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Glucosamine is an amino sugar found in high concentrations in cartilage where it is an important precursor to glucosaminoglycans, a major component of joint cartilage. Glucosamine is not found in reasonable quantities in most diets, it is produced commercially from the shells of crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs or from the cell walls of fungi.
Supplementation with glucosamine may help to rebuild cartilage and aid conditions like arthritis or sports injuries. Numerous studies indicate that it appears to be free from side effects and is as effective as certain nonsteroidal anti -inflammatories (NSAIDS) for many sufferers of arthritis. Glucosamine sulphate is the most studied form of glucosamine and is only stable in salt form e.g. di potassium chloride (2KCl).