Functional Ingredients Associated with the Prevention and Suppression of Locomotive Syndrome: A Review

In 2007, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association proposed the concept of locomotive syndrome, a comprehensive description of conditions involving the functional decline of the locomotor system. Locomotive syndrome includes bone-related diseases such as osteoporosis, joint cartilage and disc-related diseases such as osteoarthritis and lumbar spondylosis, and sarcopenia and locomotive syndrome-related diseases. If left untreated, these diseases are likely to reduce mobility, necessitating nursing care. To prevent the progression of locomotive syndrome, a daily exercise routine and well-balanced diet are important, in addition to recognizing one's own decline in mobility. Therefore, research on the effectiveness of functional ingredients in the prevention and suppression of locomotive syndrome progression is ongoing. In this review, we summarize the latest reports on the effectiveness of five functional ingredients, namely, epigallocatechin gallate, resveratrol, curcumin, ellagic acid, and carnosic acid, in the treatment of osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, which are considered representative diseases of the locomotive syndrome.