Over 60 million people in the United States suffer from some form of arthritis. This painful, hard-to-treat condition does not just affect the older population; hundreds of thousands of children and young adults suffer from it as well. While there are a variety of therapeutic treatments to combat arthritis, you can impede its progress at the source – within the declining tissues of joints – with glucosamine supplements.

Hands with ArthritisTwo Types of Arthritis

There are two major types of arthritis – osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis; both describe problems within joint tissues.

  • Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage tissues that surround joints break down, leaving no protective barrier between the bones, so they rub against each other. The result is stiffness, loss of joint movement, and pain.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when autoimmune systems in the body mistakenly attack joints, causing inflammation and swelling. As in osteoarthritis, there is pain and stiffness. In addition, the inflammation itself eventually damages the joints.

How Supplements Can Help

Joints are constructed of cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. Cartilage is the tissue that creates a flexible cushion between bones, allowing joints to operate smoothly. Unfortunately, it is the cartilage that suffers the most damage from arthritic conditions, and this is where glucosamine comes in.

Since glucosamine is one of the major building blocks of connective tissues; the body uses it to create, rebuild, and repair cartilage. By increasing your intake of glucosamine, you could:

  • Facilitate healing of arthritic joints
  • Reduce swelling and inflammation
  • Improve the function and range of motion of joints
  • Reduce joint pain and stiffness

How to Supplement

When choosing a glucosamine supplement, make sure it is pure and all-natural. If the compound is combined with unnatural chemicals or preservatives, it can lose its effectiveness. It is recommended that you start with 1,100 mg of glucosamine hydrocloride per day, gradually going up to a daily supplementation of as much as 3,300 mg (about 3 grams).

If you are taking glucosamine supplements to combat symptoms of arthritis, we suggest you try combining them with an all-natural MSM supplement. Methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM) is used in tandem with glucosamine by the body to build joint tissues. Since MSM also helps to relieve pain and inflammation, the two supplements work well together to treat arthritic conditions.

Both MSM and glucosamine supplements may be found in the Living Clean store, or you can read more about all-natural remedies:

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