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Quick Fact: More than 20 million people in the US suffer
from Osteoarthritis.
Quick Fact: By age 65 more than half the population has x-ray
evidence
of osteoarthritis in at least one joint.
Usually osteoarthritis comes on quite slowly but here are
some of the early signs:
- Steady or intermittent pain in a joint
- Stiffness after getting out of bed
- Joint swelling or tenderness in one or more joints
- A crunching feeling or sound of bone rubbing on bone
Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint but is most often
found in the hands, hips, knees, or spine.
There is a naturally occurring substance in the body which
is normally found in high concentrations in the joint cavities.
This substance is called Glucosamine. Glucosamine has the
ability to decrease friction and pain in the joint.
The joint is the place where two moving bones come together.
Most joints are designed to protect the bone ends from wearing
away. The joints also absorb shock from repetitive movements
like walking and exercising.
The joint consists of:
- Cartilage: A hard slippery coating on the end of
each bone.
- Joint capsule: A tough membrane sac that holds
all the bones and other joint parts together.
- Synovium: A thin membrane inside the joint capsule.
- Synovial Fluid: A fluid that lubricates the joint
and keeps the cartilage smooth and healthy.
Muscles, ligaments and tendons: Together, muscles
and connective tissues keep the bones stable and allow the
joint to bend and move. Ligaments are tough cord-like tissues
that connect bones to each other. Tendons are tough, fibrous
cords that connect muscles to bones. A Washington University
School of Medicine study showed users of Glucosamine experienced
significant reduction of pain and suffered less cartilage
decline of the knee.
Glucosamine as a treatment
Glucosamine is a very promising treatment for Arthritis and
is backed by many double blind, placebo-controlled studies.
In these studies, Glucosamine has been shown to repair cartilage,
considerably reduce pain from arthritis and slow down the
progression of osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis causes more problems than just the pain
in the joints:
Financial and lifestyle effects include:
- The cost of treatment
- Wages lost because of disability
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Feelings of helplessness
- Limits on daily activities
- Job limitations
- Loss of everyday family joys and responsibilities
Glucosamine works to stimulate joint function and repair.
It's very effective in treating osteoarthritis, the most common
type of arthritis. A number of studies over the last 20 years
have shown this. A 1982 clinical study compared usage of NSAID
ibuprofen with Glucosamine for osteoarthritis in the knee.
During the first two weeks, ibuprofen decreased pain faster
than Glucosamine. By the fourth week the Glucosamine group
was well ahead in pain relief. Because Glucosamine is not
an anti-inflammatory drug, it takes longer to start working,
but it works equally well.
Glucosamine goes to work on the cartilage of the joints.
The cartilage is 65-80% water. Three other substances make
up the rest of the cartilage:
- Collagen. A fibrous protein. Collagen is also the building
block of skin, tendon, bone, and other connective tissues.
- Proteoglycans A combination of proteins and sugars. Strands
of proteoglycans and collagen weave together and form a
mesh-like tissue. This allows cartilage to flex and absorb
physical shock.
- Chondrocytes Cells that grow all through the cartilage.
They help cartilage stay healthy and grow.
As we age, cartilage loses its ability to hold water. Glucosamine
makes Synovial fluid thick and gelatinous, which allows it
to hold more water; this increases its cushioning ability,
thus, Glucosamine has the ability to decrease friction and
pain in the joint.
Glucosamine inhibits the breakdown of proteoglycans and may
aid in rebuilding damaged cartilage. NSAID's (Non Steroidal
Anti-inflammatory Drugs) such as aspirin, have been shown
to do the opposite, actually causing the disease to progress
at a faster rate.
Once it ''starts working'' Glucosamine has been shown to
be more effective than NSAID's, such as aspirin, at relieving
the symptoms of osteoarthritis due to its regenerative abilities
with regards to the joint cavity and related structures.
Aspirin and other NSAIDs may cause tinnitus (ringing in the
ears), gastric ulceration, and when chronically used can actually
accelerate the progression of osteoarthritis while relieving
the symptoms that are present.
Glucosamine is often used successfully to treat the following:
- Inflammatory and degenerative conditions of the joints
- Lack and/or breakdown of Synovial fluid
- Damage to the muscles, tissues, ligaments, tendons, blood
vessels, and nerves of the joint
Overall there are very few side effects of
Glucosamine.
Glucosamine is very safe in comparison to the side effects
of COX-2 inhibitors like Celebrex, Vioxx or NSAIDs like Aleve,
Aspirin, and Ibuprofen. The side effects of COX-2 Inhibitors
and NSAIDS are many. They are associated with stomach ulcers,
liver damage, heart attacks, and strokes. While they do provide
some pain relief, they do little to fight the actual disease
itself and slow its progression.
While there are almost no side effects of Glucosamine, here's
what you need to know:
- If you are allergic to shellfish, consult your doctor
before deciding to take Glucosamine. It should be safe for
someone with an allergy to Iodine or Shellfish to take Glucosamine.
However, if you notice any reaction, consult with your doctor.
- Women who are pregnant and women who could become pregnant
should not take these supplements. They have not been studied
long enough to determine their effects on a child or on
a developing fetus.
- Glucosamine may increase the risk of developing insulin
resistance and could decrease the metabolic actions of insulin.
Although Glucosamine is biochemically classed as a carbohydrate
(sugar), the body is not able to break it down into glucose,
so Glucosamine does not raise blood sugar by providing an
additional source of glucose. However, many factors can
affect insulin secretion and blood glucose levels in diabetic
patients, and we recommend that individuals with Diabetes
check their blood glucose levels frequently when initiating
Glucosamine into their regimen.
- High dosages of Glucosamine may cause gastric problems,
nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, and heartburn. Glucosamine
should be taken with meals to help avoid these problems.
Essentially, you have two options when it comes to ending
osteoarthritis and joint pain.
Choice one is to take drugs with severe side effects
that will not stop the disease.
Choice two is to take a natural supplement with very
few side effects that ends pain quickly and fights the disease
of osteoarthritis, often halting its progression.
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