Side effects of Glucosamine
Data source:
http://www.holistichealthtopics.com/HMG/Bvitamin.html
Glucosamine sulfate side effects
are nothing compared to long term use of over the counter
medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen. These drugs that we so
commonly take for pain relief are not meant to be taken long
term and can have serious side effects. In the New England
Journal of Medicine it was reported that the drugs Advil,
Motrin, Aleve, Ordis, Aspirin and twenty others cause 16,500
deaths and 103,000 hospitalizations per year. In contrast,
glucosamine side effects do not cause any deaths or
hospitalizations. It is safe to say glucosamine is safer to take
than these drugs for osteoarthritis.
Because glucosamine is a
carbohydrate, one of the glucosamine sulfate side effects may be
a change in blood sugar levels. This is why it is important to
talk to your doctor if you are a diabetic. You should test your
blood sugar often if you are diabetic and taking glucosamine.
Some glucosamine sulfate side
effects that can occur when glucosamine is used in very high
doses (many times the daily dose) are nausea, diarrhea, soft
stools and gastric fluctuations.
The most common glucosamine
sulfate side effects are soft stools and intestinal gas. One
potentially dangerous glucosamine side effect, which has been
demonstrated in some animal studies, is the worsening of insulin
resistance which may lead to diabetes. This glucosamine side
effect has so far not been demonstrated in humans, however.
If you are taking blood thinning
medications, you should talk to your doctor before taking
glucosamine because it may cause the glucosamine side effects of
bleeding and thinning of the blood.
Overall, glucosamine has been used
safely for many years with few reported side effects. Studies
have not shown any negative side effects in humans so far.
Certain groups of people such as diabetics, those with allergies
to shellfish, pregnant women, women who can become pregnant,
children and those taking blood thinners should avoid
glucosamine because of potential side effects or the lack of
studies done on these groups.
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