Cissus Quadrangularis to heal Joint Pains from Exercise

Continuing from my previous blog post where I had discussed a ‘low weekly mileage 40 day workout routine’ to reduce 10k running time, as promised, here I’m writing about a herb which reduces joint pains called ‘Cissus Quadrangularis’ A.K.A. ‘Devils Backbone’ or ‘Hadjod’ (in India), which I’m currently using for my knee pain and other assorted creaks. Very ironically, my knee pain has originated from the aforesaid workout. I made the classical exercise mistake called ‘too much, too soon’ :D

In fact, some research papers state that Cissus Quadrangularis/Hadjod (CQ) does not just heal joint pains, but even repairs bone disorders[1], fractures[2] and damaged tendons and ligaments, helps to reduce bodyweight (emphasis on central obesity)[3], treats arthritis and other inflammatory disorders[4], helps controlling bone loss (during and after menopause)[5] and also reduces cortisol.

CQ is a plant from the grape family and is indigenous to India. Assamese[6] people and tribes from Meghalaya have long been using CQ for healing fractures. Hadjod, as the name suggests, means that it joins bones. In Sanskrit, its name is Asthisamharaka which translates to that which prevents the destruction of bones.

Bite Me

Considering how preoccupied researchers, runners, and the people who don’t run are with damage to bones, knee joints, tissues and ligaments due to running (especially long distances), based on the results of the research papers on CQ, it makes immense sense for everyone engaged in running short distances, marathons, ultramarathons, crossfit, bodybuilding and triathlons to incorporate CQ as a training supplement for longevity and vitality, and also because CQ has no notable side-effects[7].

In a pilot study, titled “Cissus quadrangularis reduces joint pain in exercise-trained men”, (Phys Sportsmed. 2013 Sep;41(3):29-35. doi: 10.3810/psm.2013.09.2021), it was found that 8-weeks of supplementation with CQ reduced joint pain by about 31% in a sample of 29 young, otherwise healthy, exercise-trained men (who had joint pain).[8] Do note that this was a pilot study so the results are not conclusive, however, considering the other research papers out there which suggest that CQ has significant benefits for the musculoskeletal system with no noted side-effects, CQ supplementation for athletes makes mighty sense.

CQ extract (250mg per tablet) named Hadjod is readily and cheaply available on Amazon from Himalaya Herbal Healthcare.

- Aman Yadav

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[1] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24803925

[2] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24163553 and www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25298715

[3] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1570348/

[4] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26342521

[5] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22779034 & www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3388386/

[6] nif.org.in/innovation/traditional_bone_healer/265

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24113700

[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24113700

REDUCE 10K RUNNING TIME IN 40 DAYS BY RUNNING LESSER

Shortcuts, who doesn’t like shortcuts! With celebrities like Tim Ferriss as role models, for a generation obsessed with life hacks, this paper presents a hack to reduce your 10k running time in 40 days, and that too by reducing running mileage.

However, as with all hacks/shortcuts it comes with its own set of snakes which bite you when you’re smugly taking a shortcut ladder. The patiently coiled snake here is the increase in running intensity during the 40 day period.

Recently, in an overeager state after having read the aforesaid paper, I inculcated the prescribed regime into my training but without reducing mileage and (in hindsight), as expected, I now have a nagging knee issue. Hence, the caveat here is to firstly do only a few of the intervals for a short while, and then start the 40 day training block (A.K.A. 40 day shortcut) after your legs are ready for the successive intense sessions. Again, this is a shortcut, so remember that you can safely do better if you adopt traditional methods of increasing running performance.

The aforesaid (year 2018) study/paper (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29417745) is titled “Effect of Speed Endurance Training and Reduced Training Volume on Running Economy and Single Muscle Fiber Adaptations in Trained Runners”, and as the name suggests the test subjects (trained runners with 10k times of about 46 minutes) reduced their respective weekly mileage but introduced a couple of 30-40 seconds maximal effort running intervals every few days during the 40 day test period.

Ladders give, Snakes take, Rich man, poor man, Beggar man, thief, Ain’t got a hope in hell, That's my belief - AC/DC Sin City

Duration of the aforesaid study was 40 days and it consisted of 10 sessions of speed endurance training (very short max effort intervals followed by walking recovery period) and 10 sessions of aerobic moderate-intensity training (regular runs) for the trained runners. Total running distance during the intervention/test period was reduced by 36% compared to before the intervention/test. The trained runners who participated in the study were running about 23-27 kms per week.

The training protocol can be demonstrated for a 12 day period as follows:

Day	Exercise Type	Details
1	Aerobic Moderate Intensity	Regular run
2	Speed Endurance Training	10 bouts of 30-sec “all-out” running. Running bouts were separated by 3.5 min of recovery (walking app. 200 m to the start-line)
3	Rest
4	Rest
5	Aerobic Moderate Intensity	Regular run
6	Speed Endurance Training	10 bouts of 30-sec “all-out” running. Running bouts were separated by 3.5 min of recovery (walking app. 200 m to the start-line)
7	Rest
8	Rest
9	Aerobic Moderate Intensity	Regular run
10	Speed Endurance Training	10 bouts of 30-sec “all-out” running. Running bouts were separated by 3.5 min of recovery (walking app. 200 m to the start-line)
11	Rest
12	Rest

The same protocol, as tabled above, was continued for 40 days by the participants. The results showed that compared to before -- 10 km performance improved by 3.2% in the trained runners. Namely, a change from “45.2 +/- 1.2” minutes to “43.7 +/- 1.0 minute".

Since the researchers could not find the exact source of such improvement, even after conducting blood tests and muscle biopsies – they attributed the improvement to ‘better running economy’.

In the next blog, I’ll write about a herb which reduces joint pains called ‘Cissus Quadrangularis’ A.K.A. ‘Devils Backbone’, which I’m currently using for my knee pain and other assorted creaks. In fact, some claims converge to say that it even repairs tendons and ligaments J

- Aman Yadav