Healthy joints are essential for an active lifestyle.  Yet as we get older, wear and tear on the joints can take their toll on the protective cartilage.  Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis can also cause inflammation, pain, and swelling.  Over time, mobility can decrease causing increasingly severe disabilities.  In order to cope, most people go for a bottle of aspirin, acetaminophen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). For severe pain and inflammation, a doctor may prescribe powerful corticosteroids such as prednisone.  Although inflammation may be reduced, healing is limited, soft tissue may be weak and predisposed to further injury.  In fact, some research suggests that aspirin and NSAIDs may actually create cartilage damage.  Proteases, such as serrapeptase, demonstrate significant anti-inflammatory properties. Further, they help break down circulating immune complexes that are localized at joints during inflammation.  Research suggests that systemic protease therapy results in improvement of blood and lymph circulation providing vital nutrients for complete healing of vulnerable tissue.