Glucosamine is an amino sugar that is an important precursor for glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which are major components of joint cartilage. GAGs are long chain carbohydrates in each of our cells that help build bone, cartilage, corneas and skin. Glucosamine as a dietary supplement contains nutritional factors readily absorbed by the body in the gastrointestinal tract and used to produce what is needed by abused and over worked joints. Aids in the production of cartilage replacement components and in the resupply of joint fluids, may also as a nutritional supplement relieve pain, swelling and tension. •
Glucosamine is needed to form glycosaminoglycan (formerly called mucopolysaccharides) and hyaluronic acid molecules which are the main constituents of joint cartilage. Glucosamine sulfate may help protect joint cartilage by limiting the breakdown and helping to build up levels of cartilage. Glucosamine has been shown to stimulate chondrocytes (cartilage cells) to support cartilage and collagen. Glucosamine enters the joint space and is incorporated into proteoglycans, which are cells that form large structures and attract water to the joint space for lubrication of cartilage during movement.
Glucosamine - Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a repeating disaccharide unit in the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) polymer. One of the sugars in this disaccharide is N-acetylgalactosamine with sulfate groups at the 4 and/or 6 position of the hexose ring. Maturation and ageing causes a shift from 4- to 6-sulfation and a high degree of 4,6-disulfation at the GAG terminal residues, which is much decreased in degenerated cartilage. Apparently, the hypermetabolic chondrocytes in degenerating discs have insufficient capacity to make functional full-size proteoglycans with the correct sulfation for sufficient water retention. Glucosamine may boost GAG synthesis.
In Studies: Hyaluronan is a polymer of disaccharides themselves composed of D-glucuronic acid and
History: Hyaluronic acid (HA) was discovered by Meyer and Palmer in 1934. The chemical structure of hyaluronan was determined in the 1950s in the laboratory of Karl Meyer.
Technicals: Glucosamine (C6H14NO5) is an amino sugar that is an important precursor in the biochemical synthesis of glycosylated proteins and lipids. Glucosamine is a natural substance in the body, synthesized in the chondrocytes. The body uses supplemented glucosamine to synthesize the proteoglycans and the water-binding glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the cartilage matrix. The presence of glucosamine also seems to stimulate the chondrocytes in their production of these substances. Glucosamine inhibits certain enzymes, which destroy the cartilage, e.g. collagenase and phospholipase. By blocking pathogenic mechanisms that lead to articular degeneration, glucosamine delays the progression of the disease and relieves symptoms even for weeks after termination of the treatment. Glucosamine contains an amino group that is positively charged.
Hyaluronic acid Hyaluronic acid is a linear polysaccharide in the glycosamino glycan family. Hyaluronic acid is composed of repeating disaccharide (sugar) units of N-acetyl-glucosamine and D-glucoronic acid. Unlike other glycosamino glycans like condroitin or condroitin sulfate it has no covalent bonds to a protein or sulfate and has low anti-genicity (the body does not mount an immune response against it).
D-N-acetylglucosamine, linked together via alternating β-1,4 and β-1,3 glycosidic bonds. Hyaluronan can be 25,000 disaccharide repeats in length. Polymers of hyaluronan can range in size from 5,000 to 20,000,000 Da in vivo. The average molecular weight in human synovial fluid is 3−4 million Da and hyaluronan purified from human umbilical cord is 3,140,000 Da.
Hyaluronan is energetically stable partly because of the stereochemistry of its component disaccharides. Bulky groups on each sugar molecule are in sterically favored positions while the smaller hydrogens assume the less favorable axial positions. testing
Sources: Chondroitin sulfate is composed of repeated units of glucosamine sulfate. Glucosamine is not present in significant amounts in most diets. Supplemental sources are derived from the shells of shrimp, lobster, and crab, or may be synthesized.
Glucosamine is an important building block needed by the body to manufacture specialized molecules called glycosaminoglycans, found in cartilage.
Signs or Symptoms of a Deficiency: Lower back pain, Intervertebral Disc Problems, symptomatic disc degeneration
Excess maybe seen in: Limited to mild reversible gastrointestinal side effects
Recommended Use: Healthy people do not need to routinely supplement with glucosamine. Most research with people who have osteoarthritis, uses 500 mg three times per day of GS. Appropriate amounts for other conditions are not known.
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