Osteoarthritis is when cartilage becomes worn and exposed bones can rub together. The studies of glucosamine and chondroitin have involved too few patients, and been too flawed, to be taken as definitive, he says. of Orthopedics-Evangelisches Waldkrankenhaus (Berlin, Germany); Institute for Numerical Statistics GmbH (Koln, Germany); Dept. July 17, 2003 -- Among osteoarthritis sufferers, glucosamine and chondroitin have developed a large following. As far supplementation goes, there are four possible sources of Glucosamine: Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Glucosamine Hydroiodide, N-acetyl Glucosamine, and Glucosamine Sulphate. While the glucosamine in supplements is often derived from the shells of shrimp, lobster, and crabs, eating shellfish shells is not recommended. Define the term chronic how you will, but the recommended daily dose is 1500mg and there exists a study indicating that short term glucosamine use doesn't in fact cause insulin resistance (18), so there is no harm in those users who only take glucosamine for a few weeks at a time and then cycle off it (although cycling of glucosamine is not actually necessary). CHONDROITON SULFATE. St. John Hospital, Oporto, Portugal; Current Med. So, as you can see, chondrocytes are responsible for the synthesis, maintenance, and regeneration of cartilage. How does Glucosamine and Chondroitin Work. Proteoglycans are like a rope that threads itself through the collage and are essential as they hold many times their own weight of water, which both lubricates and nourishes the collagen. Jose M. Pujalte, M.D. At the end of the day, a lack of adequate glucosamine would result in GAG synthesis essentially 'shutting down'. et al. If the insulin resistance is something that really concerns you, then I can inform you that ingestion of inosine (a nucleotide, also available as a supplement) has been shown (in vitro) to counteract the increased insulin resistance from glucosamine. Glucosamine and chondroitin occur naturally in the body and are required for the biosynthesis of proteoglycan. Your body is able to manufacture glucosamine on its own, which means it's not an essential nutrient. In fact, glucosamine seems to slow the progression of osteoarthritis, which no other drug claims, says Richy. Is glucosamine safe for long-term use? Glucosamine has been shown to keep it's nature despite digestion (21), although quite obviously, intravenously would be a better way but it is quite impractical and unwarranted - especially for people who dislike needles. Wang J, Liu R, Hawkins M, Barzilai N, Rossetti L. Nature. But Kent Kwoh, MD, professor of rheumatology at the University Pittsburgh School of Medicine, is skeptical. Joint cartilage has no blood supply thus all of its nourishment and lubrication comes from the fluid that ebbs and flows as pressure is applied and released to the joint. Out of these four, however, only the sulphate and hydrochloride (HCL) versions are recommended. But it also comes in the form of a supplement. The GAGs, formerly known as mucopolysaccharides, are long chains of modified disaccharides and are the main component of proteoglycans (PGs). 2001 Oct;142(10):4414-9. The glucosamine in … Chondrocytes have two methods in which to make GAGs. Sign Up to Receive Our Free Coroanvirus Newsletter, Psoriatic Arthritis: Caring for Your Skin & Joints. © 2020 Bodybuilding.com. These studies, however, use "chronic" doses to establish this. Glucosamine is an aminomonosaccharide naturally occurring in the human body and is produced naturally in the body by chondrocytes in cartilage to help maintain and build healthy joint tissue. Bodybuilding.comâ and BodySpace® are trademarks of Bodybuilding.com. This approach includes a combination of glucosamine and chrondroiton sulfate. Glucosamine is a natural chemical compound in your body. 10 (1993). Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis and leads to loss of joint cartilage, the cushioning between bones. One study even showed that glucosamine sulfate supplements, when taken for a few months, helped teenage athletes with chondromalacia patella, a softening of knee cartilage, recover and return to training. More insulin secretion may be anabolic, but it is also very fat storing. The studies in Richy's analysis all focused on osteoarthritis of the knee. A. Bignamini - Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Pavia, Italy; A. L. Rovati - Rotta Research Laboratorium, Milano, Italy; Clinical Therapeutics/Vol. This gives the false belief that the NAG version is superior to the sulphate version, but NAG is metabolised differently than other forms of glucosamine. They are thought to help slow the loss of cartilage -- called joint space narrowing -- seen with osteoarthritis by stimulating production of new cartilage. Res. There has been extensive study done on them, which has proved that both glucosamine and chondroitan work in both humans and animals. Manufactured glucosamine is derived from Chitin, a major component of shellfish shell. This is nothing new, but it means that cutting becomes extremely hard. Chrondroiton is a long chain of repeating nigans that attracts fluid into the proteoglycan molecules. Be sure to visit the Glucosamine Product Guide for a review of commercially available glucosamine products. This also makes glucose the preferred choice of fuel over stored body fat. 1998 Jun 18;393(6686):684-8. 5777 N Meeker Ave, Boise, ID 83713-1520 USA. In fact glucosamine is a key factor in determining how many proteoglycans are produced by the cells. There are several forms of glucosamine, including glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride and N-acetyl glucosamine. Another interesting trait of glucosamine is that unlike other amino sugars, it can be digested and still keep it's primary properties and isn't metabolised like other compounds are. I can also tell you that a combination of EPA GLA, chondroitin, MSM, cod liver oil, ginger oil, and nettle leaf extract may also be just as effective as glucosamine, only not as cost effective. Richy and his colleagues carefully selected only the most reliable studies -- "the best available evidence," he tells WebMD. All rights reserved. 5 (1981), E. D'Ambrosia, B. Casa, R. Bompani, G. Scali & M. Scali - Hospital "G Stuard", II Division, Parma, Italy; Pharmatherapeutica, (1981), 2, 504, Antonio Lopes Vaz, M.D. It's at about this time that you may notice joints getting that little bit sorer after a hard workout, or your knees getting stiff a few hours after cardio. Orthopedic Hospital, Manila, Philippines; Current Med. In a new study, researchers analyze data from 15 studies of these compounds. Republished with permission from wannabebig.com. As these chains wrap around proteoglycans they repel each other and thus create spaces between each proteoglycan. "It seems to be safe, and it may help in terms of symptoms." the sulphur is basically a 'filler'. Thus the cartilage cannot withstand shocks, cracks and may wear out completely. Med. The two glucosamines are actually identical in their effects, but the Hydrochloride version is more cost effective as it is a richer source of Glucosamine. McClain DA, Alexander T, Cooksey RC, Considine RV. This is important for two reasons: The fluid acts as a spongy shock absorber and the fluid sweeps the nutrients into the cartilage. In the group that took the supplement pill, 55% reported a significant reduction in pain - an improvement of around 30% or more. Emilsson V, O'Dowd J, Nolan AL, Cawthorne MA. Both supplements significantly reduced symptoms such as pain, stiffness, physical functioning, and joint mobility from the two compounds. A study does exist showing positive effects from NAG (10), but in general, it is probably best to avoid this type of glucosamine as far as cost-benefit goes. 2000 Jun;141(6):1999-2002. One caveat: It's important to point out that anti-inflammatory pain relievers such as ibuprofen and naproxen were allowed in all studies, he says. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2001 May;86(5):2099-2103. There are two main types: hydrochloride and sulfate. This is because when glucosamine is available for chondrocytes, they are able to produce connective tissue faster because they can skip three chemical reactions, needing only a phosphorylation reaction to make glucosamine-6-phosphate. image caption Does glucosamine help joint pain? All rights reserved. This is because when glucosamine is available for chondrocytes, they are able to produce connective tissue faster because they can skip three chemical reactions, needing only a phosphorylation reaction to make glucosamine-6-phosphate. 2000 Oct;85(10):3551-6. Zhang P, Klenk ES, Lazzaro MA, Williams LB, Considine RV. Uebelhart D, Thonar EJ, Zhang J, Williams JM Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Dermatology, University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland. No placebo group showed this kind of improvement, he adds. The N-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG) version yields 81% pure glucosamine. In addition, the supplements are reported to provide pain relief and greater joint flexibility. This then provides the chondrocytes with the raw materials necessary (sugar and amino acids) to stimulate the synthesis of GAGs and PGs.