Glucosamine Sulfate

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: natural remedy

Scientific and common names: 2-amino-2-deoxyglucose hydrochloride, glucosamine, glucosamine sulphate, glucosamine HCl, glucosamine KCl, glucosamine biphosphate

What is glucosamine?

Glucosamine sulfate is a chemical found in the fluid around joints. Your body needs this chemical to make tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and joint (synovial) fluid. It can be made from either bovine cartilage or the hard outer shells of shrimp, lobsters, and crabs.

What is it used for?

Glucosamine has been used to:

• Help repair cartilage (tissue that acts as a cushion) in joints.
• Relieve pain and inflammation in joints.
• Treat osteoarthritis.
• Treat glaucoma.

Some athletes use this remedy to prevent muscle damage, relieve tendonitis, and repair damaged cartilage.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve uses for natural remedies. The FDA does not inspect or regulate natural remedies the way they do prescription medicines.

How is glucosamine taken?

This remedy comes in the form tablets and capsules that you can swallow, or as creams that can be put on the skin. Glucosamine and chondroitin may be in the same product. Follow the directions printed on the product label or given by your healthcare provider.

It may take several weeks to see results from this remedy.

What if I overdose?

Symptoms of an acute overdose have not been reported.

What should I watch out for?

This remedy may raise blood pressure and cholesterol levels. See your healthcare provider regularly to have these checked while you are taking this remedy.

Use this medicine with caution if you have asthma.

Talk with your healthcare provider before taking glucosamine if you are allergic to shellfish.

Diabetics: This medicine may affect your blood sugar level and change the amount of insulin or other diabetes medicines you may need. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

Females of childbearing age: Do not take this remedy if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist about any natural remedy that you are using or thinking about using. If your provider does not tell you how to take it, follow the directions that come with the package. Do not take more or take it longer than recommended. Ask about anything you do not understand. Remember:

• Natural remedies are not always safe.
• You should not take them if you are pregnant or breast-feeding without your healthcare provider's approval. They should not be taken by infants, children, or older adults without your provider's approval.
• They affect your body and may interact with prescription medicines that you take.
• Natural remedies are not standardized and may have different strengths and effects. They may be contaminated.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its desirable effects, this remedy may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the remedy. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

The most common side effects are nausea, heartburn, diarrhea, or constipation. You may also have drowsiness, headaches, hives, rash, itching, or swollen skin.

What products might interact with this remedy?

When you take this remedy with other medicines, it can change the way the remedy or the medicines work. Vitamins and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Before taking this remedy, talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• medicines for diabetes such as insulin, acarbose (Precose), glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (DiaBeta, Micronase, Glynase), metformin (Glucophage), miglitol (Glyset), nateglinide (Starlix), repaglinide (Prandin), pioglitazone (Actos), and rosiglitazone (Avandia)
• medicines used to treat cancer such as etoposide (VP16, VePesid) and doxorubicin (Adriamycin)
• warfarin (Coumadin)

Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

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Keep all natural remedies and medicines out of the reach of children.

This advisory includes select information only. The information was obtained from scientific journals, study reports, and other documents. The author and publisher make no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the information. The advisory may not include all side effects associated with a remedy or interactions with other medicines. Nothing herein shall constitute a recommendation for the use of any remedy. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information.

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