Nutrition
Hot Topics - GlucosamineHydrochloride vs. Sulfate /Chondroitin
Glucosamine, a compound
derived from shellfish, has been shown to support the body's natural ability to build and maintain the cartilage which
provides cushioning for joints, and helps maintain range of motion.* The hydrochloride form of glucosamine is more concentrated
than the sulfate form, and contains substantially less sodium per serving than the sulfate form. Glucosamine sulfate is stabilized
with sodium chloride (table salt) and can contain as much as 30% sodium, which is a consideration for individuals who want
to reduce their dietary intake of sodium. Glucosamine hydrochloride is salt-free. Research shows that since glucosamine is
not absorbed intact with its carrier, the body doesn't care how it gets glucosamine as long as it is bioavailable. A number
of studies over the past decade or so have been performed on glucosamine in Europe and Asia using glucosamine sulfate as the
active ingredient. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial performed in Canada and published in the Journal of Rheumatology,
however, glucosamine hydrochloride was used and found to be more effective than the placebo. Other clinical studies"Pharmacokinetics
of glucosamine in man" (Setnikar et.al.), a study referencing the bioavailability of glucosamine, states that after oral
administration, glucosamine sulfate is rapidly split into glucosamine and sulfate ions and absorbed. After absorption, the
sulfate ions enter the blood stream where a steady level already exists. None of the clinical studies performed with glucosamine
sulfate indicate that sulfate contributed to the benefits shown in the study. As a matter of clarification, while this study
references glucosamine sulfate, it was actually glucosamine hydrochloride that was radiolabeled and used to prove the bioavailability
of glucosamine. We can conclude that since sulfate and hydrochloride are not the key building blocks for the production of
joint cartilage, it makes no difference whether glucosamine has a sulfate or hydrochloride carrier. ChondroitinA number of
glucosamine products include chondroitin, a cattle-sourced compound. Shaklee does not use chondroitin with glucosamine, as
the scientific data shows glucosamine-chondroitin combinations are no more effective than glucosamine by itself. * These statements
have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent
any disease.
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© Copyright 2001 Shaklee Corporation. All rights reserved.
Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 15:16:49 -0500
Subject: Glucosamine and Arthritis
Glucosamine and Arthritis
The following article reports the now scientifically "proven" effects of glucosamine on arthritis, what
many have now known and experienced for a few
years now.
Shaklee's Osteokinetics is also scientifically
proven to help rebuild cartilage in joints, and contains not only glucosamine, but it works synergistically with Devil's
Claw and Alfalfa , etc., (works better than with chondroitin) to rebuild this joint cartilage. Making sure you're are
getting enough Vitamin C, Calcium, and essential fatty acids like EPA and/or GLA or Lecithin helps too.
---------------------------------
Study: Glucosamine Saves Joints Trial finds measurable arthritis improvement
By Adam Marcus
HealthScout
Reporter
THURSDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthScout) -- In what one arthritis expert calls a "landmark" study, researchers
say regular treatment with glucosamine can ease the pain, swelling and stiffness of osteoarthritis and lead to measurable
improvements in joints.
Glucosamine is a natural supplement whose advocates claim it relieves the symptoms of osteoarthritis,
a cartilage-eroding ailment that strikes roughly one in three Americans over age 63. However, few reliable studies have found
any benefit from the treatment until now.
In the latest study, reported in the upcoming issue of The Lancet, a
team led by Dr. Jean Yves Reginster of the Bone and Cartilage Metabolism Unit of the CHU Centre Ville in Liege, Belgium, tested
the supplement on 212 people with osteoarthritis in their knees. Subjects were given either a dummy drug or 1,500 milligrams
of glucosamine daily over three years.
The patients had their knee joints X-rayed at the beginning and the end
of the trial to measure how much protective cartilage shielded their joints
from friction and impact.
By the
end of the study, patients on glucosamine reported a 20 percent to 25 percent improvement of their symptoms, while the placebo
group reported slight deterioration. The X-rays showed that joint spaces in the untreated patients had narrowed by an average
of 20 millimeters, compared to no change among those who took glucosamine.
Reginster says, "We demonstrate
that we have significant differences in the number of patients who experienced a significant, relevant loss" in
their
joint space. "It's the first [study] that shows that it's possible to demonstrate an effect both on the symptoms
and the structure" of joints,
says Reginster. He says a recent Czech study found similar results.
Not
sure how it works
The study, which was first reported at a 1999 meeting of arthritis experts, was sponsored by
the Rorta Research Group, an Italian company that
makes much of the glucosamine available in Europe. While several European
countries have officially approved glucosamine as an arthritis remedy, the compound is available in the United States only
as an over-the-counter therapy.
Reginster says that's problematic because different versions of the product
vary widely in the amount of the active chemical.
Dr. John Klippel, medical director of the Arthritis Foundation,
says The Lancet paper should have an "extraordinary" impact on the treatment of osteoarthritis. "I think this
is a landmark study of major importance." Klippel says not only does it show symptom relief, but it offers evidence
that glucosamine leads to beneficial physiological changes.
What the work doesn't explain, however, is how
glucosamine works with arthritis. Glucosamine is a building block of cartilage, and some experts
have proposed that it
might spur formation of new cartilage in affected joints. But so far no one has proven that, he says.
Many patients
in the Belgian study reported improvement within about a month of starting treatment, suggesting glucosamine might have
anti-inflammatory properties, Klippel says.
SOURCES: Interviews with Jean Yves Reginster, M.D., Ph.D., Bone and
Cartilage Metabolism Unit, University Hospital, Liege, Belgium; John
Klippel, M.D., medical director, Arthritis Foundation,
Washington, D.C.; Jan. 27, 2001, The Lancet |
