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I don't have a shellfish allergy!
If you don't have a shellfish allergy you may also
consider either:
D-Glucosamine Sulphate 2KCl
Or, D-Glucosamine
Sulphate NaCl
D-Glucosamine Sulphate has to be stabilised with
one of two mineral salts, KCl (Potassium Chloride), or NaCl (Sodium Chloride salt)
The use of Potassium Chloride (KCl) as a stabiliser
is preferable because the average Western diet already has far too much salt (NaCl)
and not enough potassium (KCl)
So the best of the two
Sulphate varieties is:
D-Glucosamine Sulphate 2KCl
Effectiveness: Glucosamine Sulphate has an average
of 65% available Glucosamines in contrast to 85% in Glucosamine Hydrochloride.
(See important note on purity further below)
Moving on lets look at the other types of Glucosamine
- these are:
N-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG)
Another possible alternative is N-acetyl-glucosamine
(NAG) however, NAG differs from D-Glucosamine Hydrochloride and D-Glucosamine
Sulphate; instead of a sulphur or chloride molecule, NAG has a larger, more complex
molecule attached to it. As a result, NAG is an entirely different molecule and
appears to be handled quite differently by the body.
Studies have demonstrated that NAG is inferior
to other forms of Glucosamine in terms of absorption and utilisation.
Poly-N-acetyl-glucosamine (Poly NAG)
A recent human study compared the absorption of
NAG to a long chain of NAG molecules (POLY-Nag). Results showed that orally ingested
NAG and POLY-Nag are absorbed and increase the blood levels of NAG, with both
forms yielding similar results. In addition, there was some conversion of both
molecules to Glucosamine. However, the degree of conversion resulted in lower
blood Glucosamine levels compared to D-Glucosamine Sulphate and D-Glucosamine
Hydrochloride, both of which are absorbed extremely well.
Studies have demonstrated that Poly NAG is inferior
to other forms of Glucosamine in terms of absorption and utilisation.
Purity - All Glucosamines!
Some suppliers, particularly those on the Internet,
are claiming 99.99% purity for all types of Glucosamine. This shows a basic ignorance
of the nutrient!
Generally speaking, Glucosamine comes from shellfish
source, and (except for D-Glucosamine Hydrochloride (HCl)), has to be stabilised
with a percentage of either Potassium Chloride (KCl) or Sodium Chloride NaCl.
Therefore the percentage of Glucosamine is generally around the 99% mark and this
is quite acceptable however, they should not contain hormones or other impurities.
The new vegetable source of Glucosamine hydrochloride
from USA is 99.9% pure
Glucosamine Hydrochloride has an average of 85%
available Glucosamines in contrast to 65% in Glucosamine Sulphate.
Tip: When buying Glucosamine, always ask
where it came from i.e.
Note again: Glucosamine Hydrochloride has an average
of 85% available Glucosamines in contrast to 65% in Glucosamine Sulphate.
(Note: More about purity and source - See "Chinese
Shellfish Ban" further below)
Chondroitin?
Chondroitin is produced mainly from shark cartilage
extract. Unfortunately there is huge inconsistency in the concentrations of Chondroitin
extracted from this source, so its benefits are somewhat doubtful and no conclusive
studies are to hand. Furthermore, Glucosamine is converted in the body to Chondroitins
i.e. the body manufactures it's own Chondroitins from Glucosamine.
What about other joint combinations?
D-Glucosamine Hydrochloride (HCl) and MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)
both contain quite different sulphur molecules each playing different roles in
building articular cartilage and synovial fluids. MSM has the additional benefit
of being a constituent (Building block) of Keratin (Hair and Nails), Collagen
(Skin) and Elastin (Giving flexibility to skin and internal membranes)
The latest independent double-blind study by an
Indian University found the combination of Glucosamine and MSM greatly superior
to either agent used singularly.
More about Glucosamine!
Most commercially available Glucosamine Sulphate
is derived from shrimp, crab and lobster shells from the South China Seas. The
shellfish are farmed in huge nets and beds - factory farming of the ocean!
Chinese Shellfish Ban
Two years ago the UK Food Standards Agency banned
all shellfish imports from China! Unfortunately, some Chinese companies were indiscriminately
adding huge amounts of growth hormones to fatten the factory-farmed shellfish
up quickly for profit.
The shellfish were heavily impregnated with growth
hormones, which caused side effects in people, hence the UK ban!
Alternative Sources
Vegetarian Glucosamine
Regenasure - Pure Vegetarian Glucosamine Hydrochloride
is manufacture in the USA solely from vegetable source and is the best choice
for purity and for those who may have a shell fish allergy.
Canadian Shellfish source
Canadian Glucosamine is pure, hormone free and
produced to standards higher than the UK and Europe.
Tip: When buying
Glucosamine, ask where it came from i.e. Source and Country of origin.
More about Glucosamine and
Shellfish Allergy
Manufacturers use the term "Chitin" for
ground up or crushed mollusc shells!
If you have a shellfish allergy don't buy anything
with Chitin, Chitin source, Shellfish source or Marine source on the label! (This
should be displayed on the product label or product information on web sites)
Tip:
Glucosamine Sulphate from Chitin source smells and tastes fishy!
Note: Glucosamine Hydrochloride (HCl) also
comes from shellfish source but is synthesised from a protein taken from the shellfish,
so is generally OK for people with a shellfish allergy.
Note:
Glucosamine Hydrochloride (HCl) has no detectable fishy odour but it does have
a very, very slight fishy taste.
Alternatives to 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. MSM
has never been known to cause an allergic reaction so is very safe to take.
Pine tree source MSM is highly bio-available according
to radio-labelled studies. Again, it's important to check the source as most MSM
is manufactured from petrochemical source i.e. a by-product from the production
of oil and petrol!
Pine Tree Source MSM
Only one company (DistilPure MSM) currently manufactures
MSM from DMSO from natural Pine Tree Source - DistilPure MSM is manufactured in
Canada by distillation.
All other companies including Opti MSM (produced
by Cardinal Chemicals) is produced from DMSO from the oil and petrochemical industries.
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