Glucosamine reduces cardiovascular risk

What is glucosamine?

Glucosamine is a natural sugar found in the fluid around the joints. It plays a vital role in building and repairing cartilage. It is also available as a dietary supplement that is widely used to relieve osteoarthritis and joint pain.

Glucosamine supplements and their effects

As a formulation it is regulated in most European countries, however, in other countries such as the United States and Australia, it is a popular dietary supplement. Glucosamine supplements are usually available as tablets or capsules. It is the second most popular dietary supplement after omega-3.

Those who take glucosamine supplements do so in the hope of enhancing the health of their joints. Often these supplements also contain chondroitin – a similar molecule that also exists in the joints (it is included in almost two thirds of glucosamine supplements). There are several types of glucosamine that include: glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride and N-acetyl glucosamine. These types are considered different. Some supplements combine glucosamine with methylsulfonylmethane (MSM).

The effectiveness of glucosamine in patients with osteoarthritis and joint pain is under discussion, but research in recent years has brought to the surface evidence that this molecule is associated with a reduced overall risk of death. Animal studies have shown that the anti-inflammatory properties of glucosamine may play a preventive role in the development of atherosclerosis.

Glucosamine and cardiovascular events

A large epidemiological study in the United Kingdom published in 2019 showed that glucosamine is associated with an increase in life expectancy. In this study of nearly 500,000 people, glucosamine use was associated with a 15% lower risk of cardiovascular events [1].

A US study published in 2020 involving nearly 16,700 people over the age of 40 found that taking glucosamine / chondroitin supplements daily was associated with a 65% reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 39% reduction in overall mortality [2]. The benefit is similar to that offered by exercise, the researchers said.

A third study published in 2012 involving 77,510 people in the United States, aged 50-76, concluded that glucosamine with or without chondroitin was associated with reduced mortality from each cause [3]. This study showed that the use of glucosamine supplements at baseline was associated with a 33% reduced risk of mortality, compared with those who did not use it. In terms of the type of preparation, the risk reduction was smaller for chondroitin users and greater for glucosamine users only but with no benefit for MSM supplements. This was the first study to show the positive effect of glucosamine on mortality.

These studies were epidemiological rather than clinical, so they merely show a correlation without revealing a cause-and-effect relationship. But how can the results be explained?

The researchers hypothesize that these results are due to the fact that glucosamine reduces inflammation in the body, affecting cytokines. For example, a randomized, cross-sectional, double-blind study found that C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker measured in the blood, was 23% lower after using glucosamine and chondroitin compared to placebo.

Another study found that glucosamine affects the size of LDL particles that carry “bad” cholesterol in the blood as well as their ability to attach to arteries. This mechanism could also reduce the development of atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular disease [5].

At Vita4you.gr you can find a large variety of food supplements with glucosamine!

References

1. Association of habitual glucosamine use with risk of cardiovascular disease: prospective study in UK Biobank.
2. Glucosamine/Chondroitin and Mortality in a US NHANES Cohort.
3. Use of Glucosamine and Chondroitin in Relation to Mortality.
4. Randomized Trial of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Supplementation on Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers and Plasma Proteomics Profiles in Healthy Humans.
5. Arterial smooth muscle cell proteoglycans synthesized in the presence of glucosamine demonstrate reduced binding to LDL.