Glucosamine: Uses And Effectiveness

Glucosamine is a substance used by the body for the regeneration and synthesis of cartilage. Osteoarthritis, which is the most common type of rheumatic disease in the general population, wears down the slippery cartilage that covers the ends of the bones and allows the joints to move smoothly.

Many studies have been done to evaluate the efficacy of glucosamine, and yet the results have been mixed. Some of them used a placebo as a comparator, while others used other drugs for the same indication.

On the other hand, it should be mentioned that this substance can be administered as a medicine or as a dietary supplement to strengthen these structures. Glucosamine is normally extracted from crustacean animals, such as lobster, shrimp, or crabs.

Uses of glucosamine

As was well mentioned at the beginning of the article, glucosamine is used in those diseases in which the cartilage gradually wears out, such as rheumatic diseases, such as arthritis and osteoarthritis.

This substance is the precursor of the molecules involved in the development of cartilaginous tissues : glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans. The use of glucosamine in diseases such as osteoarthritis is apparently safe, according to the data that we have today thanks to the clinical trials carried out.

In addition, its possible immunomodulatory effect is being studied in other autoimmune diseases apart from arthritis and osteoarthritis, such as multiple sclerosis. However, these studies are still in the animal model study stage.

What are arthritis and osteoarthritis?

It is very common for the population to confuse arthritis with osteoarthritis because both diseases affect the joints and present similar symptoms, such as joint pain.

Arthritis is a disease that always causes inflammation of the joints. This inflammation will cause, therefore, pain and swelling of the same. It is usually autoimmune in nature. However, it can be a consequence of other diseases, such as gout. Has any of the following characteristic symptoms: 

• Pain even at rest.
• Stiffness of the joints, especially when waking up.
• Swelling with effusion of inflammatory synovial fluid.
• Other symptoms that vary according to the affected organ.

As for osteoarthritis, it is a chronic disease and it is the one that most affects the Spanish population, with women being the most affected. It is characterized because the joints are degenerating and is usually related to age.

Therefore, osteoarthritis is not an autoimmune disease in which inflammation occurs. It is a degenerative disease usually related to age and aging of the joints. Among the symptoms associated with this disease are:

• Cracking when moving the joints.
• Pain when performing movements.
• Limitation of movement.
• Possible deformations of the joints.

Studies conducted on the efficacy of glucosamine

There have been numerous studies on the efficacy of glucosamine. For example, one carried out in 2012 wanted to verify the effect on pain relief in the aforementioned diseases. Glucosamine treatment together with an NSAID was studied compared to glucosamine alone. The result was positive.

Another study conducted in 2015 wanted to compare the combination of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine with celecoxib for knee pain. It was performed in patients with osteoarthritis. The result was a similar efficacy in reducing the main symptoms of the disease, after treatment for 6 months.

Finally, and as we mentioned, another study was carried out on the effect of glucosamine that did not give the expected results for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

Conclution

As we can see, the results of the studies are somewhat variable, so the effects of glucosamine in some rheumatic diseases are not yet known exactly.

Research continues in this area in order to get the maximum benefit from this substance and to advance both rheumatology and medicine in general.