Health benefits of Glucosamine
The health benefits of glucosamine are evident to a lot of people suffering from joint pain brought on by arthritis, but scientists still know very little about how orally administered glucosamine is absorbed and used by the human body. More studies are needed before anyone can say anything for sure regarding true and alleged health benefits of glucosamine. The health benefits of glucosamine seem to be most striking in patients who suffer from mild to moderate pain brought on by osteoarthritis, and less evident in patients with seriously developed osteoarthritis that causes severe pain. It is therefore reasonable to believe that glucosamine can hamper the development of osteoarthritis when used during early or mid- stages of osteoarthritis.

Health benefits of Glucosamine: how strong are they?
The strength of the health benefits of glucosamine varies dramatically from person to person. In some osteoarthritis patients, the health benefits of glucosamin are so strong that they decide to refrain from using any other form of medication. In other patients, the best treatment is a combination of glucosamine supplements and traditional medication, such as anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). There is also a significant group of patients who notice now health benefits of glucosamine at all, or notice only insignificant benefits when they start using the supplement. Regardless of how strongly your feel the health benefits of glucosamine, it is always a bad idea to make any changes in your normal osteoarthritis therapy without seeing your doctor first.

Health benefits of Glucosamine: what is the recommended dosage?
The recommended glucosamine dosage is affected by several factors, including your weight, and it is therefore hard to give any general guidelines. It should also be noted that glucosamine is still far from thoroughly researched and more studies are needed before an exact recommended dose can be determined. During clinical trials carried out in the past, a daily dose of 1,500 mg of glucosamine have been very common, but higher as well as lower doses have also been used.

Health benefits of Glucosamine: different types of glucosamin
Most glucosamine supplements contain glucosamine sulfate or glucosamine hydrochloride. Many studies where health benefits of glucosamine have been indicated have used glucosamine sulfate, but it is important to keep in mind that glucosamine sulfate available for consumers can contain really high amounts of sodium. It is therefore advisable to check the sodium content of glucosamine supplements before you make a purchase. Some manufacturers fill their pills and capsules with up to 30% sodium, because sodium will stabilize glucosamine sulfate. High sodium levels can outweigh the health benefits of glucosamine, since a sodium rich diet have been linked to high blood pressure. If you decide to use a glucosamine supplement containing a high degree of sodium, you should ideally cut back on salty foods to balance your daily sodium intake.

Health benefits of glucosamin: the Reginster et al study
One highly interesting study of the alleged health benefits of glucosamine was carried out by Reginster et al and involved 212 patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee. This was a three year long randomized placebo-controlled study where one group of patients was given 1,500 mg of glucosamine per day. The patients in this group reported a higher degree of pain relief than the patients in the placebo group, and the difference between the two groups was large enough to be considered statistically significant. Reginster et al also showed how the joints of the patients in the glucosamine group had become 0.06 mm narrower, while the joints of the patients in the placebo group had only become 0.31 mm narrower.