About Glucosamine
Glucosamine – A compound naturally made from chains of proteins and sugars bound together and is found in the cartilage of our joints. It works as one of the joint lubricants and natural shock-absorbent in the body, allowing us to go around with least or no muscle, bone, and joint pains.
People suffering from bone and joint pains are taking Glucosamine, known to be one of the very popular supplements that also own natural anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. Glucosamine also treats age-related disorders like arthritis and osteoarthritis which are common symptoms affecting the fitness levels of many people these days. Other benefits of Glucosamine is it can even help improve gut health and digestion, the range of motion, general joint health, and mobility even in healthy people who have no bowel disorders or chronic joint disorders.
Without glucosamine, it would be very painful and difficult to manage daily movements and tasks. The body requires glucosamine for synthesizing certain proteins and lipids (fats) that form numerous important tissues, largely cartilage which plays an important part in our joints, tendons and ligaments construction. Additionally, it helps form the fluids (called synovial fluid) surrounding joints thus providing lubrication. Glucosamine fulfills a vital role in microbiome health too. It helps form connective tissue that makes up parts of a system that supports the immune system function like the digestive tract.
Although many people find some pain relief in just 6 to 8 weeks, not everybody with severe joint pain can exploit the benefits of glucosamine supplementation. Many people do benefit from experiencing the quality of life improvements like natural relief from arthritis, lower inflammation, better digestive health, or less bone pain.
For years, with little to no risks or side effects for most people, it can be used to improve the overall quality of life by combating signs of aging safely.
How Does Glucosamine Work?
A major part of the research carried out on glucosamine specifically looked at the benefits of glucosamine sulfate, the natural chemical discovered in the human body. Researchers consider that taking glucosamine supplements from natural sources like bone broth or its use raises the amount of fluid and cartilage surrounding our joints, thus reducing pain and preventing joint breakdown.
Glucosamine, an aminosaccharide, helps to create cartilage from compounds called proteoglycans and aggrecan. Since the loss of cartilage and joint deterioration are common triggers of osteoarthritis, the cartilage-building properties of glucosamine are important ways to ease symptoms of the condition naturally.
Despite no recommended daily dosage for glucosamine as of now, still most people do best when they have 500 milligrams to 1500 milligrams daily intake whether alone or when combined with other supplements like sulfate, omega-3s or MSM supplements. Studies show this dosage range helps in –
- Reduction of inflammation and reversal of autoimmune reactions
- Maintain joint health
- Reduction in joint pain and tenderness
- Repair and safeguard gut lining
- Fighting irritations of the intestines, bladder, and stomach
- Treat leaky gut syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease
- Remake stronger bones and tissue withstanding any fractures and injuries
Not to forget, the often most recommended form of glucosamine is glucosamine sulfate. The “sulfate” apparently plays an important role in joint health because it helps the body make cartilage. When compared to other forms of glucosamine which include glucosamine hydrochloride or N-acetyl glucosamine, Glucosamine sulfate can have more of an impact.
4 Benefits of Glucosamine:
- Helps Improve Joint Health & Osteoarthritis: One of the best supplements related to degenerative disorders like osteoarthritis for supporting joint health and lowering symptoms is Glucosamine. Naturally, aging impacts the strength and durability of our joints, thus causing joint pain and cartilage loss over time. It is consistently ranked as one of the most effective in arthritis discomfort treatment in comparison to many other supplements like chondroitin as it cannot improve symptoms most of the time.
Glucosamine decelerates deterioration of joints when in long-term usage, plus it offers other benefits what prescription painkillers cannot in terms of improving digestive health and lowering chronic inflammation. The results of taking glucosamine are each to his own, but however, some long-term users report pain relief often letting them lower/eliminate medication use and stay away from surgeries.
Osteoarthritis is characterized as a disorder of ongoing joint pain triggered from years of accumulating pressure and friction places on joints. It’s the most familiar type of arthritis worldwide, affecting people in millions (especially older adults). With lifestyle and diet changes, one can manage arthritis as part of a natural treatment approach with recommending Glucosamine as one of the top supplements.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease and increases in joint friction makes it harder to move over the years. Research shows that daily intake of about 800 to 1,500 milligrams of glucosamine helps millions of people suffering from degenerative joint diseases, especially in commonly affected joints such as those in the hips and knees, thus preventing further damage. It has been a relief from joint pain within 4–8 weeks, which might be longer than over-the-counter painkillers or some prescriptions, despite it’s also a more well-tolerated natural approach.
Glucosamine despite guaranteed to help everyone, especially those highly impacted by arthritis, is not a “cure all” even when used alone or in the blend with other supplements like chondroitin but as discovered by the major studies. The Glucosamine /Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), is considered ever the most comprehensive trial done that involves glucosamine, has found that when the chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine mixture if used for 8 weeks, results in major relief from high amounts of joint pain in the majority of study participants. Many, if not all (including those with milder pains) did experience recovery from their moderate-to-severe knee pains.
- Improves Digestion & Eases Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: In order to improve digestive function and repair the GI tract lining, Glucosamine is a helpful supplement that has been even shown to be a sound leaky gut supplement, battling a condition called often as “intestinal permeability” where the condition calls for undigested food particles and proteins (like gluten, toxins, and microbes) passing into the bloodstream via tiny openings in the GI tract lining.
These particles often initiate/worsen immune responses or trigger inflammation in the body once they enter the bloodstream which includes arthritis, food sensitivities, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Naturally, both the bone broth rich in glucosamine or Glucosamine supplements help in repairing damaged tissue and lower inflammation linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), that is notably painful and hard to treat set of conditions. The supplement may further repair the linings of the stomach, intestines, and the bladder.
In 2000, the Pediatric Gastroenterology Department at University School of Medicine College’s researchers found that glucosamine was an inexpensively effective and nontoxic supplement used for the treatment of long-standing inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Children undergoing inflammatory bowel disease tend to have lower glucosamine levels in the body. Interestingly distinct from conventional treatments, N-acetyl supplementation (GlcNAc) offered a mode of action showing lower symptoms in 75 percent of patients.
Researchers discovered significant improvements in most of the patients who use glucosamine, including those who were unresponsive to other antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications. Results proved better integrity in the GI tract and repairing of healthy epithelial cell structures that led to ending gut permeability.
- Can Help Relieve TMJ Symptoms: A disorder like Temporo Mandibular Joint or TMJ in the jaw is characterized by frequent jaw and neck pains, headaches and sleeping troubles that are common in young to middle-aged adults. TMJ impacts the joint connecting the jaw to the skull and hence it allows for the head to move side to side or up and down, normally sans pain.
Pain worsens as the TMJ joint gets inflamed and worn down thus making it hard to talk, eat, and normal function. Studies say that glucosamine eases pain and TMJ symptoms in people with jaw arthritis. The NSAID pain relievers like Advil pain or Ibuprofen has pain-relief on par with taking glucosamine. Having a daily intake of 500 to 1500 mg glucosamine for some months or years may help you chew better, sleep and heal while lowering long-term inflammation in the jaw.
- Helps Alleviate Bone Pain: Many people with low bone density, bone pain, and a history of fractures will benefit from taking glucosamine that aids in bone healing which is especially true if they also have a form of arthritis or joint pains. Some evidence advocates that glucosamine helps reduce pain, enhance physical function, preserve articular cartilage surrounding bones, and augments activities in people with bone disorders or those who are most at risk of bone loss (like middle-aged and older women). Haseki Training and Research Hospital in Turkey through their study by the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology in 2013 found that glucosamine fastened the time it took rats to heal from bone fractures. Those researchers found that osteoblast lining and new bone formation were notably higher in glucosamine-treated rats compared to control groups. The rats’ connective tissue adjoining bones were more cellular and vascular after 4 weeks of consuming 230 milligrams of glucosamine sulfate daily, and when compared to control groups, the freshly formed bones which were previously fractured were stronger.
How to Use Glucosamine: Supplement Types & Dosages
Glucosamine can be in several supplemental forms today like the following:
- Glucosamine sulfate (many researchers believe how glucosamine sulfate is the most beneficial kind due to how it’s easily absorbed and how glucosamine positively interacts with sulfate)
- Glucosamine hydrochloride
- N-acetylglucosamine
“Glucosamine Chondroitin” & MSM
One may notice that in order to improve results both glucosamine and chondroitin are two supplements taken together often, since both help in creating molecules that form cartilage, the spongy-substance found in the spaces between our joints that help attach muscles to bones.
A glucosamine chondroitin supplement is synthesized in labs as much as they can be found in nature, too. In high-quality supplements, natural glucosamine used is usually derived from the “exoskeletons” of shellfish, including lobster, crab, and shrimp. These creatures all contain glucosamine in their rigid, external shells. Less often, glucosamine is extracted from certain fermented grains which are also contained in their rigid, external shells of these creatures.
Chondroitin, on the other hand, found in high amounts in the skin, bones, and tissues of cows and chickens are extracted from their natural cartilage. Drinking bone broth is usually the greatest way to obtain both glucosamine and chondroitin at home, since the bones, connective tissues, and other animal parts used to make the broth leach out high amounts of these nutrients in an easy-to-absorb form. If using a supplement, look for liquid glucosamine, which is easier for the body to absorb than a powder. For helping to ease joint or arthritis pain, you can alternatively look for glucosamine in certain skin creams used to lower inflammation and swelling when rubbed into the painful area.
Below are recommended dosage instructions for adults taking glucosamine:
For lowering joint pain and improving joint health: It’s best to use glucosamine in combo with other anti-inflammatory supplements that include Omega-3 fatty acids and turmeric with either daily dose of 1500 milligrams taken once (or divided doses of 500 milligrams taken thrice daily).
For relieving arthritis/osteoarthritis symptoms: 1,500 milligrams daily intake along with 400 milligrams of chondroitin sulfate. This amount can be safely used long-term for until 3 years. You may also use cream comprising of 30 milligrams glucosamine for up to 2 months at a time, which you can apply to painful areas.
For improvement of digestive health, 1,500 milligrams is recommended daily. You might want to combine glucosamine with other helpful supplements known to boost gut health like MSM, licorice root, digestive enzymes, and probiotics.
Final Thoughts on Glucosamine
A natural compound, Glucosamine helps form synovial and cartilage fluid that keeps our joints healthy. Many Americans can benefit from taking supplements and lack sufficient glucosamine. Studies say that natural food sources like bone broth all supplement can give extra glucosamine and help ease arthritis and osteoarthritis symptoms. Glucosamine seems to also reduce symptoms in a majority of people continuing with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis and helps in healing leaky gut.
