Glucosamine

The evidence on the effectiveness of Glucosamine in reducing pain is controversial. Some patients report that Glucosamine has helped reduce arthritis pain, stiffness, and mild to moderate osteoarthritis pain. In fact, there is some evidence that Glucosamine has beneficial effects on the cartilage by slowing down the cartilage breakdown in the joints.

In research studies, Glucosamine has not been found to raise the liver enzymes or cause any damage. However, there are few recent reports of liver injury while using the products containing Glucosamine. The chances of liver injury are more if the patient has been suffering from chronic liver disease.

The effect of Glucosamine on kidneys is not confirmatory. Glucosamine is mostly metabolized and broken down by the liver. However, there are some reports of kidney damage caused due to Glucosamine, but there is a lack of conclusive evidence. Therefore, it should be used with caution in patients with kidney damage and kidney function should be regularly monitored. Do consult your doctor before you start using this medication. Also, inform your doctor if you have any kidney disease.

Do consult your doctor before you start taking this medication and ensure to be cautious if you have diabetes or high blood glucose levels, high risk of heart disease or asthma. You should also be cautious if you are allergic to shellfish or are taking blood-thinning medicines like warfarin. Do tell your doctor if you have any of the above conditions before he prescribes you this medication.

No, it is not safe to take Glucosamine while taking blood-thinning medications like warfarin or coumadin. The reason being, this medication interacts with the blood thinners and boosts the effect of the blood-thinning medication, thereby reducing the blood’s ability to form a clot in case of bleeding episodes. Therefore, patients taking any blood-thinning medicine should consult their doctor before starting this medication.