Anyone who Suffers From Joint Pain Take Note, Glucosamine Will Help to Regenerate the Cartilage Lost or Rehabilitate an Injury

Glucosamine is a naturally occurring compound in the body which is created from the combination of glucose and glutamine, an amino acid. Glucosamine is key ingredient when making  glycosaminoglycan, which is a molecule necessary for the creation and repair of cartilage and other body tissues. Like so many other substances found in the body, production of glucosamine slows with age.

The glucosamine made in labs comes from chitin, a substance found in the shells of shrimp, crab, lobster, and other sea creatures. Glucosamine can also be found in cosmetics and even sports drinks, although I don't suggest putting make-up on an injured knee!

You will often see glucosamine combined with another substance called chondroitin sulfate, which is  a molecule naturally found in cartilage. The function of chondroitin is to give the cartilage elastic properties.  Other names for glucosamine are glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine sulphate, glucosamine hydrochloride, N-acetyl glucosamine, and chitosamine.

As a runner myself I have found that if I start taking glucosamine supplements a few months before my distance training, the pain in my knees is substantially reduced.  This is primarily because it takes a few weeks to a month or two for it to build up and take effect so if you start taking the supplement be sure to give it time to take affect before you quit. A typical dose for osteoarthritis is 1,500 mg of glucosamine sulfate each day.

Glucosamine is used in large part to treat osteoarthritis in the knees which is defined as a stiffness or loss of movement in the cartilage that cushions the bones of the leg which meet at the knee joint. This joint is often under siege because of injury, weight gain, and general deterioration.

Some other conditions which this supplement is often used for are inflammatory bowel disease,   rheumatoid arthritis, and certain skin conditions.
Fortunately, the short term use of this supplement  has been found to be tolerated well by the body, that means very few side effects. The possible side effects are headache, drowsiness, poor appetite, constipation and vomiting.
 
Because this product is made from shellfish, anyone with allergies to shellfish should not take glucosamine.