Natural Glucosamine Sources
Glucosamine is one of the most common compounds found in nature. While glucosamine's effect on the human body is not fully understood, it is very popular as a nutritional supplement due to its remarkable ability to inhibit joint-deteriorating enzymes. In nature, glucosamine is created as a monosaccharide in the cell walls of fungi and plants. Arthropods, including shellfish and insects, also produce natural glucosamine; it is an integral component of their protective exoskeletons. Most commercial glucosamine formulas are created using the exoskeleton by-products of the shellfish industry.
Isolation and Production
The fibrous tissues that form arthropods' exoskeletons break down into simple sugars, including glucosamine, during digestion. Supplement manufacturers mimic this process by hydrolyzing shellfish exoskeletons to isolate glucosamine products. Minimally processed glucosamine formulas provide the sulfate and forte forms of the product, but fully hydrolyzed products contain the hydrochloride ("pure") form of glucosamine. The National Institutes of Health notes that the differences are probably unimportant if the products all provide a total of 500 mg per dose.
Supplement Preparation
Manufacturers typically prepare glucosamine in the form of an ingestible tablet or capsule; some brands also make specialized ointments and creams. The most commonly available glucosamine supplements contain glucosamine sulfate or hydrochloride alongside other compounds and nutrients. At least one NIH-sponsored animal test, reviewed in the journal American Family Physician, suggested that chondroitin enhances glucosamine's anti-inflammatory action. It may also be combined with SAMe, hyaluronic acid, calcium, vitamin C, MSM and other alternative arthritis remedies.
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