During pregnancy, even if you were fit as a fiddle before getting pregnant, some drastic changes can happen in your health condition. Also, during pregnancy, your body will go through lots of physical changes. Due to these normal physical changes, joint pain is another common issue most pregnant women experience. In such an instance, you may come across the word ‘Glucosamine.’ If you are not aware of what that is, then you have come to the right place to learn about it.
Here, we explain to you what Glucosamine is and its benefits, safety, and side effects caused during pregnancy. Again, pregnancy is not a time to take medicines that are otherwise having no harmful effect. Over-the-counter medicine is a big ‘no’ during pregnancy. Read on to know more.
In This Article
- What Is Glucosamine?
- Is It Safe to Take Glucosamine While Pregnant?
- What Are The Benefits of Glucosamine While Pregnant?
- What Are the Side Effects of Using Glucosamine?
- Evaluation Of The Risk Of Glucosamine With Other Drugs
What Is Glucosamine?
Glucosamine is nothing but a crystalline compound substance that appears in connective tissues (joints) in our body. This provides our joints with the required fluid consistency for free movements. Usually, for people suffering from joint pain and arthritis, this component is very little or missing in the joints, which is what restricts their movements and gives pain. Such people are provided with the synthesized form of glucosamine as a pain reliever to ease the movement of the joints.
Glucosamine helps greatly in building the cartilages, and hence, it is a popular supplement for people suffering from joint aches. Especially in the US, glucosamine is one of the most predominantly used non-vitamin and non-mineral supplements that are considered safe to be consumed by adults. This supplement helps in reliving and overcoming joint pains and any difficulty in joint movement.
In the colder regions, this supplement is taken by most people as our joints and muscles tend to stiffen up during the winter season. The natural form of glucosamine (especially glucosamine sulfate) can be found in the shells of shellfish. The supplement manufacturers usually harvest the component from the shells and add them to these supplements, which are then sold in pharmacies.
But more often than not, this component is synthetically made in the medical labs, and it is not harvested from the shells of the shellfishes. Some of the forms in which glucosamine is available in the market are:
- Glucosamine Hydrochloride
- Glucosamine Sulphate
- N-Acetyl-Glucosamine
All of the above three forms contain glucosamine components. But the concentration of it varies in each form whose effect on our body can also impact the recovery of joint pain and arthritis.
Is It Safe to Take Glucosamine While Pregnant?
There has been no concrete research about the safety of consuming glucosamine during pregnancy. Hence it’s best to avoid any supplements that may contain the glucosamine component during your pregnancy period or even after delivery and nursing your newborn baby.
Some of the instances where consuming a glucosamine supplement may adversely react to your health conditions are;
1. Asthma
Although it is not medically proven, if you have already had asthma, then consuming the glucosamine supplement increases the risk of having an attack. Even though it is still under research whether the supplement is triggering the attack, it is always better to avoid it if you have asthma.
2. High Cholesterol Levels
Some studies show that consuming supplements containing glucosamine may tend to increase cholesterol. The risks increase if one has a medical history of high cholesterol levels.
3. High Blood Pressure
Consumption of glucosamine supplements can result in an increase in insulin levels in our body, which will further lead to an increase in blood pressure as well.
4. Diabetes
If you have a history of diabetes, then glucosamine gets in the way of your blood sugar level. Intake of glucosamine can result in increasing your blood sugar level.
5. Shellfish Allergy
If the expecting mother is allergic to shellfish, taking glucosamine can potentially aggravate allergic reactions.
On account of the above facts, during pregnancy, ensure you speak to your doctor about taking glucosamine supplements as she will know better about your health conditions.
What Are The Benefits of Glucosamine While Pregnant?
There are many benefits of consuming glucosamine if you are suffering from joint pains. Most women tend to develop joint and body aches during pregnancy for various reasons, and this supplement helps in relieving them of the pain and aches.
It also helps with any inflammatory conditions that you may face in your bowel movements. The supplements also help in glaucoma and rheumatoid arthritis. However, apart from this, there has been not much evidence of glucosamine being beneficial otherwise.
What Are the Side Effects of Using Glucosamine?
There is not much research available regarding the side effects of consuming glucosamine. At the same time, in association with glucosamine intake, there are no instances of birth defects, miscarriage, and preterm labor. However, you can expect some harmless side effects, which include heartburn, nausea, gas, mild abdominal pain, and an upset stomach.
On the other hand, if you have medical conditions such as asthma, high BP, high cholesterol levels, you should consult with your doctor before taking glucosamine. So far, there are no such instances of glucosamine side effects in the medical journals.
Evaluation Of The Risk Of Glucosamine With Other Drugs
Doctors recommend Glucosamine when other drug-free methods fail to relieve joint pain during pregnancy. This is because NSAID drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, which can alleviate joint pain, are not at all safe during pregnancy.
