As someone who's dealt with joint pain from weightlifting for years, I was skeptical but desperate when I tried Labrada's Elastijoint. The fruit punch flavor sounded fun, but let's be real - this isn't a tasty sports drink. That first sip hits you with an intense artificial sweetness that made me grimace (think grape cough syrup meets Flintstones vitamins).

But here's the thing - after forcing it down for a week, I noticed my creaky knees during squats felt... different. Not perfect, but the sharp pains became dull aches. By week three, I was adding it to my post-workout shake religiously because I could actually kneel to tie my shoes without groaning.

The powder mixes decently (no clumps if you shake hard), though I strongly recommend chilling it first. Room-temperature Elastijoint tastes like someone dissolved SweeTarts in rubbing alcohol. Pro tip: Blend it with frozen berries to mask the flavor - game changer!

Now the not-so-great: That neon orange color had me worried about artificial dyes until I realized another supplement was causing discoloration. Still, Labrada could definitely improve the formula by ditching unnecessary coloring agents.

Bottom line? If you can power through the weird taste (or get creative with mixing), this stuff delivers real joint support at a reasonable price. My lifting partner swears it helped her shoulder mobility more than cortisone shots ever did. Just don't expect it to taste like actual fruit punch - your joints will thank you while your taste buds protest.