones within a joint) and joint fluid, which also plays an important role in shock absorbing and lubrication within the joint.

The wear and tear on cartilage through either strenuous training and competition programmes, or just through the aging process means that horses and ponies may not be able to keep up with the rate of repair needed to maintain the healthy, shock absorbing properties of cartilage and joint fluid. If the cartilage becomes damaged, and the joint fluid becomes thinner and less viscous, the shock absorbing properties are reduced and the horse will start to experience pain, eventually showing signs of lameness.

Cortaflex provides the building blocks to help the specialised cells in cartilage called chondrocytes maintain the repair process. These building blocks include:

Collagen - an important compound needed by the chondrocytes to produce the water based matrix of the cartilage. Collagen helps to give cartilage its strength. (We utilize a sustainable and ethical source of marine derived collagen.)

Amino acids such as glutamic acid  - converted in the horse’s body to provide glutamine, which combines with glucose to form glucosamine – which itself then combines with other compounds to  help give cartilage its flexibility and “sponginess”.

Hyaluronic acid (HA)  - is a key component of joint fluid, which bathes the joint, and acts and a lubricant and shock absorber.

Copper, manganese and silicon – are important trace elements which are all needed to help the horse produce his own chondroitin, (another important structural compound in cartilage), collagen and hyaluronic acid.

More recently, as well as providing these vital building blocks, MSM (methylsulphonylmethane ) has been added to the Cortaflex supplements, to provide  a bio-available source of sulphur, which is important  in the repair process of the sulphur containing bonds in the cartilage matrix. MSM is also thought to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Cortaflex Super Fenn also contains Boswellia, a plant known for its anti-inflammatory properties, to help reduce the on-going destruction of cartilage following micro-trauma and the resulting inflammatory responses arising from harder work.

Cortaflex HA is available in both Regular Strength for horses in lighter work, and the more potent Cortaflex HA Super Fenn , suitable for horses in harder work, or older horses and ponies, and both are available in either liquid or powdered forms.

Cortaflex is tried, tested and trusted by thousands of horse owners to help provide the building blocks for cartilage repair – and it has a 30 day money back guarantee!

For those who prefer a powdered product containing glucosamine, we also produce the high specification Glucosamine 12000 with MSM and HA – a very cost-effective joint product providing a full 12 g of Glucosamine hydrochloride as well as MSM and Hyaluronic acid at a cost of just 53 p per day for a 30g dose – and many users find they can reduce to a maintenance dose of 15 g after a few weeks, costing just 26.5p per day!

Our liquid glucosamine-based supplement Kentucky Liquid Supplement provides not only glucosamine, but also collagen, hyaluronic acid (HA), MSM, Boswellia and Vitamin C to support joint health and provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant support. Another great all round joint supplement – and of course has our 30 day money back guarantee! 

Watch this space for details of exciting new joint care products coming soon………!!