By RICHARD HARKNESS
Knight Ridder Newspapers
Chronically high {*filter*} sugar levels cause serious damage to the body. So
people at risk for diabetes who take glucosamine supplements primarily for
osteoarthritis need to keep a close watch on their {*filter*} sugar levels.
Glucosamine is produced naturally in the body, where it functions as a key
building block for making cartilage. Studies suggest that glucosamine in
supplement form can improve symptoms as well as delay joint damage in people
with osteoarthritis.
As the name implies, glucosamine is derived from glucose, the principal
simple sugar used by the body. In glucosamine, one oxygen atom in glucose is
replaced by a nitrogen atom. The chemical term for this modified form of
glucose is amino sugar.
A recent unpublished study found that taking glucosamine sulfate at the
standard recommended dose of 1500 mg daily for 12 weeks appeared to increase
insulin resistance in a group of nondiabetic people. When your body is
resistant to insulin, this pancreatic hormone cannot effectively do its job
of pushing glucose from the {*filter*} into body cells, where it's used for
energy. As a result, glucose builds up in the {*filter*}. Insulin resistance is a
primary cause of Type 2 diabetes.
In people with diabetes, glucosamine supplements might worsen the condition
by increasing insulin resistance or decreasing insulin production. The
result of either action would be elevated {*filter*} glucose levels.
Based on these reports, people with diabetes should either avoid glucosamine
supplementation or use it cautiously under medical supervision and keep
careful track of their {*filter*} glucose levels. If levels go too high, the
supplement should be stopped.
People without diabetes who take glucosamine are a special concern, since
they ordinarily do not keep up with their {*filter*} glucose levels. However, it
would be advisable for these individuals to have their {*filter*} glucose
measured regularly. If glucose strays too high, glucosamine should probably
be stopped.
The magnitude of this effect might depend on the glucosamine dose. An option
to stopping glucosamine, then, might be to reduce the dose and see if {*filter*}
glucose levels normalize. But this might also reduce the benefit for
osteoarthritis.
The primary goal should be to keep your fasting {*filter*} glucose at recommended
levels (currently below 110 mg/dL), and this might require switching from
glucosamine to another agent for osteoarthritis.
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