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There is now very little serious doubt that
glucosamine helps in cases of degenerative joint disease like
osteoarthritis
This is based (not just on the huge weight of
testimony from thousands of "users") but on independent scientific
tests, studies and field trials. If you are unfamiliar with these,
have a look at the bottom of this page where we have collated a
selection of independent trials of glucosamine.
So... glucosamine works... do all glucosamine
supplements work?
Yes - in varying degrees. Its effectiveness come
through the supplementation of specific amino acids and amino-saccharides.
These are the building blocks of glucosamine, which in turn forms
the building blocks of cartilage. In other words - with this
technology the body is given the chance to create more of its own
glucosamine. A far better and more effective option than trying to
cram ever higher levels through the digestive system - hardly a
"natural" option!
Why extra glucosamine sulphate is needed when
things go wrong
Articular cartilage is one of the first tissues to age and has
relatively poor powers of regeneration because of the poor blood
supply to the area, even in a healthy animal/human. The
delicate balance between wear and renewal can be easily upset - a
strain, a slip or fall, repeated heavy use, poor nutrition, even bad
conformation or (in the horse) hoof imbalance through bad or
irregular shoeing can start a cycle of events that will lead to
progressive degeneration of the joint.
The natural reaction of joints to a strain, injury
or wear and tear is to become inflamed, whether visibly so or not -
a greater amount of synovial fluid is produced (which is often of
poorer quality) and enzymes can be produced which actually degrade
the cartilage and synovial fluid (Stashak - 1995). This
causes sustained, if not greater, inflammation... a self
perpetuating cycle leading to DJD in any animal (and human) as the
body cannot produce enough glucosamine to keep up to the rate of
repair and renewal that would be necessary. This is especially true
of an older animal with the slowing down of body systems that comes
with age.
How is Glucosamine sulphate used?
Glucosamine sulphate and chondroitin sulphate are used to relieve
the symptoms and help in the healing of Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD)
- osteoarthritis
This form of arthritis used to be thought of as a
permanent, gradually worsening condition affecting many animals (and
people) as they get older - an inevitable result of the ageing
process coupled with wear and tear on joints. In many ways this is
true but many animal owners have reported greatly improved mobility
in their animals when fed Glucosamine & Chondroitin. Human patients
taking glucosamine report relief of pain as well as improvements in
mobility.
Glucosamine & Chondroitin how do they help?
Providing additional Glucosamine speeds up the repair and renewal
of damaged or worn articulating cartilage whilst additional
Chondroitin helps to neutralise the destructive enzymes and improve
the quality of the synovial fluid.
Supplementation of a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin -
two naturally occurring and essential substances - has been shown to
be most effective.
Since DJD, once started, is a permanent condition, the treatment
is long term - the animal (or human) must stay on the maintenance
dose for the rest of its life - the joint will revert back to its
degenerative condition if supplementation stops.
Many veterinary surgeons routinely inject Polysulfated
Glycosaminoglycan (chondroitin) directly into a DJD joint or one
that has been operated on and therefore will inevitably become
degenerative. However, it can also be given by intramuscular
injection and, more importantly for the average animal owner, orally
- you can add glucosamine and chondroitin to their food! The
advantage of the latter being that all joints are treated, not just
the one injected (William
E Jones online - equinevetnet).
There have been other studies which have shown that, while
injecting locally into an affected joint gives the quickest
improvement (almost immediate!), there is no significant difference
in the benefits gained over oral administration of glucosamine and
chondroitin after about 30 days. Giving a supplement by adding it
daily to feed is, perhaps, more reasonable than having an injection
every month or so.
There is at least one major dog food manufacturer
which now produces a special dog food for older animals which
contains Chondroitin and Glucosamine and there are several brands of
supplement on the market which are designed to be added to normal
food - these are available for human, as well as equine and canine
treatment.
References:
Stashak, Ted S, 1995. Practical Guide to Lameness in Horses.
Williams & Wilkins: USA
Jones, W.E., DVM, 1998. Treating Degenerative Joint Disease. Online
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