Supplements to help avoid injury
Glucosamine is a frequently used supplement which claims to ‘support’ a joint either before or after injury.
Chemically, glucosamine is a combination of glucose and amino acids, and it has been extensively studied for joint health and support. It is often made from the shells of shellfish, so those with shellfish allergies should be careful when reading labels
If you take glucosamine as a supplement, it accumulates in the liver, kidneys and articular cartilage. Once it reaches the chondrocytes; the cells that produce cartilage, the glucosamine is incorporated. Eventually, it forms a viscous fluid that helps protect and lubricate the joint surfaces and cartilage – but only about 10% of the glucosamine that you take as a supplement actually reaches the joints, so dosage may also be an issue.
Dutch clinical studies suggested that glucosamine, unlike pain relievers such as NSAIDs, can actually help prevent the destruction of cartilage that is the hallmark of osteoarthritis and serious injury where joint thinning occurs, however, another six month trial found that patients taking glucosamine HCl, chondroitin sulphate, or a combination of the two had no statistically significant improvement in their symptoms compared to patients taking a placebo. However, this may be a confusion between pain relief and healing, which needs to be examined further.
Often, people wait until after an injury to be concerned about their joints, but adding glucosamine to diet, as well as using proper lifting form and avoiding high-impact exercises may help you prevent joint injury in the first place.
Related Products:
