Socle Glucosamine
A Healthy Supplement for Joint Support
What is glucosamine?
Is glucosamine safe?
What is glucosamine used for?
What about chondroitin?
Warnings
Quick facts
What is glucosamine?
Glucosamine is a substance called an amino glucose found in almost all human tissues. It is essential for the formation and repair of cartilage. Glucosamine is extracted from crab, lobster, or shrimp shells and incorporated into supplements.
Is glucosamine safe?
Yes. There are no reported side effects or drug interactions. However, misleading commercials, companies tainting their products, and lack of quality control raises good reasons for concern. Studies have shown as much as 80% of over the counter supplements do not contain levels of ingredients listed on the label. Other studies have actually shown prescription medications illegally contained in the product. All of Socle’s products are guaranteed pure. Purchasing products from other companies does not provide this level of guarantee. Other companies also do not provide the level of education and evaluation of other medications and supplements a person is taking to reduce the chance of interactions and side effects.
What is glucosamine used for?
Osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease (DJD) leads to joint destruction and cartilage damage, which can lead to pain and disability. Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, Motrin, and Advil, are commonly used to treat DJD. However, these agents have potential for serious gastrointestinal side effects such as ulcers and bleeding. Glucosamine has been used in Europe for almost 30 years without any demonstrated side effects. Recent studies in the United States have also proven Glucosamine to be beneficial in this disease for pain relief. Other studies have shown that it can halt some of the progressive loss of joint cartilage.
What about chondroitin?
Socle is dedicated to bringing only clinically proven and safe supplements to patients and consumers. Chondroitin has failed to show benefit when evaluated in clinical studies. Although many products contain chondroitin and glucosamine, only the glucosamine component offers any benefit. The chondroitin is added by some companies to commercialize the product but does not provide any additional benefit. Chondroitin is extracted from the tracheas of animals or obtained from shark cartilage. This leads to inconsistencies in the quality and amount of chondroitin between different products. However, with Socle you get the same quality product every time. Chondroitin is similar in chemical structure to the prescription blood thinner heparin. Patients taking other prescription blood thinning medications such as aspirin, Coumadin, Pletal, Aggrenox, and Plavix should be aware of a potential interaction with chondroitin that can lead to bleeding. Chondroitin is also poorly absorbed in pill form.
Warnings
• Be sure that DJD is the cause of your joint pain. Tumors, stress fractures, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout are not helped by glucosamine. Only your doctor or qualified health care practitioner can diagnose and treat these disorders. Diagnosis and treatment cannot be made through mail orders or non-health care persons, such as store clerks. Don’t harm yourself by delaying appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
• Don’t stop prescription medications without consulting your doctor.
• Do not take glucosamine if you are pregnant since it has not been studied long enough to know if it is harmful to the developing fetus.
• Do not give up other proven pain management techniques. Exercise, maintain a healthy weight and proper nutrition.
Quick facts
• Glucosamine sulfate is the form used in Socle products. Other forms of glucosamine, such as glucosamine HCL or n-acetyl-glucosamine have not been proven to work.
• Other supplements that also contain chondroitin, MSM, or manganese are not proven to work as well as glucosamine sulfate. Adding these things are not necessary and can increase the risk of side effects and medication interactions without providing any further benefit.
• Some glucosamine supplements use sodium which can lead to fluid retention and edema. To eliminate this problem, Socle does not use sodium.
• Studies in the U.S. and Europe have proven glucosamine sulfate, like that in the Socle Brand, is beneficial in treating Degenerative Joint Disease.
• Some studies have shown that glucosamine sulfate can halt some of the progressive loss of joint cartilage, and in some studies has shown reversal of joint damage.
For more imformation on glucosamine check out Medline Plus.
