Are you looking for joint pain relief? Well you are not alone, In 2009, 28 million Americans are suffering from osteoarthritis in one form or another. As the population ages and lifestyles become more demanding, many people want to know what joint supplements will provide the most relief from achy joints. From mild joint pain to severe joint pain, to the stiff back that wont go away, people want to know: do joint supplements work? Let's take a look at some basic joint pain information and see if in fact joint supplements that contain Glucosamine and Chrondroiton are right for you.

More often than not, you will find that your joint pain is caused by arthritis. Osteoarthritis which is also know as "degenerative artritis" is the most common form of arthitis. The joint pain is caused by the wear and tear and eventual breakdown of cartilage within the joints. At this point your bones will begin to rub together bone on bone which in turn causes pain, swelling and stiffness. The first signs of the joint pain caused by Osteoarthritis usually show up in people in their mid 40's and progress over time. By age 60 half the population will be dealing with joint pain caused by Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis most commonly affects larger joins and the joints that do the most work. Namely your lower back, hips and knees. Obviously the more weight a person carries, the greater the load the joints have to carry and the better the chance you will be dealing with joint pain.

Osteoartritis pain can be relived by joint supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin, which are a natural part of normal cartilage. Your cartilage is the cushion between the bones in your joints. Joint cartilage has no blood supply, therefore all of its nourishment and lubrication comes from the fluids that flows as pressure is applied and released to the joint. Without this fluid, cartilage becomes drier, thinner and more fragile

Glucosamine, is a naturally occuring substance which is taken from the covering of shellfish. It is available in many different forms, such as glucosamine hydrochloride, N-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG), and glucosamine sulfate. Glucosamine is also available in synthetic forms. People with shellfish allergies will want to be careful when taking glucosamine or any joint supplement containing glucosamine. Derived from natural sources, Chondrotin usually comes from shark or bovine cartilage. However it can also be produced in a lab.

To stay healthy cartilage needs 1.water for lubrication and nourishment, 2. proteoglycans to attract and hold the water, and 3. collagen to keep the proteoglycans in place.

Acting like a thread, Proteoglycans thread themselves through the collagen and are vitally important as they hold many times their own weight in water, which lubricates and nourishes the collagen. When your cartilage becomes damaged the thread becomes weakened and ‘water leaks’ out and the collagen loses its nourishment as the proteoglycans lose their grip and fall away. The result is cartilage that cannot absorb shocks, and eventually wears out.

A major building block of proteoglycans is Glucosamine. Its acts as a stimulant to the cells that produce proteoglycans. Glucosamine determinins how many proteoglycans are produced by the cells. Glucosamine speeds up the production of both proteoglycans and collagen while it normalises cartilage metabolism which in turn, keeps the cartilage from breaking down.

Glucosamine can in fact help the body to repair damaged or eroded cartilage. As well as stimulating cartilage production, glucosamine also reduces joint pain and inflammation.

Acting like a liquid magnet, Chrondroiton is a long chain molecule with a negative charge attached to it, that attracts fluid into the proteoglycan molecules. This fluid acts as a spongy shock absorber and it brings nutrients into the cartilage. Your joint cartilage has no blood supply, so all of its nourishment and lubrication comes from the fluid that flows as pressure is applied and released to the joint. Without this fluid, cartilage would become malnourished, drier, thinner and more fragile. Chrondroiton also protects cartilage and stops it from breaking down

Glucosamine and chondroitin, in combination or separately, have few side effects, however, If you are allergic to shellfish, do not take glucosamine unless you have consulted with your doctor.

Research indicates that joint supplements containing glucosamine may help as much as ibuprofen in relieving symptoms of osteoarthritis, particularly in the knee, with fewer side effects.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is most often seen in women ages 25 to 50. It is an autoimmune disorder that causes pain and stiffness in the joints. A defect in the immune system causes the body to attack the cell lining inside the joint, also know as the synovium. This disabling disease can causes severe pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of joint function. It commonly occurs in the smaller joints of the hands and feet, however it can affect any joint in the body.
Treatments for Rheumatoid arthritis.
The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is usaully a combination of NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or aspirin, which can reduce swelling and relieve pain. However they will not change the course of the disease. Methotrexate and sulfasalazine are known as disease modifiying slow acting Anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) which work to slow inflammation and change the course of the disease. Many physicians only use DMARDs on patients who do not respond to other therapies.
Enbrel is the first biologic response modifier to receive FDA approval for patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. Taken twice weekly by injection, Enbrel is able to decrease pain and morning stiffness while improving joint swelling and tenderness.
Arava is the first oral treatment approved for slowing the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Although its effects are similar to those of methotrexate, this drug works by a different chemical mechanism that blocks at least one enzyme in certain immune cells called lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell that is part of the immune system), and thereby retards the progression of the disease.