Cartilage protects our joints by providing a cushioning effect. As your joints take more abuse--whether it is due to your profession, age or playing a rough sport--the thickness of cartilage diminishes. Over time, the synovial fluid which serves as a lubricant in the joints also decreases. The combined effect is a condition known as osteoarthritis. OA is characterized by bones rubbing against each other in the joints, often resulting in pain with each movement.

Recently, glucosamine has been put forth as a treatment for osteoarthritis. One benefit of glucasomine being explored by the medical community is that it may make synovial fluid thicker, allowing it to lubricate joints more effectively. It is also thought to slow the degeneration of cartilage and may even contribute to regenerating it.

Some studies have shown that using glucosamine sulfate can increase the amount of fluid in cartilage to levels that are tolerable, if not healthy. With the extra fluid in the cartilage and the thickened synovial fluid, your joints can absorb more stress so that you do not feel the pressure of each step in your joints. Unlike anti-inflammatory drugs that are intended simply to relieve the pain associated with arthritis, glucosamine may in fact be able to reverse some of the damage and slow the progression of arthritis.

Glucosamine as an Alternative Treatment for Arthritis

Many double blind studies have been conducted into the effectiveness of glucosamine as a treatment for arthritis with tentative findings favoring the use of glucosamine. Though painkillers relieve pain faster than glucosamine supplements, there is the chance of experiencing some of the adverse side-effects associated with these drugs. If you have experienced any discomfort caused by your medication, you may want to consider trying glucosamine for a few months to see if it helps alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, as it is also much less costly than prescription medications.