Can I Take Glucosamine on an Empty Stomach?

Glucosamine can be taken on an empty stomach. It does not need to be taken with food, though can be if you so choose.

Unlike some other supplements (such as vitamin D tablets), glucosamine is not fat-soluble. Most supplements that advise to take it with food are more easily absorbed when there are oils and fats in your digestive system. The active ingredient binds with the oils, and as the oils are absorbed through the gut lining, so the active ingredients also make it into your system.

There are also a tiny handful of supplements which can cause stomach upsets in some people (vitamin C is quite acidic so can do this for some people). These, too, are often taken with food to minimise the risk of stomach upsets.

So take your glucosamine with food, or without. It’s entirely your choice. There are a small number of people who find glucosamine makes them feel a little queasy. In these cases, taking it with food or enough fluids will normally help.

Do Glucosamine Tablets Expire?

If you’ve found some old glucosamine tablets and you’re wondering if they expire then this article is for you. In order to answer the question it’s important to understand the legislation surrounding dates on products. Depending on the product, it may have a “best before” date, a “use-by” date or no date at all. Supplements like glucosamine typically have a “best before” date on them. This is typically stamped onto the bottle or box during the manufacturing process. That said, the ink has been known to rub off on occasion, depending on how the tub has been transported and stored. Most typically you’ll find this date on the lid, the shoulder of the bottle or on the base. You may see the words “Best Before” or “Best Before End” or just the acronym “BBE”. If in doubt check the label which will tell you where to look for this data (“For best before date see base” for example). Now it is important to understand what a Best Before date really means. It is considered the date to which the beneficial nutrients are guaranteed to work, and provide the strength advertised on the bottle. Taking another supplement as an example, if you bought a tub of 500mg vitamin C tablets then you’d be guaranteed to get at least 500mg right up to the end date. Indeed, vitamin C breaks down quite quickly in supplement form, so recently-manufactured tablets are likely to contain considerably more than the advertised dose. Over time this level will drop, but should never be less than the 500mg if consumed before the best before date. Best before dates, therefore, tell you how long the strength is guaranteed for. It says nothing about the safety of the product. Properly stored, most supplements are perfectly safe to consume after this date, but the strength of the contents can no longer be guaranteed. With this frame of reference we can start to answer the question of whether glucosamine tablets expire. The simple answer is that glucosamine tablets do expire, but this expiry date has more to do with the effectiveness of the supplement rather than the safety. In general it is inadvisable to consume supplements like glucosamine after their best before date simply because you can’t be certain of their effectiveness. The difference is likely to be minimal for the first few weeks after “expiry” but in general it’s best to only consume glucosamine tablets that are within their date. One final tip before we bring this article to a close. If you’re buying glucosamine tablets in a shop then take a good look at not just the best before date but also the dosage and number of tablets. In this way you can easily discern whether there is enough time to finish the pot before the end date. As a rough example, a pot containing 180 tablets, with a dosage of one per day, is consequently likely to last you six months. So simply verify there is at least six months left before the end date. Most reputable supplement suppliers will monitor this on your behalf, but it’s all worth checking in case the one that slipped through the net on a busy day is the one you happen to pick up. [...]Read more...

Can Glucosamine and Calcium Be Taken Together?

Glucosamine and calcium can be taken together. Neither substance interferes with each other when consumed at the same time. Indeed, a small number of glucosamine supplements actually include calcium within their formulation. One thing to be aware of is that calcium is needed in quite high doses, particularly by older individuals, who need all the skeletal support they can get. This means that calcium tablets can be quite large. It is a similar case with glucosamine. While 1000mg glucosamine tablets are quite modestly-sized, if you’re considering a higher dose (such as a 1500mg glucosamine) then these tablets or capsules are also likely to be quite large. Almost too large for many people. Combining both 1000-1500mg of glucosamine with a suitable intake of calcium is therefore beyond the realms of possibility. It would produce a tablet so large it would be unrealistic. The answer is therefore to either take more tablets of a glucosamine/calcium combination supplement, or to buy both glucosamine tablets and calcium tablets separately. Then consume them one-after-the-other to meet the recommended intake. Of course, if you’d rather take the two different supplements at different times of day, this too is perfectly acceptable and shouldn’t impact their effect. Some people opt to take their glucosamine with breakfast, for example, and then a calcium tablet with their evening meal. [...]Read more...

Does Glucosamine Need to Be Refrigerated?

Glucosamine is considered to be a “shelf stable” product and does not need to be refrigerated. Each tub, pot, bottle or box of glucosamine should have a “best before” date clearly printed on it. So long as the product is consumed before this date then it should offer the nutrient entail promised on the packaging and should be safe to use. How to Store Glucosamine Glucosamine should be stored in the original packaging it was provided in, at ambient temperatures. There is no need to chill or refrigerate glucosamine. There are some factors that should be considered when it comes to storing glucosamine. Firstly, try to avoid excessively high temperatures, which can result in the core ingredients becoming less effective. Keeping your glucosamine in a cupboard therefore makes sense, rather than leaving it on a windowsill in full sun. Moisture can also damage glucosamine tablets, so ensure the container in which your glucosamine is stored does not let in water vapour. Most plastic containers are fine for this purpose. In the same way, be sure to properly close the lid after taking out your daily dose, to avoid damp air getting in. Lastly, and most crucially, glucosamine reacts with oxygen in a process known as “oxidation”. This can result in glucosamine tablets changing colour over time. Once again this means to firmly reseal the bottle after each use. Alternatively some suppliers offer glucosamine tablets in “blister packs” where you simply push out the tablets you need, while leaving the other encased within their packaging. This can be a good way to ensure freshness if you are remotely concerned. Problems With Stored Glucosamine The only common issue with glucosamine that has been stored for long periods of time is the oxidation process. This can mean that your once-white glucosamine tablets slowly turn a darker cream or grey colour. While oxidized tablets look unappealing they are still perfectly safe to consume. Furthermore, this oxidation process in no way compromises the effectiveness of your tablets. This issue has become worse in recent years, because this oxidation was historically masked by a colouring pigment called titanium dioxide. It was found in most white tablets you could buy, from glucosamine to ibuprofen. Titanium dioxide is now banned in Europe. While legal within the UK at the time of writing, this means many manufacturers have now removed titanium dioxide from their glucosamine tablets so they can be sold to European customers too. However this means the discolouration is more noticeable now than it was some years ago before the titanium dioxide ban. So if you’ve been surprised that your glucosamine tablets are changing colour recently, when they never did in the past, this is why! As outlined earlier, the only real solution is to try and minimise exposure of your glucosamine tablets to the air, by resealing the tub as soon as possible after opening. Alternatively, purchase smaller tub sizes, so the lid is opened less before the tub is finished. [...]Read more...

Can Glucosamine Be Taken at Night?

Glucosamine can indeed be taken at night. Indeed, glucosamine can be safely and effectively taken at any time of day to suit your lifestyle. Some people opt to take it with their breakfast in the morning, others with their evening meal, and still others just before bed. The key thing here is that time of day doesn’t matter when it comes to taking glucosamine. The critical thing to understand is that most people find the benefits of taking glucosamine increase over time. The longer you take it, the greater the benefit. Some people find it can take 6-12 weeks before they’re fully experiencing the full benefit. During that time the important thing is not *when* you take your glucosamine tablets, but just that you get into a pattern, a habit if you like, of taking your tablets every day. It’s therefore important to find a time of the day that works best for your lifestyle. Then stick to it. The “best” time to take glucosamine is whenever you’re going to remember it. The last thing you need is to forget to take your tablets for a few days, and therefore for the benefits to be affected. Does Glucosamine Affect Your Sleep? There is no evidence that glucosamine affects your sleep in any way. Infact, as the effects of long-term glucosamine consumption build, you may find quite the opposite. You may actually find yourself sleeping better, because you experience less discomfort while lying down. Once again, glucosamine rarely has an “instant” impact. It’s not like taking paracetamol for a headache and starting to feel better half an hour later. Instead, the effects build slowly and gently over some weeks, until suddenly one day you realise just how much better you feel. That daily dose can be taken at any time, including at night, so long as you’re consistent with your intake. [...]Read more...

Can Glucosamine Capsules Be Opened?

Glucosamine capsules can be safely opened. Most glucosamine capsules are offered in two-piece capsules, where the two halves can be slid apart. The now-loose powder can then be consumed in a variety of ways, such as adding it to food or drinks. Glucosamine powder doesn’t tend to taste very pleasant on it’s own, so it is best to mix it with something else before swallowing. One difficulty with opening glucosamine capsules is that they can be quite fiddly to open. This is especially so if you happen to have arthritic fingers. The smaller doses, such as the 500mg capsules, are quite petite in size, further complicating the issue. It may prove easier to carefully cut the capsule open with a kitchen knife rather than attempting to manually pull the two parts away from each other. Why Open a Glucosamine Capsule? There are really only a handful of reasons why you might want to consider opening a glucosamine capsule. These are: To take a smaller dose. Perhaps you have purchased 1500mg capsules, and now want to try taking a 1000mg or even 500mg dose to see if you get the same benefits. More commonly, you’re struggling to swallow a large capsule. Because let’s be honest; some glucosamine capsules are pretty large, and capsules of this size aren’t always easy to swallow. No matter why you’re looking to open your glucosamine capsules, take heed that there are other options available to you which may be more appropriate as outlined below. Alternatives to Opening Glucosamine Capsules It isn’t necessary to go to the trouble of opening up your glucosamine capsules. Instead, some of the following alternatives may prove more suitable. Liquid Glucosamine Glucosamine can now be bought in liquid form. You just swallow a teaspoon or two of the fruit-flavoured liquid. It’s a lot easier and more pleasant than trying to swallow capsules. Whilst quite a recent development in the supplement industry, there are now quite a few competing products to choose from. Glucosamine Tablets Some people find tablets easier than capsules to swallow, especially if the tablets are coated. In that way they slide down the throat more easily, rather than getting stuck to your tongue or the inside of your mouth. Smaller Glucosamine Capsules Glucosamine comes in a wide range of different strengths. While it isn’t always the case, generally a smaller dose will come in smaller tablets or capsules. These, in turn, can be much easier to swallow; you can simply take a greater number of tablets or capsules to make up your required daily intake. As an example, if you have been benefiting from 1000mg of glucosamine per day, but find the capsules too large to swallow, you could instead change to taking two 500mg capsules per day. Pill Cutters Lastly, rather than trying to force apart the two halves of your glucosamine capsules you could consider using a pill cutter to achieve a similar aim. Using a pill cutter tends to be quicker and far less fiddly, yet still exposes the loose glucosamine powder within. [...]Read more...