Glucosamine

[No map, no compass]

That is true. But it is an example of the type of studies carried out on glucosamine.
There will always be someone telling us what is good or not good to put into our bodies. Some are there to make money out of us obviously.
Only our own personal research and beliefs help us to make choices on what is best for us as individuals.

Call me cynical if you like, but when it comes to nutritional suppliments such as glucosamine I think you will find that 99% of those telling you that something is good for you are trying to make money out of you.

If your own personal research is a trial of one individual then it is impossible to rule out the placebo effect, as Detritus says, also you can't rule out that the pain might have gone away on its own without treatment.

[detritus21]

http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab002946.html

Gives you a systematic review process of all the papers. You will notice it discounts alot of papers due to poor quality and bias. Systematic reviews are the pinicle of the medical research world as they compare all the "good quality" studies available.

[JohnK]

Either Glucosamine or Cod liver oil (i take both the cod liver oil ever since a kid) seems to work for me, might consider increasing the dosage though if i find the PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE (i think thats how it`s spelt) works

[Flightless Bird]

Hi everyone. New to the FRA, but not to the running.
(Yes, Stagger you have almost convinced me that fells are better than roads)

Just to add one question to this.
I have seen so many different brands of Glucosamine varying from £1.99 to about £10, for about 30 tablets.

Is there any difference, or shall I just stay with the cheapest?

[Mountain Goatess]

Hi everyone. New to the FRA, but not to the running.
(Yes, Stagger you have almost convinced me that fells are better than roads)

Just to add one question to this.
I have seen so many different brands of Glucosamine varying from £1.99 to about £10, for about 30 tablets.

Is there any difference, or shall I just stay with the cheapest?

Ha ha ha...there starts another heated debate!

[detritus21]

usually the main difference is the amount of active ingredient that the tablet contains

[CL]

Two peer-reviewed studies have shown that oral glucosamine supplements do increase the amount of bioavailable glucosamine at the joint.

This doesn't mean it works, of course.

But at least it means that the supplement isn't being broken down by the body and used to make hair or toenails.


Persiani S, Roda E, Rovati LC, Locatelli M, Giacovelli G, Roda A. Glucosamine oral bioavailability and plasma pharmacokinetics after increasing doses of crystalline glucosamine sulfate in man. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2005;13:1041-9.

Persiani S, Rotini R, Trisolino G, Rovati LC, Locatelli M, Paganini D, Antonioli D, Roda A. Synovial and plasma glucosamine concentrations in osteoarthritic patients following oral crystalline glucosamine sulphate at therapeutic dose1 OsteoArthritis and Cartilage (2007) 15, 764-772

During exercise synovial fluid increases in the joint, and this increase is believed to be due to the addition of water. If that is the case then the concentration of Hyaluronic acid( Hyaluronic acid is composed of Glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-d-glucosamine) is lower during exercise.

To demonstrate an increase in Glucosamine, one would only have to measure the amount of Hyaluronic acid before and after exercise, and compare the two. Without mentioning this fact of course and ascribing the difference to Glucosamine pills.

Years ago when I took GCSE chemistry, my coursework involved an experiment in class. Only one variable was changed and what a job it was keeping everything else the same.

[CL]

That is true. But it is an example of the type of studies carried out on glucosamine.
There will always be someone telling us what is good or not good to put into our bodies. Some are there to make money out of us obviously.
Only our own personal research and beliefs help us to make choices on what is best for us as individuals.

Mountain Goatess I disagree with part of your last sentence. We have to make decisions on what we think are best, but quite often what we think and what actually is, are two completely different things.

In other words just because one's research and beliefs make you take a particular course of action, doesn't necessarily make it good.

[CL]

hi Everyone. New To The Fra, But Not To The Running.
(yes, Stagger You Have Almost Convinced Me That Fells Are Better Than Roads)

Just To Add One Question To This.
I Have Seen So Many Different Brands Of Glucosamine Varying From £1.99 To About £10, For About 30 Tablets.

Is There Any Difference, Or Shall I Just Stay With The Cheapest?

Oh Dear!

[Mountain Goatess]

Oh Dear!

Yes, that's what I thought!