Glucosamine and osteoarthritis
More research is needed before anyone can attempt to fully explain the link between glucosamine and osteoarthritis. Even though the subject has been focused on by several studies, we still know very little because the results have been quite conflicting. What we do know is that many osteoarthritis patients assert that a daily intake of glucosamine supplements significantly reduces pain and other problems brought on by their disease. The debate regarding glucosamin and osteoarthritis is currently vivid among medical professionals, and it is sometimes difficult to distinguish opinions from facts. In the mean time, a large number of individuals with osteoarthritis keep using glucosamine supplements. For them, the link between glucosamine and osteoarthritis is clear.

To get a better understanding of glucosamin and osteoarthritis and how they may be linked to each other, we need to understand the disease. Osteoarthritis is characterized by a gradual destruction of a person’s joint. The disease is also known as degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease or simply “wear and tear”. Osteoarthritis is brought on by an ongoing wear and tear of the cartilage that serves to cover our joints and keep them safe from pressure. Eventually, a low-grade inflammation will develop in the injured parts and this inflammation soon becomes chronic. This is why one of the most common ways of making osteoarthritis patients more comfortable is to prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

The reason why so many research projects have been launched to study the connection between glucosamine and osteoarthritis is that we already know that glucosamine is an imperative substance for cartilage formation, maintenance and repair. In the human body, glucosamine acts as a precursor when glycosylated proteins and lipids are synthesized. Glucosamine is converted into glycolipids, proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans. Studies of glycolipids have showed that they are necessary for tissue formation, because they attach cells to other cells. Proteoglycans make up the “extracellular matrix”, i.e. they form an important filler material between the cells, while glycosaminoglycans form a vast part of your connective tissue.