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Glucosamine is an essential compound in the process of cartilage regeneration. Therefore, medicines containing this ingredient are often prescribed by doctors for people who need to improve the condition of their bones and joints. However, there are many questions surrounding whether taking glucosamine is harmful to the kidneys, and who should not take it?
1. Role of Glucosamine
Glucosamine is a compound available in the human body that acts as a conductor to help form and develop cartilage and bone tissue. As we age, the amount of this compound in the body is gradually reduced, making bones and joints no longer healthy, gradually making people more susceptible to bone and joint diseases.At a certain age, bones and joints are no longer flexible and begin to age, the ability to synthesize glucosamine itself decreases. At this time, the addition of Glucosamine in the form of a preparation will replace the synthesis of this compound and put it directly into the body. In the form of oral tablets, glucosamine is obtained from animal tissues, such as shells of crustaceans such as shrimp, crabs, seashells... Then glucosamine is processed and prepared into oral tablets for easy processing and absorption by the body. collect.
After the age of 50, Glucosamine supplementation is necessary if your daily diet is not enough to meet the raw materials for glucosamine production. Most drugs containing Glucosamine are used in the supportive treatment of osteoarthritis and chronic arthritis. In addition, glucosamine is also used in the form of functional foods to reduce symptoms of pain and joint pain. Supplementing with glucosamine also contributes to slowing the aging process of bone cells, stimulating calcium production and preventing joint degeneration and osteoporosis.
2. The uses of Glucosamine
Promotes the regeneration of new cartilage, thereby helping damaged joints to be restored. Helps to reduce pain, swelling and redness of joints in patients. Connecting tissues in joints helps the body to work more supple and flexible. As for drugs or supplements with Glucosamine ingredients, the main use of the product is to help reduce the risk of osteoarthritis. Glucosamine pills and supplements do not provide immediate pain relief. Therefore, people with osteoarthritis, degenerative or arthritis pain should not use glucosamine as a pain reliever. To treat arthritis, patients should take additional anti-inflammatory drugs to achieve better treatment results.
On the market there are many types of Glucosamine supplements from many different brands, but each type will have a few different ingredients to supplement the body most effectively, depending on the needs of the patient. patient. So when you want to buy any Glucosamine supplement, it's best to read the ingredients carefully, note that when using it, you need to consult a specialist.
3. Is taking glucosamine bad for the kidneys?
The addition of Glucosamine through daily nutrition ensures absolute safety and does not cause side effects. However, this form of supplement often does not meet the body's need for glucosamine. Therefore, most of us choose to take oral glucosamine supplements, also known as functional foods.
In oral tablet form, glucosamine is produced from the shells of crustaceans and some shellfish. The product, taken orally, is effective in reducing pain and improving symptoms associated with osteoarthritis. Taking glucosamine is similar to other functional foods, you need to maintain the prescribed course from 3 to 6 months to see the effect.
Most glucosamine preparations belong to the functional food group. Therefore, the use of glucosamine as a drug to treat osteoarthritis is a mistake that many people make. Because long-term glucosamine abuse affects liver and kidney function, the dosage of ingredients varies between glucosamine types, and there are no studies that have measured a safe supplement level for this supplement.
People with kidney stones should take glucosamine? There is currently no official information confirming that taking glucosamine can harm the kidneys. However, there have been recommendations for patients with renal failure should not take functional foods. Because Glucosamine is metabolized a lot in the liver and some types are required to be excreted by the kidneys, long-term use of the product will more or less affect this organ.
In some statistics, people who take glucosamine for more than 2 years experience acute interstitial nephritis as a side effect. There are also patients with nonspecific signs of renal failure and high levels of renal and hepatic toxicity, who have had a long history of glucosamine-related products.
In summary, there is still no exact answer to the question of whether taking glucosamine is harmful to the kidneys. In general, according to the opinion of health experts and doctors, functional foods are not on the list of specific therapeutic drugs, but in them, there are still some pharmaceutical chemicals and preservatives, supporting substances. These substances will be processed in the liver and excreted by the kidneys. Therefore, if you are suffering from kidney disease, or are in poor health, you should use glucosamine with caution. If you are taking glucosamine, you should carefully monitor your kidney function to prevent potential side effects.
4. Who should not use Glucosamine?
Glucosamine side effects are more likely to occur in certain populations. In particular, there have been reports of glucosamine causing allergies in some people who are allergic to seafood, shrimp, snails,... In addition, the following people should be cautious when using Glucosamine in the form of drugs and functional foods:
Do not use glucosamine for people under the age of 18 or allergic to the ingredients of the product. Group of women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Avoid using glucosamine in patients with severe renal impairment Glucosamine should not be used if the patient is on dialysis. People who have heart problems, are suffering from the flu, or are being treated for bacterial infections of the ear, nose and throat. Elderly people with blood pressure problems, or diabetes should use caution when using glucosamine. If you have a congenital blood clotting disorder, or bleeding is not stable, you should not take supplements. In case of prolonged treatment with antibiotics, it is necessary to consult a doctor to be prescribed a careful dose. Do not combine taking Glucosamine with antipyretic and analgesic drugs, drugs to treat hyperlipidemia to avoid drug interactions. Some irritation from Glucosamine will cause asthma attacks to occur, so if you have asthma, you should limit the use of this supplement. In summary, patients need to consider whether they need to use glucosamine for treatment or not. If you are in any of the above cases, it is best not to use this preparation. In addition, users also need to pay attention to information about dosage form, content and important information about the product. If glucosamine is supplemented in the right dose at the right time, it will bring good effects.
5. Glucosamine Side Effects
The side effects of glucosamine have been noted after a long time of users taking the wrong supplement. Most glucosamine supplements are generally well tolerated, but adverse reactions have been reported in patients who abuse glucosamine. The most common reactions include bowel irritation, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, diarrhea, and constipation. In addition, some patients also found glucosamine to cause sensitization reactions in the epigastrium. This condition usually occurs when glucosamine is taken before meals.
In addition, the improper use of Glucosamine also causes other serious reactions, affecting the digestive system such as bloating, abdominal distension, loose stools, tingling abdominal pain. Patients treated with glucosamine for long-term pain relief also noticed symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, dizziness, flaky, dry skin and nail structure,...
Some users commented Glucosamine causes temporary high blood pressure that makes them anxious. In addition, some reports related to glucosamine in cases of users experiencing skin reactions (itching, urticaria). People using glucosamine who have an allergic reaction or anaphylaxis will experience chest tightness and cyanosis, but these are very rare.
Notes when using Glucosamine supplements
As recommended by doctors, only use glucosamine if you are having problems with bones and joints. In order for Glucosamine to be well absorbed, users need to know how to use it correctly, so that the best benefits of this preparation can be maximized and no side effects arise. The following are the notes when you use glucosamine:
Normally in 1 Glucosamine tablet there is about 1500 mg of pure glucose, for good decomposition, you should take glucosamine with meals or right after eating. When taking Glucosamine, you drink it with lots of water, use filtered or warm water instead of soft drinks, fruit juices... Build a nutritious diet, supplement with healthy foods and drinks, copper. should limit unhealthy foods and drinks such as alcohol and tobacco. Experts recommend that users should maintain a dose of 1,500mg of glucosamine / day for the first 1-2 months, and gradually reduce the dose within 3-6 months. Using different types of glucosamine at the same time with different doses may increase overdose reactions, such as hyperglycemia, or unstable blood pressure. Depending on the location of each person, the ability to receive Glucosamine will be different, but users should adhere to the treatment time and have an appropriate dose. After each course of combined therapy using glucosamine and other medical methods, a general examination is required to evaluate the effectiveness to continue the course or not. According to many studies, glucosamine is classified as a slow-acting drug. Glucosamine has the main effect on arthritis symptoms, which may develop after 2-3 months of continuous use. Reasonable exercise is an important condition for a healthy body.
Taking glucosamine is harmful to the kidneys no longer depending on the user's usage. However, to date there have been long-term studies showing changes in renal function with long-term glucosamine abuse. Therefore, users should consult their treating doctor and carefully read the drug information, do not use the drug in excess or prolong the treatment time, which will cause difficult-to-control side effects.
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