Anyone ever use glucosamine?

[gman]

I have been told by a couple people in class that glucosamine helps prevent or heal sore joints. Does anyone have any good or bad stories? I'm not real big on taking any medication or supplements either. Thanks.

 

[Cruentus]

yup...I agree that it is good stuff, although it takes about 1-2 months to really see the effects

 

[Posiview]

I have very weak wrists and arthritis runs in my family, so I started taking glucosamine about 12 months ago. It seemed to work and my pain decreased. I stopped taking it about 3 weeks' ago and have to say I feel just the same.

It may be due to the fact that there is some residual glucosamine in my system. I read somewhere, however, that if you stop taking glucosamine for even a short period of time the pain will rteturn very fast.

Just my opinion.

 

[Kroy]

Yeah you have to take it on a regular basis but it worked great for my knee.

 

[ABN]

My mother has Lupus, some of the side effects are DJD and rheumatoid arthritis. After suffering with these ailments for 10 plus years She started taking the glucosamine and has experienced dramatic improvement in joint function and mobility. While she's nowhere near 100%, her improvement has greatly impressed her doctors.

andy

 

[pknox]

I've taken it before, and it does help. It seems to do best when combined with Chondroitin. The addition of MSM helps some people, and has no effect on others. It does take a long time to see it's effects, as was stated.

Posiview - my guess is that you may notice the return of the pain gradually after your body releases its stores; or, it is possible that your tendons and ligaments have been strengthened by exercise, as opposed to solely the Glucosamine - if that is the case, the pain may never come back, regardless of whether you take Glucosamine. That's one of the real benefits - you can take the Glucosamine to get you through the "tough spots", allowing your connective tissues to catch up to your muscles.

I do believe that it is best to take it as a preventative, as opposed to waiting until a problem arises. If I had it to do over again, I would have taken it for a few months before starting training.

One drawback, though -- like most sports supplements, it can be relatively expensive.

 

[J-kid]

I also use it. Its max strength and has some other thing in it as well it cost my dad 40 bucks its for him but i use it as well. I use what ever advantege i can get. One thing i do notice when i stop cold turkey my joints all start popping and crap for a day or two. But it helps when people put subs on my joints and stuff.

 

[Richard S.]

im missing a third if the cartilage in my R knee, and i take gluco/chrondo on a regular basis and it helps BIG time also see my post on MSM.......good luck and respects.

 

[hardheadjarhead]

One of the best orthopedic surgeons I know in the state of Indiana recommended it...plus many, many older people who swear by it.

Argumentum ad vecundiam and ad populum, to be sure. But still...




Steve

 

[Stick Dummy]

I take it - Gluco/Chrond tabs - everyday and have seen a BIG reduction in joint pain, especially the hands. This really holds true if we are doing hand/stick sparring and you get wacked a few times..........

A couple Advil before working out at FMA/IMA, and taking the time to cool down after class and stretch also helps this geezer out.

Everone is different, I noticed a MAJOR reduction in cold weather hand pain within a couple hours of first taking the Glucosamine/Chondroitin, and a feeling of joint lubrication within two days.

Make sure you buy the good stuff - READ THE LABEL - and that it is not cut with something like alfalfa. A friend got kinda sick by buying the wrong stuff and having an allergic reaction to it.

 

[progressivetactics]

I Have a slightly different answer then everyone else..although my review is also good, i found that I bought the cheap stuff first, and it wasn't the chondritin, just Gloc. I was suprised within 2 weeks I was feeling shoulder and knee pain reduced almost to nil. The knee pain was repetitive locking and snapping, the shoulder is heavy lifting strain...so 2 differnt types of aches, both improved in a short period of time.
I also heard/read that you need to take it forever. I hate taking anything, including advil...so i was quick to see if it was temp pain relief, or what. I found after about 2 months, and feeling great, i stopped for 2 weeks and still felt fine....i continued without for about 1 more month, and noticed 1 day of aches. I waited about 3 more weeks, then started to get some soreness again.

I started back with only taking it on "push" days at the gym (3 days a week). I stayed on that for about 1 year with no aches and pains in knees or shoulders. I have been off since June and only had 1 day where it was aching. (ps..this time it is the chondritin/glocousimin).

I agree with everyone that it works..I just think you can experiment with cheap up to expensive stuff, and find out regularity of your needs....I Highly recommend everyone that thinks it might help, to try it.

wish you luck!

bb

 

[Quick Sand]

Has anybody experienced any side effects from it at all?