According to the Arthritis Foundation, osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, affects millions of Americans. In this chronic joint condition, cartilage deteriorates. In healthy joints, cartilage covers the end of each bone cushioning the bone and providing a smooth surface for joint motion. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage breaks down over time causing a range of unfavorable symptoms such as:
- Joint pain – especially after repetitive movement which often worsens later in the day
- Stiffness – especially first thing in the morning or after periods of inactivity
- Creaking or grating
- Tenderness and swelling
- Bone spurs
Why use Glucosamine for Joint Health?
Glucosamine helps build cartilage. Unlike other nutrients, it is not obtained directly from food but instead is manufactured naturally within the body. Due to extensive research regarding osteoarthritis, using glucosamine for joint health makes it one of the most popular supplements on the market.
As is the case with Cooper Complete Joint Health, glucosamine is commonly found in conjunction with chondroitin as some believe combining the two is more effective. Overall, glucosamine appears to reduce pain and improve function for osteoarthritis sufferers. While research is still unfolding, scientists believe there may be many reasons for the positive impact glucosamine has, such as:
- Slows cartilage corrosion and joint damage
- Repairs existing damage
- Lubricates joints
- Helps cartilage retain water
Why Glucosamine Sulfate?
There are three forms of glucosamine available:
- Glucosamine sulfate
- Glucosamine hydrochloride
- N-acetyl glucosamine
There is some dissension in the science community over which form of glucosamine is best. One study shows evidence that the hydrochloride and sulfate forms are equally effective; however, the vast majority of research has been done on glucosamine sulfate.
Furthermore, some researchers believe the sulfate included in glucosamine sulfate is an important component as sulfate is needed by the body to produce cartilage. Glucosamine sulfate has been shown to significantly decrease pain scores (by about 28 to 41 percent) and improve functionality by 21 to 46 percent.
Multiple studies have shown glucosamine sulfate is comparable to anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. Glucosamine sulfate may take longer to start working than ibuprofen and similar medications, but it appears to have sustained effects once it is incorporated into the system.
The Cooper Complete team of researchers and physicians recently reviewed the Joint Health formula and decided to use glucosamine sulfate moving forward. A high level of care and expertise goes into each Cooper Complete formulation. The body of scientific research is ever expanding and Cooper Complete will continue to refine our products based on the latest research and findings.
Recommendations for Taking Cooper Complete Joint Health
- If starting Joint Health for the first time, take the product for at least two months before evaluating the results. It takes some time to know whether or not it will relieve your symptoms.
- Approximately 70 percent of those bothered by osteoarthritis find glucosamine and chondroitin supplements such as Joint Health provide relief with joint issues.
- While Joint Health was originally developed for those who suffer from osteoarthritis, Cooper Complete customers regularly report that taking Joint Health helped relieve other repetitive motion pain such as tennis elbow. If you struggle with aches and pains not associated with osteoarthritis, you may still consider trying Joint Health.
- Joint Health has not been associated with significant side effects. Do not take Joint Health if you are allergic to shellfish.
- If you have tried Cooper Complete Joint Health in the past and found it did not relieve your symptoms, it may be worth another try to see if the new formula with glucosamine sulfate has better effects on your joint pain.
- Always consult your physician before adding a new supplement to your routine.
With osteoarthritis, lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight, increased physical activity, and incorporating stretching may make a significant difference in managing symptoms. Supplementation has also been proven to be beneficial.
Many of us suffer from chronic joint pain. What you may not know is that there are some natural remedies for stiff, aching, or inflamed joints.
The health of our joints impacts our quality of life and determines how active we can be as we age. Degeneration and inflammation of the joints (arthritis) is America’s number one crippling disease, affecting approximately one in three American adults, and is the leading cause of disability among persons over age 15. Luckily, research has shown that arthritis and joint degeneration can be safely and effectively addressed using natural healing methods.
In fact, many nutrients have been found to provide significant relief of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis pain and stiffness without the potential side effects of over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications. We will take a look at a few compounds that have been proven effective in clinical trials to help alleviate joint pain and often times, help repair degeneration in joints.
Glucosamine Sulfate
One of the most studied compounds for joint health is glucosamine sulfate. Glucosamine is a naturally occurring substance in the body, synthesized by special cells in the body (called chondrocytes) for the purpose of producing joint cartilage. When the joints degrade (as in osteoarthritis or after injury), this synthesis is often defective, so supplying the body with additional glucosamine through supplementation can provide the body the nutrients it needs to rebuild and repair the joint.
In addition, glucosamine sulfate has been shown to relieve most symptoms as effectively as the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, naproxen, Aleve, and aspirin. In one well-designed study of 178 patients with OA of the knee, one group was treated for 4 weeks with glucosamine sulfate (1500 mg daily).
And the other group was treated with ibuprofen (1200 mg daily). Glucosamine relieved the symptoms as effectively as ibuprofen and was tolerated significantly better (i.e., fewer side effects) than ibuprofen. The safety and tolerability of glucosamine can easily be explained by the fact that it is a substance normally used by the body.
As with most natural remedies, the therapeutic effect of glucosamine is not immediate. It usually takes 1-8 weeks to appear. Once achieved, it tends to persist for a notable time even after discontinuing glucosamine supplementation. The probable reason for this is that glucosamine is incorporated into rebuilding the cartilage itself. In most studies, the dose has been 500 mg three times daily.
Chondroitin Sulfate
Chondroitin sulfate is a major component of cartilage. It is a very large molecule, composed of repeated units of glucosamine sulfate. Although the absorption of chondroitin sulfate is much lower than that of glucosamine (10-15% versus 90-98%), a few studies have shown very good results from long-term treatment with chondroitin sulfate, reducing pain and increasing range of motion.
Chondroitin sulfate has an excellent safety record, with no known toxicity. In repeated clinical studies, oral chondroitin sulfate (1200 mg/day) was consistently effective in reducing OA symptoms and was very well tolerated (no side effects). In most studies, the dose has been 400 mg three times daily.
Studies indicate that glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate work synergistically to provide a greater benefit combined than either does separately. Glucosamine has been shown to increase the production of beneficial joint compounds and chondroitin sulfate has demonstrated the ability to inhibit joint deterioration. Thus, used together they have shown a marked ability to improve joint health.
Purity and Labeling of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate Products
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are both obtained from animal tissue sources, and purity can vary widely depending upon the extraction techniques and analysis technology. The studies of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate referenced in this article were all conducted using carefully assayed, purified compounds. The purity of the compounds used can certainly be expected to effect the outcome.
Furthermore, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are considered dietary supplements, and are therefore not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Although many brands of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine are available over the counter, independent laboratory analysis has shown that many products do not actually contain the amounts claimed on the label.
For instance, in a recently published study done at the Pharmacy School at the University of Maryland, 32 bottles of chondroitin sulfate were purchased at pharmacies and health food stores. Only 2 of the products met label claims while 14 of the 32 bottles purchased contained 10% or less of the label claim. What were the buyer’s chances of getting a good product when only 2 of 32 products met their label claim?