Just started taking glucosamine last week to help with bad shoulders and some more minor joint stuff. Read the old T-Nation threads on the subject, just wondering if anyone has had direct experience using glucosamine, and noticed much of a negative effect on body composition, as some studies seem to indicate.
Any feedback on what it did for your joints/cartilage would also be good to hear. I’m using glucosamine sulfate, 1500 mg per day.
I have been taking Glucosamine and have never had a problem of any kind relative to what you are speaking of. I have only had postive joint enhancement.
Of course this is only my experience, others may have something different to add.
It’s helped my shoulders 100%. No noticeable effects on body composition.
I’ve seen only one study examining this issue (in diabetics) and showing no fat gain or significantly worsened glucose intolerance. There may be compensatory metabolic mechanisms keeping noticeable fat gain from happening (?)
I myself have much less morning stiffness after adding 1 - and more recently 2 - wholesale club glucosamine-chondroitin caps daily (standard dose of about 1.2-1.5g daily at two caps). I can’t say that I’m any fatter but I have not measured. I’ve spoken to or heard from a number of physicians who see only benefits in about a third of patients (and basically nothing in the remainder).
Still, we need to stay tuned to new research as it comes out, eh?
I had trouble with my finger and wrist joints for 35 years. Started taking glucosamine/chondroitin/msm about 2.5 years ago and I have not had any problems or pain in the past 1.5 years at least. Of course I also take flax oil, salmon oil and olive oil daily, and been working out and eating clean for 2.5 years as well. Something’s doing the trick anyway.
Yeah, I’ve been taking in for flax and olive oil lately too, mostly for the healthy fat, but the joint health effects are a welcome plus.