In order to make strong cartilage and strong joint tissue, the human body must have ample amounts of sulfate.  This sulfate (though it has many other uses), is used to make chondroitin sulfate, which is one of the main parts of the cartilage matrix.  Knowledge of this is why supplements like Chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine sulfate, MSM, and SAMe are so widely used in arthritis care.

When sulfate levels are too low in the diet or in the blood, there is not enough sulfate available to maintain healthy cartilage tissue.  Being overweight, having metabolic syndrome, or having diabetes seem to aggravate the sulfur availability problem for joints.

For instance, authors writing in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases acknowledge that “low sulfate levels in blood may contribute to osteoarthritis by decreasing cartilage chondroitin sulfation” (the process of attaching sulfate groups to build the web-like cartilage matrix).  These researchers wanted to understand how low our sulfur levels fall during periods of fasting and after we consume sugar. These scientists wrote that after an overnight fast and after a further 3 hours of fasting, there was “a marked reduction in serum sulfate levels, whereas ingestion of 75 grams of glucose in the absence of protein resulted in doubling the reduction. This suggests that fasting and ingestion of protein-free calories may produce periods of chondroitin undersulfation that could affect osteoarthritis.

It is important to think about what this means.  It suggests that the high glycemic or high sugar diets so commonly consumed in modern times may deplete the sulfate levels needed to rebuild and maintain cartilage.  It appears to be a particular problem when sugars are consumed without adequate protein.  Remember that high quality protein is usually where we get the sulfur in our diet.  This work would further suggest that people who have blood sugar disorders may be at particular risk.

[Blinn, CM, Biggee, BA, McAlindon, TE, et al. Sulphate and osteoarthritis: decrease of serum sulphate levels by an additional 3-h fast and a 3-h glucose tolerance test after an overnight fast. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006 Sep;65(9):1223-5.]