Glucosamine sulfate is an amino sugar that occurs naturally in your body. Specifically, you can find glucosamine sulfate in the fluid around your joints. As a supplement, doctors commonly recommend glucosamine sulfate to treat the most common type of arthritis, called osteoarthritis. As with any type of supplement, you should speak with a medical professional prior to taking a glucosamine sulfate supplement.
Types of Glucosamine
Five types of glucosamine supplements are available; D-glucosamine hydrochloride, D-glucosamine sulphate 2Kcl, D-glucosamine sulphate NaCl, N-acetyl-glucosamine and Poly N-acetyl-glucosamine. Traditionally, manufacturers derived all glucosamine supplements from shellfish sources such as crab and shrimp. However, you can now find glucosamine supplements from vegetable sources. Glucosamine sulfate 2Kcl derives from shellfish sources. You should, therefore, avoid this type of glucosamine supplement if you have any known or suspected shellfish allergy.
Purity of Glucosamine
Since glucosamine sulfate 2Kcl derives from shellfish sources, manufacturers have to stabilize this type of glucosamine with a small percentage of potassium chloride. As a consequence, the actual percentage of glucosamine found in these supplements is approximately 95 percent, depending on the manufacturers. Further, this shellfish-derived glucosamine can, sometimes, contain hormones and other impurities. For this reason, many doctors do not recommend glucosamine sulfate 2Kcl and instead recommend glucosamine derived from vegetable sources.
Glucosamine Sulfate 2Kcl
Several manufacturers, including Nature's Best and Pharmas, produce glucosamine sulfate 2Kcl supplements. These manufacturers claim glucosamine sulfate 2Kcl supplements facilitate the smooth working of your joints. These manufacturers also add glucose and the amino acid glutamine to the glucosamine sulfate 2Kcl supplement to further benefit your bones, hair, tendons, skin, ligaments, nails, and cartilage. The manufacturers' recommended dosage for glucosamine sulfate 2Kcl is one to two tablets daily with a meal.
How Does it Work?
Your body uses glucosamine sulfate to produce other chemicals involved in building tendons, cartilage, ligaments and the fluid that surrounds joints. In individuals with osteoarthritis, the cartilage degenerates and becomes thin. This leads to joint friction, pain and stiffness. Glucosamine supplements help to support the synthesis of cartilage and fluid surrounding joints and help to prevent the breakdown of these substances.
References
- "Glucosamine Sulfate and Chondroitin Sulfate"; Dallas Clouatre; 1999
- "User's Guide to Glucosamine and Chondroitin"; Victoria Dolby Toews; 2002
- "Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements"; Paul M. Coates and et al; 2010
- "Essentials of Glycobiology"; Ajit Varki and et al; 2008
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