Although our joints are necessary for basic movement and daily activity, few people actually consider the health of their bones and joints until an injury occurs. Throughout a lifetime, the body’s joints sustain substantial physical stress. While our joints are surrounded in cartilage, a smooth elastic tissue, which protects them like a cushion and allows them to move with flexibility, our cartilage ages and breaks down over time.

For this reason, as we age we need to continue reproducing new connective tissue and healthy cartilage. Proteoglycans are the basic building blocks for this connective tissue. They are large protein molecules that essentially act as sponges. It is their ability to hold water that creates the elasticity that the tissue needs to protect the joints from rubbing together and causing injury.

Glucosamine is a key component of these proteoglycans. Glucosamine is a naturally-occurring, non-toxic amino sugar that helps our body product cartilage and connective tissue. Without out a sufficient amount of it, our body tissues cannot perform properly and therefore, our joints will begin to experience pain and irritation. Although Glucosamine occurs naturally in the body, as we get older and sustain more injury and general ware and tear to our joints, we need more Glucosamine, but less is produced. Because natural glucosamine levels drop as people age, gradual deterioration of the joints occurs.

Therefore, it is important for those experiencing joint pain to supply their body with supplemental Glucosamine to ensure the rebuilding of protective tissue. Glucosamine will help the body rebuild healthy cartilage in order to protect the joints.