The Dangers of Glucosamine and Chondroitin & What You Should Be Taking Instead for Joint Health

Glucosamine and chondroitin are both found naturally in cartilage. Glucosamine is a sugar that helps your body make cartilage while chondroitin helps to maintain flexibility. Their presence in joint tissues has led to the inclusion of them in joint health supplements to be used as an alternative treatment for joint pain. But are these the best ingredients for joint health support or are they causing more harm than good?

Taking Care of Your Joints

Cartilage is the smooth elastic material which provides cushioning and shock absorption for your joints while the synovium, a thin membrane within the joint, produces synovial fluid to keep cartilage healthy. However, cartilage naturally deteriorates as the body ages and as it wears down, the synovial membrane can thicken.

The combination of inadequate lubrication from synovial fluid and cartilage deterioration may cause the bones in your joints to begin to rub together. This causes pain and swelling. The older you get, the more common it is to feel achiness, pain, and stiffness in your joints and the risk of degenerative joint diseases increases. You can support proper joint function with regular supplemental care and many people turn to glucosamine and chondroitin to achieve this.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Are glucosamine and chondroitin beneficial for joint pain? Both supplements provide protection for specialized cells known as chondrocytes, which help to maintain the structure of cartilage. Taking these supplements may slow the deterioration of cartilage, which can reduce long-term pain and the risk of falls. Unfortunately, there are unpleasant side effects associated with both of these ingredients.

The most common side effects include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Upset stomach

The side effects arise when supplementing substances that are naturally found in the body. The effects of these supplements…