Chondromalacia Patella and Glucosamine / Chondroitin - Page 2 - Health + Injury

skidster

19/12/2005 at 22:30

yes, the body produces glucosamine naturally - but not equally for all and in reduced quantity as one ages... it will absolutely benefit the non-body joints (wrists, elbows, knees, ankles)

as for the prices, look around the net: i've just ordered glucosamine (with no extra vitamins or additives) 1500mg tablets - with a one-year supply for £18 (yes, £18, less than a months supply and h&b et al)

Lodger

19/12/2005 at 23:04

Roxy - try upping your dose. I doubled my 1500mg/day to , to 3000mg/day. I had no (or very little) improvement until I increased the dose. I buy the cheap crappy ones from Holland & Barrett and I don't think they are good quality. Which is why the higher dose works?

need for speed

20/12/2005 at 08:41

i've thought taking about 2 x 1500 a day, but didn't know if that is an overdose or just wasting money? I would have thought zip-vit would advise 2 a day, not 1, if there was a benefit as they would also make more dosh?

Testa12

20/12/2005 at 08:42

I guess it is like taking vitamins, they are already there in the body but by taking supplements you help to ensure that reserves are there.

Skidster, would you mind posting where you got that £18 deal from?

skidster

20/12/2005 at 09:51

my mistake -- it was not £18 ot was £16.50!!! www.purelyhealthdirect.co.uk - item 5058, Glucosamine Sulphate 1500mg Ultra Platinum Strength (single tablet).

As for 'cheaper' products, it is not that... as long as you've no great intolerances allergy-wise these generics are better. Think about it: i just bought 16 ibuprofen 200mg tabs for 39p (and that was at Waitrose: Tesco has them for 24p!) and in comparison the Nurofen are almost £2!!! Why? Packaging, advertising, shelf-space, and, more often than not, additives.

Most glucosamine out there is packaged with MSM or Chondroitin or multi-vitamins which, for ME, are not required or desired: i eat very well, usually, loads of fruit and veg, plenty of fish, etc so don't feel a need for most of those things

as for 3000mg a day of Glucosamine, well, I doubt it... my osteo says 1500mg a day and i am at the moment in injury recovery mode (please, all at once: Poor Daniel - hasn't run in 10 days and is slowly preparing to explode!)

I don't think the body can deal with / process that much (sort of like vitamin C: much more than 500mg daily comes out in your urine) so more than 1500mg is likely a waste (and may be bad for you, but I don't know that for certain).

Lodger

20/12/2005 at 17:01

Skidster. I see completely where you are coming from re my dose of 3000mg being too high, and a waste of money. I think I'd give the same advice to someone had I not had the definite improvement when I doubled the dose. It also has to do with absorption doesn't it? Perhaps my body absorbs poorly? Perhaps I am generally less healthy than you and don't have the basic nutrients spare in my bloodstream to process glucosamine?

My own feeling re generic products compared with the more expensive ones, is that tablets are cheaper than capsules because they use cheap fillers to glue them together. This glueing-them-together means they are more difficult to absorb.

Of course I can't debate your point re advertising etc contributing to the higher price of the non-generics. I completely agree. But I also think that they have less fillers, and easier to absorb fillers. And these better fillers are more expensive.

skidster

20/12/2005 at 21:13

i am not a doctor, nor do i play one on tv... but double dosing sounds a lot, esp. when we are talking 1500mg

Regarding filler, etc. cheaper does not necessarily follow as less good - but it would be nice if Roxybird could ask the biochemist brother if he would be so kind as to let us know - he would certainly know better than i!

Testa12

20/12/2005 at 21:30

i find the notion of upping the dose quite amusing, infact it's something I would be tempted to try myself. Sorta like going for a double shot of whiskey ;-)

However, it does state on the bottle "do not exceed stated dose" and I feel those recommendations are there for a reason.

It doesn't mean to say it will do you harm, but that may not be the case for everyone. The 1500mg must be a sensible guideline.

Lodger

20/12/2005 at 21:36

Yep, you are both right. So - don't do this at home folks.

I'm going to stick with 3000mg, cos it works for me, whereas 1500mg doesn't. But you are quite right that I shouldn't recommend it to other folk.

So everyone please ignore my double-dosing advice. Though, of course, you may listen to my other pearls of wisdom ;-)

skidster

20/12/2005 at 22:24

maybe try 2000mg for a fortnight and see if that still does it...

and lets see what the biochemist has to say?

kev67

21/12/2005 at 13:46

I've started taking glucosamine & chondroitin capsules for a couple of months and they seem to have helped my knee problems (though I've now got a twinge after yesterday's plod). It may also have been the ITB stretches, I suppose.

I have been taking Devil's Claw as well. I agree they don't seem to do much, except I suspect they make my lips a bit sore if I take too much. They're supposed to have an anti-inflammatory effect, so I'll take them till the bottle runs out.

Dave0520

21/12/2005 at 14:13

Whats Devil's Claw? I've seen it listed but without any explanation. cheers.

Lodger

21/12/2005 at 15:09

Dave. Devil's Claw is recommended (often enthusiastically) by arthritis sufferers. So it is the anti-inflammatory action which is of interest to us PFP syndrome folk.

It is most often found in topical gels. But people do take it as a supplement too. Like Kev2 I bought a bottle, and will continue until it is finished, but I won't buy another bottle.

Dave0520

21/12/2005 at 15:31

thanks. I'll look into it. all the best.

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