Glucosamine What is Glucosamine for?
Glucosamine is usually made from seashells, or it can be made in the laboratory. Glucosamine hydrochloride is one of several forms of glucosamine.
Glucosamine hydrochloride is used for osteoarthritis, knee pain, back pain, and glaucoma. However, no one knows yet whether it is effective for any of these conditions. There have been some preliminary studies, but more research is needed.
It is important to read the labels of glucosamine products carefully since several different forms of glucosamine are sold as supplements. These products may contain glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride, or N-acetyl-glucosamine. These different chemicals have some similarities; however, they may not have the same effects when taken as a dietary supplement. Most of the scientific research done on glucosamine has been done on glucosamine sulfate. See the separate listing for glucosamine sulfate. The information on this page is about glucosamine hydrochloride.
Dietary supplements that contain glucosamine often contain additional ingredients. These additional ingredients are frequently chondroitin sulfate, MSM, or shark cartilage. Some people think these combinations work better than taking just glucosamine alone. So far, researchers have found no proof that combining the additional ingredients with glucosamine adds any benefit.
Products that contain glucosamine and glucosamine plus chondroitin vary a great deal. Some do not contain what the label claims. The difference can range from 25% to 115%. Some products in the US that are labeled glucosamine sulfate are actually glucosamine hydrochloride with added sulfate. This product will likely have different effects than one which contains glucosamine sulfate.
What is Glucosamine Possibly Effective for?
• Osteoarthritis. There is conflicting evidence about the effectiveness of glucosamine hydrochloride for osteoarthritis. Most of the evidence supporting the use of glucosamine hydrochloride comes from studies of a particular product (CosaminDS, Nutramax Laboratories) that contains a combination of glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate, and manganese ascorbate. Some evidence suggests that this combination can improve pain in people with osteoarthritis of the knee. This combination might work better in people with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis than in people with severe osteoarthritis.
Other research suggests that taking glucosamine hydrochloride alone or in combination with chondroitin sulfate doesn’t reduce pain in people with osteoarthritis of the knee.
A lot more research has been done on glucosamine sulfate (see separate listing) than on glucosamine hydrochloride. There is some thought that glucosamine sulfate may be more effective than glucosamine hydrochloride for osteoarthritis. One study comparing the two showed no difference. But some researchers have criticized the quality of that study.
• Knee pain. There is some evidence that glucosamine hydrochloride might provide some pain relief for people who have regularly occurring knee pain as a result of joint injury.
• Rheumatoid arthritis. Some early research shows that taking a specific glucosamine hydrochloride product (Rohto Pharmaceuticals Co.) in combination with prescription medical treatments reduces pain compared to a sugar pill. But this product does not seem to reduce the number of painful or swollen joints or decrease inflammation.
• Back pain.
• Glaucoma.
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Glucosamine & Chondroitin/Vitamin C/Maganese 250/200 Regular Strength$14.99100 Capsules
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Glucosamine & Chrondroitin/Vitamin C/Maganese 750/600 Super MAX Strength$20.7960 Tablets
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Flexi-Joint Glucosamine Chondroitin Plus Calcium Boron Soy Isoflavones & Vitamin D$13.2960 Tablets
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Flexi-Joint Glucosamine Chondroitin Plus MSM 500 Vitamin C Manganese$24.7990 Capsules
