How to Quickly Regenerate Damaged Cartilage

How to Quickly Regenerate Damaged Cartilage
Mario Benedetti Arzuza

Written and verified by the doctor Mario Benedetti Arzuza.

Last update: 09 October, 2022

One of the most common injuries for people is damaged cartilage. It tends to be very painful but recent studies have conducted that your diet helps you regenerate cartilage even faster.

Cartilage is a very flexible structure that weightlessly supports certain structures like the pinna (outer ear), nose, and joints. There are areas in our body that are much more sensitive to getting injured, such as the knee joints, and are always more affected in those who do daily physical activities like athletes.

It can also affect elderly people because of the natural deterioration of the body at a certain age.

How is damaged cartilage regenerated?

Cartilage is regenerated according to what food you eat. One of the other most common conditions that affects the ankle, knee, wrist, elbow, and shoulder cartilage is arthritis, currently a very well-known disease that affects almost everyone older than forty.

For this reason, it is necessary to have proper nutrition so that cartilage tissue can regenerate quickly.

One of the most important amino acids for the rapid regeneration of damaged cartilage is lysine. It is responsible for absorbing calcium and producing collagen that rebuilds damaged tissue. It also improves appearance of your skin and strength of your tendons.

Studies on damaged cartilage regeneration

A study done by the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) concluded that lysine deficiency can delay the growth of damaged cartilage. It can also affect the regeneration of skin cells, which damages the total reconstruction of the area involved with the physical damage.

12 mg (milligrams) of lysine for every kilo of body weight is what you should consume in order to help the body be able to rebuild cartilage faster. The foods that contain high levels of lysine are:

  • Legumes
  • Cod
  • Beef
  • Beans
  • Eggs
  • Soy
  • Cheese
  • Nuts
  • Lentils
  • Chicken

You might be interested in: 8 Symptoms of a Vitamin C Deficiency

Vitamin C is very important for raising the body’s defenses. But besides that, it can also maintain collagen production by maintaining oxygenated blood and bringing it to all of the arteries, which ensures that it supplies injuries with what they need to rebuild.

A large deficiency in vitamin C can instantly reduce healing. Moreover, human beings need over 75 mg (milligrams) a day of this vitamin in order to continuously renew the problems in the body. The foods that contain the most vitamin C are:

  • Kiwi
  • Oranges
  • Strawberries
  • Lemon

All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Lopez, C. (2009). Tejido Cartilaginoso y Oseo. Componentes Del Cartílago.
  • Versier, G., & Barbier, O. (2014). Técnicas de reconstrucción cartilaginosa. EMC – Técnicas Quirúrgicas – Ortopedia y Traumatología. http://doi.org/10.1016/S2211-033X(14)69192-1
  • Tuero, B. (2000). Funciones de la vitamina C en el metabolismo del colágeno. Rev Cubana Aliment Nutr.
  • NCBI. (2012). Lysine post-translational modifications of collagen.
  • Tuero, B. B. (2000). Funciones de la vitamina C en el metabolismo del colágeno. Rev Cubana Aliment Nutr, 14(1), 46-54.
  • Villaescusa, Á. M. Editor: Editorial de la Universidad de Granada.
  • Silva, T. F. D., & Penna, A. L. B. (2012). Colágeno: Características químicas e propriedades funcionais. Revista do Instituto Adolfo Lutz, 530-539.

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.