Benefits of Glucosamine

 All physical performance hinges on our joints.

That’s not even a pun but a literal fact.

From your elbows to your hips to the mayhem of connective tissues that is your knees, the integrity and flexibility of your joints are essential to a healthy, active, flexible lifestyle...

...Which is why it’s such a struggle to maintain a healthy, active, flexible lifestyle as our joints deteriorate to either exercise-related or age-related wear-and-tear.

Or worse: exercise- and age-related wear-and-tear.

As an amino sugar naturally found in the body, glucosamine naturally supports joint tissues, including cartilage, ligaments, and tendons—as well as the synovial fluid that lubricates joint movements.

It’s for this reason that glucosamine is considered a high priority supplement for age-related joint concerns.

In fact, in a study on 266,848 Australians aged 45 and older, roughly 22% reported using glucosamine, which was deemed of significance for public health and future health promotion.

In this article, we cover the: 

• multiple joint health benefits of supplementing glucosamine
• as well as the best ingredients to stack with glucosamine
• including an in-depth breakdown of the best all-in-one joint support supplement Performance Lab® Flex.

But before getting into all of that, let’s start with why you should take glucosamine sulfate; the best glucosamine for joint health, over other types of glucosamine.

Difference Between Glucosamine and Glucosamine Sulfate

Like most micronutrients, glucosamine comes in various forms. Virtually never does a glucosamine supplement come as pure glucosamine.

Rather, there are three common different forms of this amino sugar: glucosamine hydrochloride (HCl), N-acetyl glucosamine, and glucosamine sulfate.

Though these different chemical compounds have both structural and functional similarities, they may not have exactly the same effects when taken as supplements. Respectively, the differences between these glucosamine forms include:

• Glucosamine HCl – glucosamine bound to chloride; typically manufactured from non-shellfish sources with some research backing its joint support benefits.
• N-Acetyl Glucosamine – glucosamine bound to acetic acid; also taken for joint health purposes but may also be found in anti-aging skin supplements.
• Glucosamine Sulfate – glucosamine bound to sulfur; the most research-backed form of glucosamine, typically manufactured from shellfish.

All three glucosamine forms provide significant joint health advantages.

However, glucosamine sulfate is typically favored for joint health and flexibility, despite being commonly sourced from shellfish...

...although Performance Lab® Flex’s plant-sourced glucosamine sulfate 2KCl offers the advantages of glucosamine sulfate without the potential fishy side effects.

Why Glucosamine Sulfate Offers More Benefits

For one, we can trust in glucosamine sulfate more than other glucosamine supplement forms thanks to the much greater amount of research performed on this particular form.

In terms of both efficacy and safety, the numbers are simply in favor of glucosamine sulfate.

Additionally, glucosamine sulfate is naturally found in the body, where both the “glucosamine” and “sulfate” portions of glucosamine sulfate contribute to joint health and integrity.

Whereas glucosamine promotes the formation of connective tissues, chondrocyte cells, and synovial fluid, sulfate is required for the production of cartilage.

Research suggests that glucosamine sulfate may be particularly effective for osteoarthritis, providing significant pain relief for those with osteoarthritis namely in the knees.

In a study on the effects of glucosamine sulfate on osteoarthritis, a group of researchers observed a long-term “50% reduction in the incidence of osteoarthritis-related surgery of the lower limbs” associated with glucosamine sulfate administration.

Glucosamine: Full Benefits

Glucosamine helps support healthy joints. That’s simplest way to describe the beneficial actions of this unique amino sugar.

But the full range of benefits for glucosamine are more revealing of this unique amino sugar’s essential importance to joint health and longevity than simply saying that “glucosamine supports healthy joints.”

Altogether, the bio-benefits of glucosamine supplementation include:

Chondrocyte Cell Proliferation

Found in cartilage connective tissues, chondrocytes are the only cells located in cartilage, where they produce and maintain the quasi-solid cartilage matrix.

Both firm and elastic, cartilage requires the unique structural composition of chondrocytes to remain thick, cushy, and flexible without degrading into degenerative conditions.

By promoting chondrocyte cell proliferation via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, glucosamine may help sustain and protect healthy cartilage tissues in the joints.

Proteoglycan Production

A class of proteins that are heavily glycolysated (bound to glycosaminoglycan groups), proteoglycans are found in all connective tissues and the extracellular matrix (ECM).

Used in the biosynthesis of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans, the building blocks of cartilage, glucosamine helps protect against the degeneration of articular cartilage.

Related to glucosamine’s effects on chondrocyte cells, which produce proteoglycans, research suggests that glucosamine sulfate may cause a statistically significant stimulation of proteoglycan production in cartilage tissue.

Synovial Fluid Protection

Synovial fluid, also known simply as synovia, is a viscous, non-Newtonian fluid with an egg white-like consistency that helps mitigate friction within the joint during movement.

In other words, synovial fluid is “joint lubricant,” a necessary component of healthy joint function as well as cartilage and tendon nutrition. It’s typically inflammation of synovia that contributes to common joint pain and tenderness.

Combined with chondroitin sulfate, another excellent joint support ingredient, glucosamine seems to help combat synovial fluid inflammation to provide, as one clinical study states, “efficient pain relief in similar level with tramadol, a narcotic analgesic.”

Joint Pain Relief

The combined bio-mechanisms of glucosamine on chondrocyte proliferation, proteoglycan production, and synovial fluid protection all help elevate joint health and function in support of smooth, comfortable joint movement and flexibility.

In other words, glucosamine may help protect against joint degradation, namely degradation of cartilage and other connective tissues in the joint, while soothing already present joint pain.

As we’ll soon cover, glucosamine is often paired and researched with chondroitin.

And one impressive review on glucosamine and chondroitin supplementation confirmed, based on 54 studies covering 16,427 patients, “the symptomatic efficacy of glucosamine plus chondroitin in the treatment of knee ,” lending further evidence of the safety and efficacy of glucosamine as an agent of joint pain relief.

Glucosamine Dosage

Glucosamine dosages may greatly vary from supplement to supplement. For standalone glucosamine supplements, dosages per serving may range anywhere from 250 mg to 1,500 mg.

What’s best for you depends upon your particular joint health needs—i.e., it may not be a bad idea to go on the higher end with glucosamine for a while, if you feel your joints really need.

With that in mind, as a daily joint support stack, Performance Lab® Flex supplies an effective dosage of 500 mg Glucosamine Sulfate 2KCl (from corn), a cleaner alternative to shellfish-sourced glucosamine sulfate.

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Taken daily, this glucosamine dosage offers ongoing, long-term joint support benefits without risking the potential side effects typically associated with high dosages of glucosamine.

Glucosamine Side Effects

For the most part, the safety rating on glucosamine, as a supplement, is very high, and side effects should not be expected with a 500 mg dosage.

However, high dosages of glucosamine have been associated with several adverse effects, including:

• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Heartburn
• Stomach Upset

Essentially, if you’ve taken too much glucosamine, your stomach will let you know.

In non-diabetic users, glucosamine supplementation was found to be safe, but glucosamine may potentially worsen blood sugar regulation for diabetic users. Granted, it’s fairly low risk among diabetics, however it’s worth consideration if you’re currently on diabetic medication.

There’s also an allergy concern with shellfish-sourced glucosamine for those allergic to shellfish, which is another reason why plant-based glucosamine sulfate is superior to the fishy alternative.

Other Beneficial Ingredients to Take Glucosamine With

As a “building block” amino acid, glucosamine assists with the formation of connective tissues, chondrocyte cells, and joint-lubricating synovial fluid.

Combined, the bio-benefits of glucosamine are fairly expansive, but not comprehensive.

To comprehensively support joint health and flexibility, you’ll need to take glucosamine in a stack of other beneficial joint-supportive ingredients that target joint health via separate bio-pathways.

The best joint support ingredients to take glucosamine with include:

Chondroitin

Commonly stacked with glucosamine, chondroitin is a complex of large molecules that weaves through the extracellular matrix of cartilage to attract and sustain water for spongy, well-hydrated connective tissue in joints.

Whereas glucosamine contributes to the proliferation of chondrocytes, the cells “floating” within cartilage tissue, chondroitin comprises much of the shock-absorption aspect of cartilage.

Chondroitin supplements may help joint health by:

• Keeping cartilage well-hydrated and shock-absorbent;
• Supporting production of building-block collagen;
• Promoting chondrocyte function and productivity.

Research suggests that the combined actions of glucosamine and chondroitin may help stimulate the anabolic process of cartilage metabolism and mitigate the catabolic inflammation of cartilage tissue, leading researchers to conclude that these...

“...two mechanisms are able to slow the progression of cartilage destruction and may help to regenerate the joint structure, leading to reduced pain and increased mobility of the affected joint.”

Phytodroitin™

Phytodroitin™ is a mucopolysaccharide extract derived from seaweed. With other supplementary forms having animal origins, including pork byproduct, shark cartilage, and bovine connective tissues, Phytodroitin™ serves as a plant-based alternative to traditional Chondroitin. 

Turmeric

Viewed by many as a “superfood,” turmeric is an Ayurvedic root spice used for many health purposes, from cognitive performance to free radical resistance to, yes, joint health. Giving this herb its bright yellow color, turmeric’s bioactive plant pigments, called curcuminoids, are responsible for turmeric’s wide range of health benefits.

Particularly curcumin, the primary curcuminoid, is believed to benefit joint health and flexibility by:

• Combating harmful oxidative stress (free radicals) in the joints
• Regulating COX-2 enzyme to soothe joint ache and pain
• Protecting cartilage against matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)
• Supporting synthesis of structure proteins, such as collagen
• Limiting advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) associated with stiffness

By combating harmful oxidative stress, inflammation, enzymes, and other connective tissue-damaging factors, turmeric works very well as a “soothing” agent, improving joint comfortability and flexibility for all-around greater range of motion and functional performance.

CurcuWIN® Turmeric

Turmeric is an impressive spice with a not-so-impressive bioavailability. Typically, curcumin requires the combined absorption-enhancing effects of black pepper (piperine) to work.

CurcuWIN® has worked around this issue with OmniActive’s proprietary UltraSOL Nutrient Delivery System, a delivery system that increases the relative absorption of total curcuminoids roughly 46 times over standard curcumin.

CurcuWIN® also contains the same profile as natural turmeric, sustaining this spice’s bioactive composition and complexity with greater potency.

Boswellia Serrata

Producing a gum resin rich in bioactive boswellic acids, Boswellia serrata is a natural joint comfort supplement that, like turmeric, seems to protect joints against connective tissue-damaging free radicals, inflammation, enzymes, etc.

Specifically, of the boswellic acids, AKBA (3-O-acetyl-11 keto-β-boswellic acid) protects joint health by:

• Modulating immune responses to soothe joints;
• Blocking cartilage-diminishing 5-LOX enzyme;
• Limiting matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzyme.

In a pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial on the safety and efficacy of Boswellia serrata extract, the researchers observed that

“biologically active constituents of , namely, AKBBA and BBA, act synergistically to exert anti-inflammatory/anti-arthritic activity showing improvement in physical and functional ability and reducing the pain and stiffness.”

AprèsFlex® Boswellia Serrata

One of the most popular and research-backed joint health ingredients, AprésFlex® is a premium form of Boswellia serrata extract that leverages advanced nutritional technology to achieve 52% greater absorption than standard Boswellia.

Standardized to 20% AKBA for consistent joint relief, AprésFlex® has been shown to improve joint comfort in as short as five days.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)

An organic compound comprised of roughly 34% bioavailable sulfur, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a key structural nutrient required to form and maintain collagen, glucosamine, chondroitin, and other proteins important to connective tissue integrity.

The elementary aspect of MSM and its rich supply of joint-supporting sulfur make it a popular, effective stack companion to “building block” ingredients glucosamine and chondroitin.

In a randomized controlled study on the effects of MSM on knee osteoarthritis, 49 men and women aged 45-90 were administered MSM or placebo three times daily for 12 weeks.

By the end of the study, the researchers concluded that “patients with of the knee taking MSM for 12 weeks showed an improvement in pain and physical function.”

OptiMSM®

Manufactured with a proprietary multi-stage distillation process, OptiMSM® is the purest (99.7% pure) MSM supplement, as well as the only GRAS-designated (Generally Recognized as Safe) MSM supplement.

Uses of OptiMSM® range anywhere from joint health to skin complexion to healthy aging to even immune support.

Summary

Of all the supplement categories, many supplement users are perhaps most familiar with joint support supplements, given that we all eventually succumb to age-related joint degradation.

Whether due to aging or a highly active lifestyle, joint pain can be a real drain on life quality. Glucosamine sulfate can certainly help mitigate joint pain for greater comfort and smoother range of motion.

However, for maximum joint health and performance, you’ll need a complete all-in-one joint formula that supplies glucosamine in addition to the many other joint-soothing ingredients that supplement users are familiar with.

By stacking all the best joint support ingredients in an ultramodern, comprehensive formula, Performance Lab® Flex can help you get that joint pain relief you’re looking for while protecting against future aches and pains.

Taken daily and consistently, Performance Lab® Flex is a key component to any sustainably active lifestyle.