In message <[log in to unmask]>, Robert
Herman <[log in to unmask]> writes
>just curious if there has been any research into the digestion of
>glucosamine and it's absorption into the body. since it is a
>sugar/polysaccharide would the digestive process break up the molecules into
>non-glucosamine constituants?
>
>the articles now are looking at improved pain and such but are using iv
>glucosamine which is highly impractical with most of the population
>
>just a thought
>
>my experience is that glucosamine may help settle some of the inflamatory
>effects but in general does not change any of the degenerative changes.
>
>any other opinions?
>
Well Rob,
Three points I can think of:
1) Yup, people did argue that as Glucosamine is quite a large molecule
it seemed unlikely to penetrate the gut and target specific joints.
However, if double blind placebo controlled trials show that it does
make a difference I suppose it must be getting into the system somehow.
As to it's fate being broken-up into non-Glucosamine constituents I am
no biochemist..haven't a clue.
2) Yup, IV Glucosamine is obviously impractical but the Israeli study
quotes by Netta Harries is the only one I have read about using IV
Glucosamine though I don't doubt there are others. All the trials I have
read use oral sources available now at your local health food store.
(Maybe IV sources were used if the researchers thought as you did that
the digestive process would interfere with absorption?)
3) The research quoted published in American Journal of Rheumatology
(March 2000) does suggest in a placebo controlled randomised trial over
three years that people on Glucosamine had NO joint space narrowing
whilst those on placebo did so it seems that, by this indicator, the
underlying disease process is actually affected.
Any more thoughts?
--
John Spencer
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