Glucosamine

Odysseus

Hi all,

I do a lot of long distance running and a friend recommended Glucosmine to me, they felt that it would be good for my joints. I know nothing about this, anyone any recommendations on it. Cheers .

yomchi

Odysseus wrote:

Hi all,

I do a lot of long distance running and a friend recommended Glucosmine to me, they felt that it would be good for my joints. I know nothing about this, anyone any recommendations on it. Cheers .

Its good stuff and I would highly recommend it especially if you are hard on your joints, like running for example. In the health shops you can buy it in liquid form called activ Juice - it tastes good has good quantities of Glucosamine/MSM etc in it. It comes in orange and lemon flavour.
Prices around €14 for a 500ml bottle (i think!)

Rogueish

Check out http://www.arthritis.org/conditions/alttherapies/Glucosamine.asp for a simplified version

Don't let the arthritis bias put you off. It works in the same way to strengthen the cartilage in your knees and other joints. It helps negate the effects of constant wear and tear that long distance running does on the body.

Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucosamine for a more scientific/chemical analysis of the supplement.

In your local chemist seven seas do a Projoint Active 55 joint supplement. It has glucosamine, chondroitin and the omega 3 fatty acids (fish oils). Chondroitin is another joint supplement which helps to keep the joint lubricated. They also have a joint care range of containing either a combination of chondroitin and glucosamine or just glucosamine on it's own, It's pretty effective. http://www.sevenseas.ie/

The combination of Glucosamine and Chondroitin are also recommended for anyone who has had knee surery e.g. meniscus or cruciate surgery

Odysseus

Nice one, thanks for the advice lads.

dudara

I've heard that Glucosimine can take a while to kick in once you start taking it - a few weeks. Can anyone verify this?

silverline

I've actually been prescribed this by my orthopaedic specialist and have been taking it for over a year now with little or no benefit.
maybe it works for some people ?

Rogueish

The supplements of Chondroitin and glucosamine will not reverse damage that has already taken place but rather slow down degeneration within the joint.

In other words a normal individual has a normal amount of degeneration within the joint as they grow older. However somone who puts their joints through high impact exercise such as running or other repetitive or highly stressful type of activity at the age of 35 may have the joint age of a 45-50 year old.

The aim of the supplements are to slow down this accelerated aging and degeneration of the joints.

silverline

You've just told me more in three paragraphs than I've got from my consultant in eighteen months !

FX Meister

I've heard it should be taken with certain other things to actually absorb properly into the system. With orange juice if I remember correctly. I'll ask about it.

Rogueish

silverline wrote:

You've just told me more in three paragraphs than I've got from my consultant in eighteen months !

Thanx for the compliment Silverline I'm all embarrassed. believe it or not your consultant is pretty forward thinking in comparason to many others here in Ireland by recommending it. Many european and british orthopedics recommed chondroitin and/or glucosamine as a matter of course for people who have undergone joint surgery (especially young people). I have yet to hear of an Irish orthopedic doing so.

FX Meister I haven't heard that it is best taken in conjunction with anything else but I'll look into it too

Rogueish

I had a look about, there is no scientifically backed studies to suggest that Glucosamine and/or Chondroitin work better when taken in conjunction with any other supplement e.g. vitamin c found in orange juice.

I did find a nice article telling you the exact mechanisms that these supplements trigger to help slow down joint degeneration. They also have less side effects than NSAID's (non steroidal anti inflammatories). Saying that if you are on any medications it is worthwhile checking it out with your GP or local pharmacist before you take any supplements.

Check it out
http://www.glucosamine-arthritis.org/glucosamine/how-does-glucosamine-chondroitin-work.html

marathonic

I've just had a look at this stuff in chemists as my joint in my right knee seems to playing up a bit. It's not really too painful. Just a little sore after a mile or so and maintains the same level of soreness up to mile 15 (which is as far as I've run at the moment).

I was initially looking at the Seven Seas Active 55 Projoint (http://www.sevenseas.ie/projoint.html) but then came across this product http://www.lifeplan.co.uk/products/Glucosamine-1000mg-x-90.htm?prodID=1588 which contains 4 times more Glucosamine per capsule meaning that you'd need a maximum of one a day (the seven seas one recommends a dosage of 1-4 capsules daily).

Pricewize, the LifePlan product works out alot cheaper so I went with a box of that to try it out - only 13 euro for a box of 90. Would this be as good as the seven seas product as far as the joints are concerned?

comer_97

aldi and lidl sell glucosamine for €1.99 for a box of 30

King of Kings

i get my my Glucosaime Sulphate from tesco. it's about 13euro for 3 months supply.

it's 500mg a tab. i know holland and barrett do their own own with 1000mg a tab.

anyway soon info here.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/glucos.html

uch

dudara wrote:

I've heard that Glucosimine can take a while to kick in once you start taking it - a few weeks. Can anyone verify this?

I was taking it for about three months before I noticed any change, but it wasn't dramatic, very subtle, more a case of realising one day that my knees didn't hurt as much as they used to.

abetarrush

ive heard its just crap, and doesnt work at all

maybe slows down further damage, but thats about it

King of Kings

abetarrush wrote:

ive heard its just crap, and doesnt work at all

maybe slows down further damage, but thats about it

that's what it's supposed to do. don't think that's crap.

Odysseus

Just out of interest what type of dosage are people taking, I get mine in Boots and the dosage changes on the different strenghts, I take 2000mg, 1000 in the morning and the same at night.

Myksyk

It's very difficult to discover it something 'works' and usually takes controlled trials to do so. I don't think there's a huge evidence base for glucosamine in the research literature but I could be wrong. Feeling a difference after taking it could be because of all sorts of factors like improved conditioning, rest, better diet, stronger muscles, icing, etc etc. Also, pain perception is notoriously responsive to placebo effects. It probably won't do any harm but may do no good.

Dragan

Here you go Dragan's ( robbed from Dave Palumbo ha ha ha ) magic joint repair formula. Warning.....tastes like ass, but is as effectively as it is mingin'

1) 2000mg Glucosomine sulfate ( self explanatory really!)
2) 2000mg of MSM ( methylsulfonylmethane ) - this is an extrememly bioavailable form of sulphur. There are a large number of disulfide ( sulphur) bonds within connective tissue so this is providing something to replace and repair those with. - you can buy it at this address for next to nothing - http://www.vitacost.com/science/hn/Supp/MSM.htm - this is used to treat artrithis as well so it should be available locally
3) Two table spoons of hydrolyzed animal collagen ( basically unflavoured gelatin )
4) 2000mg of Vitmain C.

Odysseus

Cheers for that Dragan, I give that a try. So where can I get that hydrolyzed animal collagen?

Dragan

Odysseus wrote:

Cheers for that Dragan, I give that a try. So where can I get that hydrolyzed animal collagen?

You should be able to get it in Tesco's or Dunnes in the bakery section i think.

There is a product called Nutri-plex that contains all the above bar the Vit C, but there quantities are just a little bit off.