Glucosamine & Chondroitin FAQs
What is glucosamine?
Glucosamine is a monosaccharide derived from glucose and glutamine (an amino acid). It is used to produce substances in the body that attract and bind water into tissues, making them more resilient. It is especially important to maintain properly functioning joint structures.
How is glucosamine manufactured?
Animal-derived glucosamine is produced by removing the proteins and minerals from the shells of shrimp and crab. Vegetable-derived glucosamine is produced through the fermentation of corn and other grains.
In 2004, NOW developed the Official Method recommended by the AOAC (Association of Analytical Communities) to measure the presence of glucosamine in dietary supplements. This method is still used by laboratories all over the world to identify glucosamine in supplements. This is the level of expertise NOW employs when assuring the quality of all our products.
Because we are using the most accurate measurement method for glucosamine, you can be sure that when you buy one of our joint support product, the amount of glucosamine we claim on our label is the actual amount of glucosamine found in the product.
What is the source of NOW’s Chondroitin?
NOW’s Chondroitin is derived from bovine tissue from cattle. As with all of our raw materials, we screen Chondroitin very carefully for the presence of any undesirable microbes. NOW’s state-of-the-art analytical lab has developed a method of testing chondroitin, which is currently being verified by independent labs around the world and is expected to become an Official Method used to test all products containing chondroitin sulfate.
What is the Vegetarian Glucosamine & MSM made from?
Our Vegetarian Glucosamine & MSM contains GreenGrown® Glucosamine HCl which is derived from a Non-GMO corn source. GreenGrown® and the GreenGrown® logo are trademarks of Ethical Naturals, Inc.
This vegetarian source Glucosamine product has been welcomed by those who have shellfish allergies and were previously unable to use a glucosamine product. It provides an acceptable non-animal glucosamine for vegetarians/vegans. Due to the fact that GreenGrown® Glucosamine HCl is molecularly identical to the glucosamine HCl from shellfish, it may provide beneficial nutrients for a natural joint health program.
