Glucosamine and Joint Repair

Glucosamine is a health supplement that is very effective for the repair and maintenance of the body’s joints. Glucosamine is produced naturally by the body, however as we get older the body’s ability to produce it decreases. This occurs because there is a decrease in the enzyme glucosamine synthetase which is responsible for creating glucosamine from glucose. This affects the joints if they are injured as they do not have enough glucosamine to heal the body properly.

The glucosamine is very important when it comes to joints and cartilage. It is responsible for stimulating the creation of ingredients that can help these parts of the body.  It is a well known fact that glucosamine is effective at reducing the amount of pain an individual feels when it comes to swollen and tender joints. People who suffer from arthritis and take glucosamine often comment that there is major improvement in the mobility of their joints.

People who take the supplement glucosamine have indicated that it can effectively stop the deterioration of cartilage. Research has also gone on to show that people who suffer from osteoarthritis have indicated a reduction in inflammation and pain after they have taken glucosamine. The glucosamine is seen as a safe choice to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Even though the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help to alleviate pain, they have been shown to speed up the deterioration of the cartilage as well as preventing its repair. Glucosamine on the other had has the opposite effect.

When it comes to the treatment of arthritis, glucosamine sulphate is at the top of the list. Many people have forgone traditional treatments and solely use glucosamine. There are no side effects associated with the use of this product and the benefits to the body are multifold.

There is no true understanding into how glucosamine works. It is suggested that to help alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis, the glucosamine slows down the enzymatic destruction of cartilage, it encourages the formation of the cartilage matrix and it is known to be a good anti-inflammatory. Glucosamine is also known to produce a joint fluid named hyaluronic acid. This acid is responsible for repairing cartilage that is damaged as well as relieving pain and making improvements in mobility.

Study Shows That Glucosamine Is Not The Answer For Arthritis

glucosamine-arthritisGlucosamine sulfate is a very popular supplement that is used to reduce the pain associated with arthritis.

A research study was done to examine the effectiveness of using glucosamine to treat the inflammation related to mild and moderate hip arthritis.

The researchers of this particular study state that based on their results, glucosamine sulfate does not seem to be an effective treatment for people who suffer from hip osteoarthritis.

Despite the result of those researchers, there is another school of thought that supports glucosamine’s usefulness. The results associated with the study are not definitive.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five people have been diagnosed with arthritis. This condition is considered to be the leading cause of disability in the country.

Arthritis can be reduced by doing activities such as exercise. Arthritis cannot be cured, that is the reason why so many people turn to so many different remedies to ease the pain associated with the condition.

Glucosamine sulfate is one of the products that people will use as a way to alleviate their pain with arthritis. It has been shown that clinical trials associated with this product have shown varying results. It should be noted that for every study that finds benefits in using glucosamine for the treatment of arthritis, there is another one that shows none.

This study included 222 people who suffered from mild to moderate osteoarthritis which occurred in the hip. The length of the study lasted for 2 years and during that time half of the people took 1500 mg of glucosamine on a daily basis, while the other half took a placebo.

At the start of the study, the pain levels associated with this condition were examined from the different people who participated. This is done at the beginning, every three months for two years. Affected joints are x-rayed at the beginning of the study to see if there are any improvements that occurred.

At the conclusion of the study, researchers wrote able to find no direct evidence that show that glucosamine had an influence on function or pain. The x-rays that they took at the beginning of the study also showed no improvement. There was also a small subgroup research that was done on people who suffered from severe arthritis. The results showed that people in this research group showed no visible benefits from taking glucosamine.

Despite this evidence, an expert noticed a mistake that occurred that was overlooked. Many of the patients who participated in the study had very low levels pain on a daily basis.

Some researchers still have doubts as it relates to glucosamine’s effectiveness. It should be noted that there have been studies conducted that show that glucosamine is very effective for the knee arthritis. Despite what these studies say, glucosamine should be a viable option for people who suffer from arthritis.