GROWING PAINS
Penpharm, South Africa’s pharma-family of health specialists, is delighted to announce the launch of Growing Pains, the first and only supplement product specially formulated to assist active kids with muscle and joint pains.
Although it’s still a bit of a mystery why they exist, parents will tell you that growing pains in children between the ages of 3 and 12 years are very real. Many parents are also aware of the link between a child’s level of activity during the day and the throbbing pains they experience in the arms or shoulders, and particularly the legs, late afternoon and especially at night time.
Some kids never get them, others only get them occasionally, and then there are those unfortunate few afflicted almost every night.
Growing pains can be traumatic for an unsuspecting child. Imagine the torment in kids with abnormally low pain thresholds and how frustrating and helpless it must be for the parent who keeps bedside vigil. When at their worst, these pains offer little sleep for fragile souls.
The most important ingredient of childhood is having fun… and more fun. It’s a time for playing, running, climbing, jumping, and testing the body to see how far it will go. Yet, there’s nothing like pain to dampen that innocent spirit of bodily euphoria.
For super active kids or those who undergo growth spurts, this can be an extremely challenging time. The agony of the previous night will stay fresh in the memory, even discouraging some from participating in a sport or joining their friends on the jungle gym during school break.
No child is immune to growing pains – they will affect the healthiest and most physically talented.
So, what’s the remedy Doc?
There certainly are no quick fixes unless the pain is so severe and unmanageable that fast-acting medication is the only recourse. That said, many parents kick against the idea of administering painkillers that may induce drowsiness.
Today paediatricians will tell you that the best remedy is to supplement the young body with critical nutrients, specifically those relevant to bone, joint and muscle function and growth.
While the market is saturated with countless brands of nutritional supplements, what has been lacking is a scientifically balanced composition exclusively designed for growing pains.
Penpharm’s Growing Pains comes as a much-needed aid in your child’s struggle with growing pains. Its formula works like a two-edged sword: offering proven relief for these pains in young, energetic bodies whilst also nourishing them with nutrients vital to growth and recovery.
Let’s take a closer look at its three primary agents:
Vitamin K2
Parents need to pay more attention to this miracle nutrient that’s so crucial to the body’s process of repairing bones and joints under stress. Everybody knows just how important calcium is for healthy bones, but calcium doesn’t just get there all by itself – it needs vitamin K2 (and vitamin D3) to help with easy absorption and reaching bone mass . Various studies have identified children as the group most deficient in vitamin K2. Sadly, many parents have never heard of this nutrient, which contributes to its absence even in healthy Western diets. It’s also a very difficult nutrient to get enough of from your diet which means one has to actively pursue it. Even so, few build their meal plans around foods such as chicken, duck or goose liver pate, or a daily intake of 3-4 large, pasture-raised eggs, or 2-3 slices of lamb liver, or emu oil for that matter. If grownups neglect a healthy daily intake of vitamin K2, it’s only understandable that it will be missing from their kids’ diet.
Magnesium
Too many children don’t follow a magnesium-rich meal plan which makes them more vulnerable to growing pains . Magnesium is a core mineral contributing to the structural formation of bones. It also boosts bone mass during the child’s early years and assists in the maintenance of joint cartilage. It further helps transport calcium and potassium across cell membranes and supports the general health of nutrient-converting cells. In fact, cells will die if there’s a lack of magnesium. Moreover, magnesium has a calming effect on moods and helps combat anxiety and irritability. Such neurological benefits in itself can help take the edge off growing pains. And do take note, the more active your child, the more magnesium the body uses .
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
MSM is a naturally occurring substance found in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and dairy products high in full-fat milk. For the growing child, MSM is another magic nutrient especially because it’s made up of 34% sulphur – the 4th most abundant mineral in the body. For the growing child, sulphur deficiency can cause a poor immune response, slow growth, weak joints and fatigue. Studies have also confirmed that a variety of conditions are improved through MSM supplementation; such as inflammation, joint and muscle pain, oxidative stress, and antioxidant capacity, to name a few. A word of caution though; MSM is destroyed with only moderate food processing, such as heating or any type of exposure that will dry it out. It’s therefore essential to stick to Growing Pains’ directions for use.
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