Stiff or painful joints suck. As any athlete knows, waking up the next day after a grueling working can feel like you got hit by a bus the day before. And as you age, that feeling only gets worse. As you hobble your way to your morning shower your joints scream in protest with every step of the way, demanding you to stay motionless. And as you get older, that feeling only gets worse.
No wonder your Grandma’s idea of excitement is knitting a sweater. Not being able to move pain-free will completely change the lifestyle for the worse. Don’t let pain or chronic injuries rob you of the active lifestyle you enjoy. You can delay this deterioration of your joints if you pay attention and start taking care of them now.
A good place to start is with a glucosamine supplement. But as with most supplements, the market is filled with things from top quality products that actually work to strange smelling powders made in somebody’s bathtub in China.
So it’s important that you get educated and you understand how to pick the right one.
WHAT IS GLUCOSAMINE?
Glucosamine is a chemical that is produced naturally in our body and is responsible for taking care of joint tissue. The joint tissues include cartilage, connective tissue, synovial fluid (needed for lubrication), and tendons. And since joints are the structures that allow the body to move, when your joints aren’t in the best shape, your movement will either be restricted or painful or both.
Glucosamine not only helps preserve joint health, but can also work to restore joints back to working order. It can help restore and rebuild the cartilage that serves as a cushion between the bones of a joint.
Joint health can deteriorate over time from wear and tear resulting from injury, overuse, aging or excess weight.
Sometimes your body doesn’t produce enough glucosamine to get the job done. In this case, a glucosamine supplement can help.
THE TOP 3 GLUCOSAMINE SUPPLEMENT
PROS
- Quick and Effective
- All Natural
- Includes additional supplements other than glucosamine for total joint protection and improvement
CONS
- MSM (25mg) is a blood thinner. This may be problematic for people with certain health conditions. If you’re unsure, it might be a good idea to ask your doctor before taking this supplement
Great overall supplement for men and women of all ages, but especially for older populations or athletes. It’s a bit pricey, but if you are serious about your training or even your general health, we feel it’s worth it.
PROS
- Offers much more than just a glucosamine supplement. The ingredients in this formula cover all areas of joint health
- It has a money back guarantee
CONS
- The Large Tablets may prove difficult for some to swallow
- Some of the ingredients are sourced from shellfish and bovine, so, unfortunately, this makes it a deal breaker for you vegans out there
We found this product to be very similar to Vimerson’s Health Ultra Joint Support. It’s a great overall supplement for all aspects of healthy joints. Although it doesn’t seem to work with the speed that Vimerson’s does, its long term effects are about equal. On top of that, Zenwise Lab’s product is much more affordable.
PROS
- The price is much cheaper than other Glucosamine supplements
- The main active ingredients are the same as more expensive supplements
- Easy to swallow tablets
CONS
- Not an all natural product
While not the best Glucosamine supplement on the market we feel Schiff is definitely the best value. At over 50% less than some of the other supplements, the main ingredients needed for joint pain relief are still there at a fraction of the cost.
This supplement not only easy on your joints but it’s easy on your wallet as well.
The low price of this supplement makes it a very low-risk choice. If your pain is still rather mild, we suggest using this supplement as a “starter” glucosamine supplement. If you find that you need something stronger, then you can spend more money on some of the higher quality supplements.
OUR THOUGHTS
Supplements, like medication in general, doesn’t come in a “one size fits all” package, unfortunately. Because of this, we can’t say for sure which supplement is best for you, and neither can anyone else.
Unfortunately, it takes some trial and error, to see which glucosamine supplement your body responds best to.
But we genuinely feel that these three glucosamine supplements are the best all-rounders on the market.
We rank Vimerson’s Health Ultra Flex Joint Support as the number one option. It has everything you need to support total joint health. It’s powerful and fast acting. However, it is pricey, and the quality may not be necessary for more mild cases.
In a close second, we recommend Zenwise Lab’s Advanced Joint Support. Again similar to Vimerson’s, this offers total joint health coverage but at a lower price.
However, these might be powerful or pricey for those who just have occasional joint pain. In that case, we recommend Schiff’s Glucosamine Supplement. We feel that most people’s aches and pains from overuse injuries will be covered by this supplement and it’s much cheaper.
But again, don’t take our word for it, try them out and see which one works best for you.