It’s Now Safe to Take Glucosamine for Your Joints!

Anecdotal reports suggest that glucosamine consumption can increase circulating cholesterol concentrations. To investigate the metabolic and vascular effects of glucosamine supplementation, a study was conducted on lab animals.

Three groups of 6–10 mice of each gender received either no supplement or glucosamine. Plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations increased in all mice with the addition of the Western diet. However, after 20 weeks of treatment, cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations increased further in male mice consuming glucosamine compared with control groups. Glucosamine-supplemented mice had increased initiation of atherosclerosis after 5 wk; however, there was no effect on the progression of atherosclerosis in either gender after longer periods of glucosamine supplementation (10 or 20 wk).

Although long-term glucosamine supplementation increased cholesterol in male mice, no increase in atherosclerosis occurred. Thus, glucosamine supplementation appears to be safe, with no adverse vascular consequences.1 This may be due to the fact that glucosamine is antoxidant, which helps inhibit oxidation of cholesterol. Oxidized cholesterol converts to artery-clogging plaque, which leads to atherosclerosis.

References:
1. J. Nutr. 136:2856-2861, Nov 2006