The use of glucosamine sulfate, a popular anti-arthritis supplement, may contribute to insulin resistance in diabetics or those at risk for the disease. Insulin resistance -- a decrease in the body's response to the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin -- is a condition that is a precursor to type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes. Increasing insulin resistance could result in more difficult-to-control blood sugar levels.
A growing number of the 21 million Americans with osteoarthritis are turning to glucosamine sulfate supplements to help ease the symptoms of the painful bone and joint disease. US sales of the supplement, usually derived from the shells of shellfish, now top $230 million a year, according to the Nutrition Business Journal.
Experimental Biology 2000 Conference San Diego April 18, 2000
As most of you know, I seek the truth in medicine, and I report on the good and the bad news of drugs, vitamins and herbs. Most of the time the natural therapies will come out on top, but this week we have two reports that show you need to exercise caution with some popular natural therapies, ephedra and glucosamine.
A past report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) confirms that glucosamine does work for osteoarthritis, but an editorial in the Lancet (Volume 354, Number 9176, July 31, 1999) suggested in 1999 that glucosamine might contribute to insulin resistance.
This report above confirms the past Lancet report, so it would seem prudent to monitor your blood sugar levels if you're taking glucosamine regularly. A normal fasting blood sugar is an incredibly powerful test. The normal should be 87. Any values over 100 could indicate pre-diabetes, and any value over 120 is diabetes in my book until proven otherwise.
Of course, eating a healthy diet and following an exercise program will be most helpful in moderating any effect on insulin that glucosamine might have.