| For patients of arthritis, their most important concern | | | | weakened and break apart, letting loose the collagen |
| is to relieve themselves of the pain brought about by | | | | and the lubricating water. |
| their disease. After all, the joint pain caused by | | | | How does glucosamine come to the rescue? |
| arthritis can be excruciating, to the point that it | | | | Glucosamine is the main component of the |
| debilitates the patient and makes him or her incapable | | | | proteoglycans. When this chemical compound is taken |
| of moving. | | | | in by an arthritis patient, it stimulates the reproduction |
| In previous years, the main form of treatment that | | | | of cells building up the proteoglycans; therefore, |
| arthritis patients get come in the form of NSAIDs - | | | | glucosamine helps in rebuilding the proteoglycans and |
| non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. However, | | | | the collagen. The renewed presence of proteoglycans |
| research has shown that NSAIDs act merely to mask | | | | and collagen on cartilage aids a lot in healing the joints. |
| the pain. They do not really work to heal the joints | | | | As for the chondroitin sulfate, it acts as a magnet to |
| afflicted by the disease. But worse than that, | | | | draw in the water that the proteoglycans feed on. |
| long-term use of NSAIDs is said to cause liver and | | | | Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are both naturally |
| intestinal damage. | | | | occurring in the body. However, a persons ability to |
| Thus, research continued to find alternative cures to | | | | produce these two compounds decreases with age. |
| arthritis. In recent decades, medical researchers have | | | | Recent USA studies as reported by The New |
| indeed discovered such alternatives to NSAIDs. The | | | | England Journal of Medicine, show that a combination |
| ones they found are chemical compounds that occur | | | | of these 2 supplements relieve those suffering |
| naturally in the body. Moreover, they go beyond | | | | moderate to severe pain from arthritis, more |
| mere pain relief and actually help in rebuilding the | | | | effectively than Celebrex. A safe and effective |
| damage that arthritis causes to joints it afflicts. | | | | alternative to dangerous drugs with many side |
| These alternatives are none other than glucosamine | | | | effects is clearly using glucosamine and chondroitin |
| and chondroitin sulfate. | | | | sulfate as supplements. |
| How do glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate work in | | | | The best of these supplements exist in liquid form. It |
| treating arthritis? To answer this question, we need | | | | is advised to take these supplements in liquid form |
| to understand what the cartilage in the body is made | | | | because liquids are more readily absorbed by the |
| of. Cartilage is made up of three elements: 1) water, | | | | body; unlike in pills, there is no chance for it to go to |
| which lubricates it; 2) proteoglycans, which hold the | | | | waste and they do not have binders or stabilizers. |
| water in; 3) collagen, which keeps the proteoglycans | | | | Also, the best glucosamine supplements are in HCL |
| intact. Proteoglycans also act to hold collagen | | | | and sulfate form, never in NaCL or KCL form. The |
| together. When cartilage is damaged in arthritis, | | | | latter ones are just table salt. |
| osteoarthritis in particular, the proteoglycans are | | | | |