Glucosamine

Brand Names

Glucosamine

What is Glucosamine

Glucosamine is a dietary supplement that beneficial in the treatment of arthritis. It is derived from the shells of shrimp, crabs and lobsters. Glucosamine can be used alone or in combination with chondroitin, another dietary supplement.

Side effects of Glucosamine

Glucosamine side effects may include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Heartburn
• Drowsiness
• Headaches
• High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) in people with diabetes
• A rash or hives
• Itching
• Swelling of the lips, mouth or throat
• Wheezing or difficulty breathing

Indication

Glucosamine is used for treating arthritis (osteoarthritis).

Precautions

It is very important to tell your doctor if you have:

• allergic reactions to Glucosamine or shellfish (e.g., shrimp, crab)
• diabetes
• asthma
• alcohol dependence
• liver disease
• are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or breastfeeding

Dosage forms

Adults (18 years and older)

In most available studies, 500 milligrams of glucosamine sulfate has been taken by mouth as tablets or capsules three times daily for 30 to 90 days. Once daily dosing as 1.5 grams (1,500 milligrams) has also been used. Limited research has used 1,500 milligrams daily as a crystalline powder for oral solution or 500 milligrams of glucosamine hydrochloride three times daily. Dosing of 20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight daily has also been recommended in some publications. One study used a dose of 2,000 milligrams per day for 12 weeks.

Another kind of glucosamine that has been used is a topical form in combination with chondroitin for a four-week period. Safety and effectiveness of these formulations are not clearly proven.

Glucosamine hydrochloride provides more glucosamine than glucosamine sulfate, although this difference likely does not matter when products are prepared to provide a total of 500 milligrams of glucosamine per tablet.

Children (younger than 18 years)

There is not enough scientific evidence to recommend the use of glucosamine in children.

Research in children has shown that there could be a relationship between the ingestion of MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) and autism; whether it is beneficial or harmful is unclear. MSM is often marketed with glucosamine as a dietary supplement and at this time should be avoided in children.