For many sportsmen and women, dealing with joint pain will unfortunately become a part of their sporting lives, an irritation that has to be dealt with after every session. Unfortunately if joint pain does not subside then you may be forced to undergo surgery to relieve the problem. It is although important to try as many different remedies to the problem before you resort to surgery – which is were supplements can be useful. One supplement that can help reduce joint pain and encourage the strengthening of your joints is Glucosamine, a compound which is great at repairing cartilage.
Glucosamine is readily available and can be purchased in most health food shop or your local pharmacy. Its popularity as a sports supplement is mainly down to its usefulness for people who are either recovering from sports injuries or for people who are susceptible to joint injuries and want to take extra steps to prevent them.
As you age you begin to lose some of the flexibility and movement that you may have had earlier in your life, which can have a detrimental affect on the way you exercise, or the level to which you are able to play competitive sports. Glucosamine is absorbed by the molecules that make up your cartilage – the flexible tissue that connects your bones and muscles together – and can then go on to aid the recovery of any damaged cartilage.
Glucosamine is particularly useful if you have issues or pain around your bodies’ weight bearing joints, such as your wrists or ankles – areas that will be the first to be affected by regular exercise or training. Glucosamine has been shown in some tests to reduce the inflammation of you joints, help to prevent the break down of cartilage and also aid in the reproduction of damaged cartilage.
Many tests have shown that Glucosamine can be even more effective if coupled with other supplements, such as chondroitin sulphate, for the most effective results. It is important to remember not to take more than the recommended dosage of glucosamine, regardless of how effective your current dose has been. Glucosamine is also usually made from the shells of shellfish, so if you suffer from an existing shell fish allergy then make sure to stay clear.
