Glucosamine benefits and side effects - dogs, rabbits, rats..

August 27, 2011

Glucosamine is a natural compound found in high concentrations in joint cartilage. This joint cartilage functions as a protective tissue  allowing the joints to function as they should.  However, as we get older, this cartilage gets thinner. In some cases, osteoarthritis occurs.
 
GLUCOSAMINE BENEFITS - Arthritis
A dosage of 1.5 gram of glucosamine daily for 2-4 weeks is just as effective as low doses of NSAIDs in alleviating pain. Another study shows a great decrease in symptom severity after 4-6 weeks oral or intramuscular administration of glucosamine. Finally, injection of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, dextose and DMSO may help chronic intractable low back pain.
In patients with knee osteoarthritis, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug or glucosamine administration during a 12-week strength-training program did not improve muscle mass gain, but improved maximal muscle strength gain in comparison with treatment with placebo. However,Petersen SG and co-workers at University of Copenhagen wrote that they did not find that the benefits were large enough to justify taking NSAIDs or glucosamine.

Glucosamine chondroitin sulphate improved results of Achilles tendon healing in rats. This result might be due to decreased inflammation and stimulation of collagen synthesis.

Glucosamine Sulphate and Chondroitin Sulphate may also be beneficial on the healing of damaged and repaired articular cartilage. The suggestion is based on a study of 18 New Zealand white rabbits.  

Moderately arthritic dogs treated with type-II collagen showed a marked reduction in arthritic pain with maximum improvement by day 150. type-II collagen, glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulphate operate through different mechanisms of action, and were well tolerated over a period of 150 days.

Glucosamine benefit - immuno-modulationThe immune function of normal mice could be enhanced by glucosamine sulfate, including cellular immunity, humoral immunity and the activity of NK cell. 

Glucosamine chondroitin benefit - anti-cancer activities
Epidemiologic studies have reported inverse associations of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use and lung cancer risk. Brasky TM et al at The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, found that ever use of glucosamine and chondroitin, which have anti-inflammatory properties, were inversely associated with lung cancer risk.

Glucosamine has been reported to play a role in the regulation of apoptosis more than half century. Glucosamine enters the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) downstream of the rate-limiting step catalyzed by the GFAT (glutamine:fluctose-6-phosphate amidotransferase), providing UDP-GlcNAc substrates for O-linked b-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) protein modification. Liu BQ et al found glucosamine inhibited proteasomal activity and the proliferation of human ALVA41 prostate cancer cells. The inhibition of proteasomal activity results in the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, followed by induction of apoptosis. Glucosamine may inhibit growth of ALVA41 cancer cells through downregulation of PA28g and inhibition of proteasomal activity via O-GlcNAc modification. 

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Glucosamine Side EffectsGlucosamine side effects may include stomach upset, drowsiness, insomnia, headache, skin reactions, sun sensitivity, and nail toughening, and glucosamine side effects may further include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, vomiting, nausea, flatulence (gas), constipation, heartburn, and diarrhea. Temporary increased blood pressure and heart rate, as well as palpitations, may also be a manifest of the side effects. Glucosamine theoretically may also increase the risk for eye cataract formation. On the other hand, Anderson JW and his co-workers at University of Kentucky reviewed clinical trial data and they concluded that glucosamine is safe under current conditions and does not affect glucose metabolism. In fact, clinical studies of glucosamine have provided mixed evidence about the effect of exogenous  glucosamine on glucose metabolism in humans.  Most glucosamine is derived from shellfish. You may develop allergy as a glucosamine side effect for oral glucosamine supplementation, if you are allegic to shellfish.


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You may wonder why the title contains dogs, rabbits and rats. It is because most of the studies are done in dogs, rabbits and rats.