Glucosamine is an amino sugar that is naturally utilized by the body to synthesize glucosaminoglycan, a much-needed ingredient used as a building block for the formation of cartilage, the material that attaches muscles to bones. According to a study published in September 2010 by the "British Medical Journal," for the past 10 years, the use of glucosamine has been increasingly popular among general practitioners and rheumatologists. This popularity resulted in a 60 percent increase in the total sales of glucosamine supplement, a phenomenal success for most glucosamine manufacturers since 2003.
Gastrointestinal Side Effects
As mentioned in a study published in the "Annals if Internal Medicine" in February 2008, roughly around 50 percent of patients taking glucosamine sulfate suffer from some adverse effects and side effects related to this supplement. In a study published by the journal "Archives of Internal Medicine" in October 2002, it was mentioned that gastrointestinal side effects are one of the most frequently encountered side effects noted among glucosamine supplement users. The gastrointestinal side effects may include transient abdominal pain and discomfort, dyspepsia or stomach hyperacidity, and bouts of nausea. Infrequently, the use of this supplement can also cause watery diarrhea and inflammation of the gallbladder, according to the journal.
Knee Pain and Back Pain
Based on the aforementioned study published by the "Archives of Internal Medicine," another frequent side effect of glucosamine supplement intake is the development of musculoskeletal problems. These may include arthritis symptoms such as knee pain and back pain. According to a study published by the "Nutrition Journal" in February 2008, these musculoskeletal problems occurred in 35 percent of people in the test and these usually resolved spontaneously.
Heart Side Effects
In the "Archives of Internal Medicine" study, it was noted that cardiovascular reactions can happen in patients using glucosamine supplements. These may include episodes of hypertension, recurrent manifestations of preexisting chest pains in the elderly population, and stroke. Thus, it recommended that glucosamine supplement intake should be withdrawn in patients with a previous history of hypertension and chest pains.
Hypersensitivity Reactions
Glucosamine supplement use can sometimes lead to the development of hypersensitivity reactions, according to the "Archives of Internal Medicine" article. These may include rash formation, pruritus and eczema, a form of severe skin allergy. Thus, care must be observed in patients with a history of hypersensitivity reaction to avoid this problem.
References
- "British Medical Journal"; Effects of glucosamine, chondroitin, or placebo in patients with osteoarthritis of hip or knee: network meta-analysis; Wandel, S. et al; September 2010
- "Annals of Internal Medicine"; Effect of Glucosamine Sulfate on Hip Osteoarthritis; Rozendaal, R.M. et al.; February 2008
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; Glucosamine Sulfate Use and Delay of Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis; Pavelka, K. et al.; October 2002
- "Nutrition Journal"; A natural mineral supplement provides relief from knee osteoarthritis symptoms: a
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