From Jointbuilder.com
The most commonly asked questions about glucosamine are listed below.
What is Glucosamine?Glucosamine is a nutritional supplement that can stimulate specific components of your cartilage to thrive and reproduce. Glucosamine has been used for decades in Europe for the treatment of arthritis with favorable results. Glucosamine has also been used for many years by veterinarians to treat arthritis in dogs, horses and other pets. It became popular in the United States for humans in the mid nineties after Jane Brody, a prominent New York Times Columnist, wrote about its benefits for her dog. The interest exploded after the book "The Arthritis Cure" by Jason Theodosakis hit the best seller list in 1997. Glucosamine comes from chitin that is the covering of shellfish or insects. Chitin contains the highest concentration of Glucosamine sulfate in nature and is a very safe form of this nutritional supplement.
Are there Different Types of Glucosamine?
There are basically three forms of Glucosamine available today. These are:
Glucosamine Sulfate
Glucosamine Hydrochloride
Glucosamine NAS
Glucosamine Sulfate is the preferred form of Glucosamine available today due to its ability to easily travel from your gut into your joint. The other forms of Glucosamine have very limited or no evidence of their ability to be absorbed by your body and to help your body heal itself. This is known as bioavailabilty. Some of the other forms may be less expensive, however there is little or no scientific evidence that it works. Although Glucosamine Sulfate has the word sulfa, as it's root, it is not related to sulfa drugs, and if you have allergies to sulfa drugs you do not have to worry about ingesting this natural supplement.
How Does Glucosamine Sulfate Work?Glucosamine Sulfate works by stimulating the production of a very important structure in your cartilage called the Glycosamine Glycans ( GAG). Your GAG acts as a nutrient base for the growth of your cartilage. Stimulating this complex will increase the production of your cartilage over time. This healing process is what reduces your pain.
How Long Do I need to Take Glucosamine Sulfate?
Most people report that their pain starts to decrease after taking Glucosamine Sulfate for approximately 2 months. Thus, don't be discouraged if your pain is not immediately reduced. You should take Glucosamine Sulfate for at least three months at the maximum recommended dose. Once your pain begins to subside, you may start to slowly decrease the amount of your Glucosamine Sulfate. If your pain returns, you should increase your dosage to the maximum dosage for another two to three months.
What is the Average dosage of Glucosamine Sulfate?
Although there is no "official recommended dose", most experts using Glucosamine Sulfate would recommend the following, based on your weight:
200 lbs. (91 kg) or less - 1,500mg of Glucosamine Sulfate per day
Over 200 lbs.(91 kg) - 2,000mg- 2,250mg per day
Are There Side Effects to Glucosamine?
One of the best attributes of Glucosamine Sulfate is its ability to target the underlying cause of your arthritis with causing very few unwanted side effects. Anti inflammatories (known as NSAIDS) such as Ibuprofen (MotrinTM) or aspirin are traditionally used by physicians to treat the pain associated with arthritis. However, these medications do not address the underlying cause of your arthritis. They just cover-up your pain. In addition, they cause unwanted side effects such as stomach ulcers; as well as kidney and liver failure. Furthermore, most NSAIDS actually decrease your body's production of new cartilage. This is very disturbing information because you may be actually making your problem worse by taking these NSAIDS.
In recent scientific studies, Glucosamine Sulfate has been shown to have a significantly lower rate of unwanted side effects while producing superior long-term relief of pain associated with osteoarthritis. The most commonly reported side effect was gastrointestinal discomfort (upset stomach) which was well below the reported side effects of NSAIDS. There has also been some question of the ability of Glucosamine Sulfate to elevate blood sugars; however, there has been no substantial evidence to support this claim. NOTE: If you are considering the use of Glucosamine Sulfate or any other nutritional supplement, you should discuss this with your physician.
What about Chodroitin Sulfate?
Chondroitin Sulfate is another nutritional supplement that is usually added to glucosamine formulations. Chondroitin is speculated to work together with the glucosamine to protect your cartilage from further destruction and to draw in more moisture into the cartilage. However, some earlier studies on the absorption of Chondroitin Sulfate from your intestines has shown that it is very poorly absorbed and a majority of the product was excreted through your urine. The major source of Chondroitin is from the trachea (wind pipe) of cows. Thus, if you are a vegetarian or you are concerned about the detrimental effects of beef, especially such things as "mad cow disease", you may want to avoid Chondroitin Sulfate. In addition, you can obtain chondroitin from other sources in your diet such as the gristle found around the bones of meat.
Are there any other supplements I should take for arthritis?
Yes, there are! Such supplements as vitamin C, D and E have proven benefits in reducing the progression of your osteoarthritis. The mineral maganese has some evidence suggesting that it may be helpful in the recovery from arthritis. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a biologic form of sulfur that has some preliminary evidence of its ability to reduce pain in-patients with arthritis.
What is Glucosamine?Glucosamine is a nutritional supplement that can stimulate specific components of your cartilage to thrive and reproduce. Glucosamine has been used for decades in Europe for the treatment of arthritis with favorable results. Glucosamine has also been used for many years by veterinarians to treat arthritis in dogs, horses and other pets. It became popular in the United States for humans in the mid nineties after Jane Brody, a prominent New York Times Columnist, wrote about its benefits for her dog. The interest exploded after the book "The Arthritis Cure" by Jason Theodosakis hit the best seller list in 1997. Glucosamine comes from chitin that is the covering of shellfish or insects. Chitin contains the highest concentration of Glucosamine sulfate in nature and is a very safe form of this nutritional supplement.
Are there Different Types of Glucosamine?
There are basically three forms of Glucosamine available today. These are:
Glucosamine Sulfate
Glucosamine Hydrochloride
Glucosamine NAS
Glucosamine Sulfate is the preferred form of Glucosamine available today due to its ability to easily travel from your gut into your joint. The other forms of Glucosamine have very limited or no evidence of their ability to be absorbed by your body and to help your body heal itself. This is known as bioavailabilty. Some of the other forms may be less expensive, however there is little or no scientific evidence that it works. Although Glucosamine Sulfate has the word sulfa, as it's root, it is not related to sulfa drugs, and if you have allergies to sulfa drugs you do not have to worry about ingesting this natural supplement.
How Does Glucosamine Sulfate Work?Glucosamine Sulfate works by stimulating the production of a very important structure in your cartilage called the Glycosamine Glycans ( GAG). Your GAG acts as a nutrient base for the growth of your cartilage. Stimulating this complex will increase the production of your cartilage over time. This healing process is what reduces your pain.
How Long Do I need to Take Glucosamine Sulfate?
Most people report that their pain starts to decrease after taking Glucosamine Sulfate for approximately 2 months. Thus, don't be discouraged if your pain is not immediately reduced. You should take Glucosamine Sulfate for at least three months at the maximum recommended dose. Once your pain begins to subside, you may start to slowly decrease the amount of your Glucosamine Sulfate. If your pain returns, you should increase your dosage to the maximum dosage for another two to three months.
What is the Average dosage of Glucosamine Sulfate?
Although there is no "official recommended dose", most experts using Glucosamine Sulfate would recommend the following, based on your weight:
200 lbs. (91 kg) or less - 1,500mg of Glucosamine Sulfate per day
Over 200 lbs.(91 kg) - 2,000mg- 2,250mg per day
Are There Side Effects to Glucosamine?
One of the best attributes of Glucosamine Sulfate is its ability to target the underlying cause of your arthritis with causing very few unwanted side effects. Anti inflammatories (known as NSAIDS) such as Ibuprofen (MotrinTM) or aspirin are traditionally used by physicians to treat the pain associated with arthritis. However, these medications do not address the underlying cause of your arthritis. They just cover-up your pain. In addition, they cause unwanted side effects such as stomach ulcers; as well as kidney and liver failure. Furthermore, most NSAIDS actually decrease your body's production of new cartilage. This is very disturbing information because you may be actually making your problem worse by taking these NSAIDS.
In recent scientific studies, Glucosamine Sulfate has been shown to have a significantly lower rate of unwanted side effects while producing superior long-term relief of pain associated with osteoarthritis. The most commonly reported side effect was gastrointestinal discomfort (upset stomach) which was well below the reported side effects of NSAIDS. There has also been some question of the ability of Glucosamine Sulfate to elevate blood sugars; however, there has been no substantial evidence to support this claim. NOTE: If you are considering the use of Glucosamine Sulfate or any other nutritional supplement, you should discuss this with your physician.
What about Chodroitin Sulfate?
Chondroitin Sulfate is another nutritional supplement that is usually added to glucosamine formulations. Chondroitin is speculated to work together with the glucosamine to protect your cartilage from further destruction and to draw in more moisture into the cartilage. However, some earlier studies on the absorption of Chondroitin Sulfate from your intestines has shown that it is very poorly absorbed and a majority of the product was excreted through your urine. The major source of Chondroitin is from the trachea (wind pipe) of cows. Thus, if you are a vegetarian or you are concerned about the detrimental effects of beef, especially such things as "mad cow disease", you may want to avoid Chondroitin Sulfate. In addition, you can obtain chondroitin from other sources in your diet such as the gristle found around the bones of meat.
Are there any other supplements I should take for arthritis?
Yes, there are! Such supplements as vitamin C, D and E have proven benefits in reducing the progression of your osteoarthritis. The mineral maganese has some evidence suggesting that it may be helpful in the recovery from arthritis. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a biologic form of sulfur that has some preliminary evidence of its ability to reduce pain in-patients with arthritis.
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