We all know horse joints are “overstressed”. Arthritis, back and neck problems, improper shoeing, borderline nutrition or just simply mechanical wear and tear from aging are all to familiar problems in our animal friends.
But are Glucosamine type joint nutraceuticals really beneficial as a cure or do they just suppress the pain like any other pain reliever such as bute or bannamine? Good Question! In fact, that was a recent question posed on a Homeopathic Internet discussion group I participate on. The resulting answer was undecided. Regardless, I believe we can all agree that when our animal friends hurt we sympathize and would like to help. My personal opinion is Glucosamine type products help! Here is why.
Researchers have discovered that healthy joints and other important parts of the body contain high levels of the amino sugar Glucosamine. The main function of glucosamine on joints is to stimulate the production of those things that made up cartilage, especially sulfur. Sulfur is the essential nutrient that stabilizes joint tissue by criss-cross linking all sorts of molecules together. This criss-cross linking is what gives connective tissue, such as cartilage, its strength, resiliency, form and shock-absorbing abilities. In fact, connective tissue is found in all body tissues including bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, mucus membranes of the digestive, respiratory, and urinary tract, blood vessels, heart valves etc.etc.. Basically, connective tissue is the glue that holds the body together. The effects of a dietary deficiency of glucosamine or subsequent sulfur should thus be obvious. The essential amino acid DL-Methionine also contains sulfur and it too acts to promote healthy cartilage and connective tissue.
Another important nutrient is Glucosamine Sulphate. Like Glucosamine, Glucosamine Sulphate is a cartilage and connective tissue protective nutrient. Essentially, both of these substances are the essential building blocks from which GAGs are made. GAGs is short for Glycosaminoglycans. Others (GAGs) are dermatan sulfate, heparin sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and hyoluronate, the latter of which is often injected into injured joints —-yuck or should I say GAG. Please don’t do that! Studies have actually shown that Glucosamine Sulfate is the easiest of all forms of GAGs to be absorbed and utilized, up to 98% versus 8-36% for others such as bovine and shark cartilage, chondroitin sulfate, sea cucumber, or Perna sea mussels. Clinical studies have found that oral doses of Glucosamine Sulfate are even more effective than injected cartilage preparations.
Glucosamine Sulfate, in these same studies, has shown to yield BETTER long term results than NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen or bute ) in safely alleviating discomfort and swelling associated with arthritis-type inflammatory joint ailments, injuries, hip dysplasia etc.. They actually help to repair connective tissue and damaged joint structures. Electron microscope biopsies documented REVERSAL of degeneration and normalization of cartilage in Glucosamine sulfate users and an increased degeneration in the groups using NSAIDS! Apparently NSAIDS restrict sulfate availability, blocking a step in the production of new cartilage interfering with normal repair mechanisms.
Damage to any cell causes a release of free radicals. Free radicals directly attack and damage cartilage. Antioxidants prevent free radicals from forming and scavenge them when they are already present. Osteoarthritis, for example, causes a major release of free radicals into the joints. Poor circulation, surgery, over exercise, and trauma will also cause a major release. For this reason, joint nutraceuticals are always more effective with simultaneous use of antioxidants. Compare ingredients, compare quantities, compare price but you won’t find a better product anywhere, much less at these prices.
Why Give A Daily Antioxidant? In a nut shell, if you want your animal friends to live longer and healthier lives, give antioxidants daily. If you don’t, then forget them. It’s already been proven since the 60’s that antioxidants are beneficial. Every day our animal friends, as well as ourselves, are bombarded with pollutants. We eat them. We drink them. We breathe them. Feed has pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, hormones — you name it! Water has chlorine, trihalomethanes, alum, lime, and potassium permanganates just to name a few! My goodness, just smell the air as you travel down the polluted highway. I believe you get my “drift”.
All of these pollutants cause free radical damage. I am not talking about damage from some “antiestablishment hippie”! I am talking cell damage by super charged (polluted) Oxygen molecules constantly bombarding normal cells, turning them into who knows what. Call it cancer, premature aging, stoke, arthritis. Call it whatever you like — but it is bad with a capital B! Free radicals are like bullets ricocheting all throughout the body, damaging every thing they hit. Antioxidants suck up free radicals like a vacuum cleaner, keeping the body spiffy clean. Compare ingredients, compare quantities, compare price but you won’t find a better product anywhere.
Developed for the health of your horse by The Natural Horse Vet™, Ingredients: Grape Seed Extract, Kelp, Garlic, Gensing, Pine Bark Extract, Citrus Bioflavinoids, Beta Carotene, Chromium, Selenium, Ginko Bilboba, Milk Thistle, Ginger Root, Astragulus Root, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, plus other All Natural Ingredients! Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Glucosamine Sulfate, DL-Methionine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Boswellia Extract, Astragulus, plus other All Natural Ingredients!
For more information on our wonderful natural products, feel free to visit our website at http://www.YourHorseVet.com
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