4. Choose the Best Option |
| Now that you have decided that glucosamine might be right for you, even as just a complementary approach to your current treatment, you should know that there are many different kinds of glucosamine out there. After the breakthrough 1999 Lancet article, many manufacturers rushed out to push a product out the door. While this allowed glucosamine to reach the masses, almost all of the products were in pill (solid) form.Absorption is a very important factor when you are deciding on a glucosamine supplement. If you decide on a solid pill form, you could be wasting money on binders and fillers and low quality glucosamine. With a liquid formulation, you are getting far more absorption. Also, some solid glucosamine formulations try to sell you on the glucosamine KCl or * NaCl. The KCl and NaCl are known as “the salts”, designed to bind to the glucosamine molecule, which consequently take up weight, cheaply.
You may be paying for up to 30% or more of the cheaper NaCl (table salt) or KCl, while still giving you the labeled dose of “glucosamine.” So if you see KCl or NaCl on your bottle, it is recommended that you find an alternative form (Glucosamine HCl or Glucosamine Sulfate). We also recommend that you stray away from Glucosamine Creams as many preparations are rarely effective. |
