Glucosamine when combined with chondroitin helps relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis. This article provides useful information on its dosage.
Glucosamine and chondroitin are the building blocks of cartilage and connecting tissues. While the former is an amino sugar that enhances the production of certain proteins and lipids in the body, the latter is a naturally-occurring nutrient that is present in the bodies of all mammals. These are used to treat several diseases, especially arthritis. Methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM), another natural compound, helps these two compounds in fulfilling various essential body functions. It helps in maintaining the hormonal balance and controls the activity of enzymes in the body. The use of dietary supplements or combination tablets of the aforementioned compounds is recommended for people affected by osteoarthritis.
Benefits of This Supplement
- It helps relieve chronic joint pain and swelling within the joint.
- It increases the articular cartilage depth on load bearing surfaces.
- It is useful in the treatment of glaucoma, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, anemia, and heart diseases.
- Along with improving the flexibility of joints, it also promotes weight loss.
- It improves the viscosity of synovial (lubricating) fluid by increasing the production of hyaluronic acid, which is a component of the synovial fluid.
Recommended Dosage
The maximum recommended dose of glucosamine is 1500 mg per day. It can be taken as a single dose or can be taken as 500 mg thrice a day. Many of these manufactured supplements contain vitamin C and the consumers are advised to check the quantity of vitamin C as the excessive intake of vitamin C can lead to quite a few side effects. The general recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C is 60 mg. The recommended dose of chondroitin sulfate is 1200 milligrams. The dose can be equally divided and taken at regular intervals.
Gathered data shows that patients administered with oral methyl sulfonyl methane as part of a treatment have shown no toxic build-up, even after years of ingesting more than 2,000 mg of MSM each day. It is believed that the body uses what it requires and flushes out the rest within 12 hours. Usually 1-3 g of MSM is prescribed, with 2 g being the most commonly prescribed dosage.
The dose may vary from person to person. To calculate the dosage by weight, 10 mg of glucosamine sulfate per pound of body weight is daily divided into three doses. This is the most common way of prescribing it. For example, if a person weighs 200 pounds, the dosage of 666 mg glucosamine (2000 mg divided by 3) three times a day will be recommended.
An increased dose might be recommended for severe conditions. Patients need to inform the doctor about the routine medications so that the doctor might change the treatment or advise the dosage accordingly. Children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers should not these supplements.
To avoid the side effects, the consumers should strictly follow the instructions regarding their dosage. They should read the labels carefully, as the ingredients and their proportion may vary from brand to brand. These supplements should be strictly taken under the guidance of a physician only.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.
