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The UK Glucosamine Specialist answers your questions.
Glucosamine dosages - how much
should I take?
Glucosamine is available in the following forms:
What does it taste like?
Are there any side Effects?
Links with Diabetes
High Blood Pressure
Contraindications
Alternatives to Glucosamine
References
See also - Which Glucosamine Product should I choose?
The recognised dosage for Glucosamine is 1,500mg per day
This can be taken either in one dose ie 1,500mg
Or split in to three equal doses ie 500mg three times a day.
Glucosamine is generally taken with food ie at meal times.
Glucosamine is available in the following forms:
- Pure Powder
- Capsules
- Tablets / Caplets
- Liquid (Joint Formulas)
Pure powder
Pure Powder is the most bioavailable and economical form of Glucosamine. Simply add the powder to a drink or take on the spoon.
Pure Capsules
Capsules without any bulking ingredients or flow agents are good.
Tablets
Tablets always contain binding and bulking agents so usually contain much less of the actual working ingredient.
Liquid joint formulations
Liquid joint formulations are good however you are often paying for the suspension liquid when it's the Glucosamine that does the job! So it's best to buy pure powder and add it to a liquid of your choice!
Glucosamine Hydrochloride (HCl) is naturally sweet tasting with a hint of bitterness - hard to describe but not at all unpleasant.
The new GreenGrown 100% Vegetable Source Glucosamine Hydrochloride (HCl) and Glucosamine Sulphate (2KCl), both taste very pleasant - probably the nicest tasting Glucosamines to date.
Shellfish source Glucosamine Sulphate 2KCl (tastes sweet and very slightly fishy! Something like very, very mild prawn cocktail crisps, again with a touch of bitterness.
The bitter / sweet combination sounds like a contradiction. It's a unique taste but certainly not unpleasant.
Glucosamine Sulphate NaCl tastes slightly salty and fishy.
At the suggested adult dosage of 1,500mg per day, adverse effects have been limited to mild, temporary gastrointestinal upset e.g. nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea and dyspepsia), and, rash, drowsiness, headache and insomnia. In one trial, people with peptic ulcers and those taking diuretic drugs were more likely to experience side effects. (Ref 1)
In 1999 the first case of an allergic reaction to oral Glucosamine Sulphate was reported (Ref 2). Allergic reactions to this supplement appear to be rare.
Pregnant or Lactating Mothers - Should not to be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding due to lack of data on long-term safety.
If you have a reaction or one of the symptoms mentioned above, stop taking the supplement and consult your G.P.
People with diabetes should consult with a doctor and have blood sugar levels monitored if they are taking Glucosamine.
Animal research has suggested the possibility that Glucosamine could contribute to insulin resistance (Ref 3,4). Theoretically, this could result from the ability of Glucosamine to interfere with an enzyme needed to regulate blood sugar levels (Ref 7). However, available evidence does not suggest that taking Glucosamine supplements will trigger or aggravate insulin resistance or high blood sugar (Ref 8). Two large, 3-year controlled trials found that people taking Glucosamine Sulphate had either slightly lower blood glucose levels or no change in blood sugar levels, compared with people taking placebo. (Ref 9,10)
Until more is known, people taking Glucosamine supplements for long periods may wish to have their blood sugar levels checked.
Some Glucosamine Sulphate is processed with sodium chloride (salt), which is restricted in some diets (particularly for people with high blood pressure).
At the time of writing, there are no known drug interactions with Glucosamine.
If you've tried the different forms of Glucosamine and they didn't suit you then try MSM. MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) has a much smaller, biologically active sulphur molecule than any of the glucosamines and rarely causes an allergic reaction!
See also - Which Glucosamine Product should I choose?
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1. Tapadinhas MJ, Rivera IC, Bignamini AA. Oral glucoseamine sulfate in the management of arthrosis: report on a multi-centre open investigation in Portugal. Pharmatherapeutica 1982;3:157-68.
2. Matheu V, Bracia Bara MT, Pelta R, et al. Immediate-hypersensitivity reaction to glucosamine sulfate. Allergy 1999;54:643-50.
3. Virkamaki A, Daniels MC, Hamalainen S, et al. Activation of the hexosamine pathway by glucosamine in vivo induces insulin resistance in multiple insulin sensitive tissues. Endocrinology 1997;138:2501-7.
4. Rossetti L, Hawkins M, Chen W, et al. In vivo glucosamine infusion induces insulin resistance in normoglycemic but not in hyperglycemic conscious rats. J Clin Invest 1995;96:132-40.
5. Houpt JB, McMillan R, Wein C, Paget-Dellio SD. Effect of glucosamine hydrochloride in the treatment of pain of osteoarthritis of the knee. J Rheumatol 1999;26:2423-30.
6. Drovanti A, Bignamini AA, Rovati AL. Therapeutic activity of oral glucosamine sulfate in osteoarthritis: a placebocontrolled doubleblind investigation. Clin Ther 1980;3:260-72.
7. Barzilai N, Hawkins M, Angelov I, et al. Glucosamine-induced inhibition of liver glucokinase impairs the ability of hyperglycemia to suppress endogenous glucose production. Diabetes 1996;45:1329-35.
8. Russell AI, McCarty MF. Glucosamine in osteoarthritis. Lancet 1999;354:1641; discussion 1641-2 [letters].
9. Rovati LC, Annefeld M, Giacovelli G, et al. Glucosamine in osteoarthritis. Lancet 1999;354:1640; discussion 1641-2.
10. Reginster JY, Deroisy R, Rovati L, et al. Long-term effects of glucosamine sulphate on osteoarthritis progression: a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Lancet 2001;357:251-6.
11. Vaz AL. Doubleblind clinical evaluation of the relative efficacy of ibuprofen and glucosamine sulphate in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee in outpatients. Curr Med Res Opin 1982;8:145-9.
See also - Which Glucosamine Product should I choose?
Back to > Shop Products and Prices
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