What are the Best Glucosamine Supplements?

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Glucosamine Sulphate is a compound that occurs naturally in the fluid around your joints, and helps to build cartilage, ligaments and tendons. It’s also found in shellfish shells (which is the common extracted form that is often used in supplements), and the very reason why it is used is because it is the same compound found in your own body.

This is the actual raw material our joints and ligaments are made of, and as we don’t produce this compound naturally it means supplementing really is the only way to rebuild joints and ligaments after they have broken down due to either wear and tear, or aging.

But what are the best glucosamine supplements? And what is optimum dosage to see results? All this will be covered in this post to help you make an informed decision about whether you need them or not.

Many people swear by the remarkable benefits of glucosamine supplementation, especially those with joint pains, or those suffering with diseases like arthritis and osteoarthritis. These are the obvious reasons, but there are other amazing benefits to this popular supplement of which I will go into more detail before you make any decisions about using it for yourself.

Why take glucosamine sulphate?

1. ANTI AGING

beautiful glowing skin

The news we have all been waiting for – glucosamine seems to be a potentially effective treatment for wrinkles too! And when applied to the skin, stimulates cell renewal. In facial moisturising creams it comes in the form of hyaluronic acid, a substance makes its way into the deeper skin layers and stimulates collagen production, in turn reducing wrinkles and fine lines on the face.

Skin plumping action

Glucosamine is also a building block for hyaluronic acid, which plumps out the skin making skin texture more youthful from the inside too. This is seen not just in the form of topical creams, but also when taken orally, making supplementation a great way to achieve beautiful skin.

In an experiment from PubMed, it was shown that glucosamine sulphate has a beneficial effect on epidermal and dermal markers associated with age in just eight weeks, so imagine how well long-term use could potentially work.

These are just awesome findings, imagine being able to reduce wrinkles by a third just by using this one supplement! Of course, using glucosamine both topically and orally is sure to amplify the effects, especially when taken along side other natural anti aging products

2. MAY RELIEVE JOINT PAIN AND OSTEOARTHRITIS

Osteoarthritis is often caused by one or more of these 4 major things:-

  • Joint Injury
  • Age
  • Being Overweight
  • Family History

diagram of a knee joint

The end of your bones are covered with a layer of cartilage, which works as a shock absorber to stop bones rubbing together and doing you damage. In osteoarthritis, this cartilage breaks down thus causing those bones to painfully rub together, but supplementing with between 500- 1500mg of glucosamine sulphate may help the body repair damage, rebuild new cartilage, and lower inflammation all at the same time.

In fact, glucosamine supplemention is the number one thing you should be doing if you suffer from osteoarthritis, but you may need to experiment with the amount that works for you as we all absorb nutrients differently. Start at the higher end of 1500mg, and experiment with going lower after that. For me, personally (and for most I have spoken with), I definitely notice a difference in my creaky knees at 1500mg, but when I go lower it seems to creep back again; therefore 1500mg seems to be an optimum dosage.

Enhancing glucosamine’s effects

Glucosamine effects are said to be enhanced when combined with chondroitin sulphate (this not only helps to stop cartilage breaking down but also helps to repair it, therefore working in harmony with glucosamine) and the two often come together in the same supplement anyway.

Most people find that they do work better together, and the scientific evidence supports this.

Clickable Image


Always make sure you source out good quality and trusted brand supplements, as will pay dividends when it comes to the quality of hat you actually receive. Bad quality and cheap supplements are rife, and often filled with fillers and other chemicals which are hard for the body to break down and eliminate.

Good supplements are organically sourced and have high bio availability, meaning that the body can more easily absorb uptake the nutrients into your system. It is always more cost effective in the long run to go for quality over quantity.

Recommended dose – 1500mg per day

Other ways to reduce inflammation alongside glucosamine:-

  • Eating a highly plant based diet will mean you are taking in lots of alkaline foods, rather than the acidic foods which keep your body in a high state of inflammation. Foods that contribute to inflammation include junk foods, sugar, trans fats and most dairy products. An highly alkaline diet should be full of fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds and highly plant based.
  • Take turmeric: You can buy turmeric supplements, or you can add the powder to your food which is my preferred method. It can definitely be preferable to eat the ‘whole food’ where possible, especially if something is just for preventative reasons. Remember, whole foods tend to be more bio-available in the body. Please read about the amazing powers of turmeric, and follow the recipe on how to make this powerful and healing turmeric paste. I now have my whole family on this amazing stuff, and they have ALL seen and felt varying results from less colds to less joint pains. Turmeric is one spice that has now been proven in studies to lower chronic inflammation in the body.
  • Take a green superfood powder shot everyday in the form of wheatgrass, barley grass, chlorella, spirulina or moringa. These are highly alkaline, and will help to fight chronic inflammation on a cellular level. Ideally take a blend, or a mix of these powerful detoxifiyers and see the difference not only in inflammation, but due to their high levels of antioxidants they are also anti aging and will help keep you young on the inside AND out. 
  • Exercise is a very IMPORTANT part of keeping your joints and ligaments flexible and strong. You can’t seriously expect your body to stay fit and healthy without a good exercise routine in place. You know that old saying ‘use it or lose it sista’!

CONCLUSION:

Taking a trusted glucosamine and chondroitin alongside the other recommendations in this post may be your best defense against painful joints, inflammation, and aging in general. But, I highly recommend you do all of them to really want to see long-term results.

You really can’t do any one thing and expect the best results possible, rather a combination of good lifestyle choices would be the best advice to give. Not only that, but you may also be lowering your chances of many other age related diseases and illnesses in the process.

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13 thoughts on “What are the Best Glucosamine Supplements?”

  1. Good article about glucosamine. There has been a lot of supplements in the last years. I have seen some people with osteoarthritis or with just joint or muscle pain who have used glucosamine, and in a few days they feel pain relief.

    We should think about using more natural supplements than chemical drugs, and take better approach in preventive medicine than in curative medicine.

    1. Hi Jaime, thanks for reading and yes I am a 100% believer in Natural medicine, especially since I have been working for a medical herbalist. I see every day the power of herbs and hear a lot of people saying their doctor couldn’t do anything but the herbal medicine has So now I’m a total believer and have been set on a new path in life, which I love.

    1. Hi Juan, yes glucosamine is a good supplement to use, especially if you are putting a lot of pressure on your joints and tendons during a workout. You need to make sure your body has all the tools it needs to repair itself as quickly as possible and also to help prevent such injuries in the first place. Thanks for reading!

  2. Great rundown on glucosamine. As silly as it may sound it is also a very viable option for dogs that are having joint pain. My parents dog has arthritis and our vet recommended we give her a pill twice a day to help ease the pain.

    Out of curiosity, is there any danger in taking too much of the supplement up front?

    1. Hi Craig, thanks for your comment. No it doesn’t sound silly that your mum’s dog uses it, an animals joints and and cartilage is made up of the same material as ours so it stands to reason that many of the supplements that we take work just as well for them. I know that you can’t give an animal the same amount as a human, so I guess you have to size up their weight and go from there and ask for advice from your vet first.

      As for the dosage for humans, I would say you should never exceed what it says on the packet unless you ask your doctor first. 1500mg glucosamine is usually the maximum dosage you will see on most packets, and you should start with that and maybe try working your way down as some people don’t need that amount and some people do. You should experiment with what works for you as you don’t want to be throwing good money down the drain.

  3. Now the joint pain part is right up my alley. I did not know that glucosamine sulfate would help with that. My knees and hips are starting to give me some pain that is not too comfortable. It is bearable right now and I would like to start dealing with it in the early stage. I think you just helped me a great deal here. Thanks.

    1. Hi Ronnie, I’m glad that my post has helped you out and yes I would definitely start taking the glucosamine now to help prevent more damage. Also, make sure you buy the glucosamine with chondroitin as these two work together. At the very least, it is worth trying 1500mg a day for at least 6 weeks to see if it is going to work for you.

      Another good one to try for this kind of thing is turmeric supplements, especially if your pain is due to the onset of an inflammatory disease such as arthritis. And there would be no harm in using both at the same time.

  4. Just today I went shopping for a glucosamine supplement. I’ve injured my knees so many times over the years, and now I’m paying for my clumsiness! Some days I have pain so sharp I am constantly limping.

    I’m glad to have found this site! I’m always on the hunt for natural remedies.

    1. Hi Noelle,

      I’m really glad you liked my post. And yes, I agree that natural remedies are almost always better and have less side effects. I understand about your knees as I suffer the same problem, after years of running on pavements (there’s always a price to pay for everything it seems) I take 1500mg of glucosamine with chondroitin and this seems to work for me and I do feel an improvement, though not completely gone.

      It is also worth trying turmeric (curcumin) supplements as you may find that these work also as they reduce inflammation. You could even try a mixture of the two as they will not affect each other. I hope this helps you further and I hope you get your knees sorted out.

  5. Hi! I’m very interested in why you think Blue Bonnet is the best glucosamine supplement. What are some of the alternatives and what makes it stand out? I know my face wash has hyaluronic acid acid in it, and it makes sense to treat aging from both the inside and the outside.

    1. Hi Penelope, thanks for reading. I chose the Blue Bonnet brand as it is organic and non GMO based so it will be much healthier than a supplement that may have added fillers, colours, preservatives etc like many of them have.

      It really is a minefield in the supplement world, so you have to pick with caution. Yes, a face wash with hyaluronic acid would most definitely be an anti ager. In fact you should check out my post 10 best anti aging supplements for more good anti aging tips.

  6. Yes glucosamine is great. Ive been taking it for my knee joints and it has really helped fix them up. That, along with not running on concrete anymore (big mistake). I’ve got my whole family on it now as I heard it’s also good for longevity in general.

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