Glucosamine, chondrotin and joint health
by Michael
(US)
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. Thanks for the great comments on Andrew Lessmans multivitamin nutritional supplements.
Once my current supply runs out, in about 5-6 weeks, I'm switching to Xtend-Life Total Balance Mens Plus. They seem to be hands down the best.
Do you have any recommended protocol?
Also, does taking glucosmine and chondrotin really make a difference in joint health?
Thanks again,
Truly,
Michael
Note from Brett
This is a follow-up question from Micheal. You can read his original question and my response by using this link:
multivitamin nutritional supplement opinion - Andrew Lessman vitamins Procaps Labs
ANSWER:
Hey again Michael,
I'm happy to hear you are switching to Xtend-life.
Once you start you can rest assured that you are giving your health the best preventative health care protection possible.
The new fifth generation Total Balance may be out by the time you start (around April 08). It is estimated to be around 20 per cent stronger than the current version. Apparently they've been working on the new formula for over a year now.
The recommended dosage protocol depends mostly on your budget (which applies to every supplement user these days) as well as your bodyweight.
Men over 60 kg require 6 tabs a day as the max dose. This is 2 bottles per month. That is what I take although I have several friends who take only 1 bottle per month for economic reasons.
Don't forget Micheal that everyone's supplement regime should be backed up with omega 3 fish oil. The amazing range of fish oil health benefits comes primarily from omega 3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) but particularly DHA.
A smart and SIMPLE way for everyone to improve their overall health is to increase their intake of omega 3 oils!
If only more people get this message and followed it then the general population would be significantly healthier.
I recently switched from Xtend-life's Omega 3 / DHA to their GLM -Omega 3 Plus because it has a higher DHA content and provides joint protection from New Zealand Green Lipped Mussels (Perna canaliculus).
The New Zealand GLM are somewhat famous because they are believed to contain a prostaglandin inhibitor that exerts anti-inflammatory effects beneficial to joint health.
As a high performance tennis coach I have to think about my joints, especially my knees, as most coaches eventually develop knee problems from cyclic overuse.
I also take glucosamine separately as I have a neck problem from using the internet too much and it has helped significantly with this problem.
Now, when comparing joint health supplements take note that there are different forms of glucosamine.
So, there's Glucosamine Sulfate.
Then there's D- Glucosamine HCL which costs supplement manufacturers more than double the price of Glucosamine sulfate.
And there's Poly-N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine which is once again more than double the cost of D-Glucosamine HCL).
Each form plays a role in addressing the causes of arthritis and joint pain.
They all need one another to do their job properly in order to cover the widest possible spectrum of arthritis/joint conditions/health.
Most arthritis and joint health formulas contain only glucosamine sulfate! Beware of this trap.
Micheal, there has been a substantial amount of research into the anti-arthritic, anti inflammatory properties of glucosamine and chondroitin.
A number of these studies provide evidence that both substances are effective as natural arthritis treatments and show that they are as effective as NSAID drugs.
You may like to take a look at
Xtend-Life's Arthritis formula
It contains all forms of glucosamine plus chondrotin and a ton of other established joint health nutrients ( 31 ingredients all up).
It also has a generous conditional money back guarantee.
I can tell you my father used it for about a year (last year) and his arthritis clearly up tremendously to the point it barely worried him at all.
Best of luck Michael and please tell your health conscious friends to take a look at my vitamin supplement reviews on my comparisons page
Stay Well
Cheers
Brett