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Overview: NAG: N-acetyl-glucosamine (Jarrow). Each bottle, 120 capsules. Each capsule, 750 mg of glucosamine. This acetylated form is more readily absorbed than other forms of glucosamine. Suggested use is 1 to 3 capsules per day.
USAGE:
Take 1 to 3 capsules per day, or as directed by your qualified
health consultant. Do NOT use if allergic to shellfish.
N-Acetyl Glucosamine is a molecule consisting of an amine
(from glutamine) and a carbohydrate (glucose) that has been
stabilized by complexing itto an acetyl group.
N-Acetyl
Glucosamine is the bodys precursor to hyaluronic
acid, which is part of the synovial fluid that lubricates
joints. N-A-G is produced in the intestinal tract via specialized
cells called goblet cells that are responsible for producing
your mucin(or mucosal lining).
N-Acetyl
Glucosamine is the versatile form of glucosamine for joint
and intestinal tissue.
This product is best taken with BioSil, the only
high potency source of orthosilicic acid, the biologically
active form of silicon that strengthens joints.
Keep out of the reach of children.
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These
statements have not been evaluated by the food
and Drug Administration. This product is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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SUPPLEMENT
FACTS
Serving
Size 1 Capsule
|
Amount |
%
DV |
|
N-Acetyl-Glucosamine
|
750
mg |
|
*
Need in human nutrition not established.
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Other
Ingredients: Magnesium stearate. Capsule consists of gelatin.
Contains no common allergen.
Glucosamine-like supplement inhibits multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes
Metabolic therapy shows promise for treating autoimmune diseases, UC Irvine study finds
Irvine, Calif., May 14, 2007
A glucosamine-like dietary supplement has been found to suppress the damaging autoimmune response seen in multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes mellitus, according to University of California, Irvine health sciences researchers.
In studies on mice, Dr. Michael Demetriou and colleagues with the UC Irvine Center for Immunology found that N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), which is similar but more effective than the widely available glucosamine, inhibited the growth and function of abnormal T-cells that incorrectly direct the immune system to attack specific tissues in the body, such as brain myelin in MS and insulin-producing cells of the pancreas in diabetes. Study results appear on the online version of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
"This finding shows the potential of using a dietary supplement to help treat autoimmune diseases," said Demetriou, an assistant professor of neurology, and microbiology and molecular genetics. "Most importantly, we understand how this sugar-based supplement inhibits the cells that attack the body, making metabolic therapy a rational approach to prevent or treat these debilitating diseases."
The UC Irvine study defines how metabolic therapy with the sugar GlcNAc and other related nutrients modifies the growth and autoimmune activitiy of T-cells. Virtually all proteins on the surface of cells, including T-cells, are modified with complex sugars of variable lengths and composition. Recent studies have shown that changes in these sugars are often associated with T-cell hyperactivity and autoimmune disease.
In mouse models of both MS and type 1 diabetes, Demetriou and colleages found that GlcNAc prevented this hyperactivity and autoimmune response by increasing sugar modifications to the T-cell proteins. This therapy normalized T-cell function and prevented development of paralysis in MS and high blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetes.
This study comes on the heels of others showing the potential of GlcNAc in humans. One previous clinical study reported that 8 of 12 children with treatment-resistant autoimmune inflammatory bowel disease improved significantly following two years of treatment with GlcNAc. No significant adverse side effects were noted.
"Together, these findings identify metabolic therapy using dietary supplements such as GlcNAc as potential treatments for autoimmune diseases." Demetriou said. "Excitement for this treatment strategy stems from the novel mechanism for affecting T-cell function and autoimmunity and the availability and simplicity of its use. However, additional studies in humans will be required to assess the full potential of this therapeutic approach."
Autoimmune diseases such as MS and type 1 diabetes mellitus result from poorly understood interactions between inherited genetic risk and environmental exposure. MS results in neurological dysfunction, while uncontrolled blood glucose in type 1 diabetes can lead to damage of multiple organs.
Ani Grigorian, Sung-Uk Lee, Wenqiang Tian, I-Ju Chen and Guoyan Gao of UC Irvine and Richard Mendelsohn and James W. Dennis of the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute in Toronto participated in the study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Wadsworth Foundation and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.
About the University of California, Irvine: The University of California, Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students and about 1,800 faculty members. The second-largest employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $3.7 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu .
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Source: Thomas Jefferson University Released: Mon 28-Nov-2005, 15:40 ET
Over-the-Counter Arthritis Drug Might Help Against MS Libraries Medical News
Keywords MS, ARTHRITIS Contact Information
Newswise - Glucosamine, the over-the counter natural product that has been touted to help with joint and cartilage problems associated with arthritis, may also provide some relief to individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), a degenerative, nervous system disease with no known cure.
Using a mouse model of MS, neurologists at Jefferson Medical College found that doses of glucosamine similar to those taken for osteoarthritis dramatically delayed the onset of symptoms and improved the animals' ability to move and walk.
The scientists, led by A. M. Rostami, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience in Philadelphia, and Guang-Xian Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology at Jefferson Medical College, say the treatment's anti-inflammatory effects may be useful in conjunction with more mainstream therapies such as beta-interferon in helping patients with MS to delay or perhaps stave off some of the debilitating effects of the disease. They report their findings in the December 1, 2005 of The Journal of Immunology.
"It would be fantastic if glucosamine works in humans because we have a product that has a long track record for safety, and most importantly, can be given orally," says Dr. Rostami, who is also director of the Neuroimmunology Laboratory in the Department of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College. He notes that current treatments for MS are given by injection. He hopes to test glucosamine in clinical trials in the near future.
MS, one of the most common neurological diseases affecting young adults, is thought to be an autoimmune disease (in which the body attacks its own tissue) affecting the central nervous system (CNS). In MS, the myelin coating of nerve fibers becomes inflamed and scarred. As a result, "messages" cannot be sent through the nervous system.
Dr. Rostami and his group used an animal model of MS called experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), which mimics the human disease, to investigate glucosamine's potential immune system-suppressing properties. Such animals gradually develop the disease.
In the studies, some of the mice received glucosamine, while others did not.
They gave glucosamine to the mice three ways: orally, intraperitoneally and intravenously. They also tested the drug in one set of animals before the onset of symptoms, and in another group at the time the animals began to show symptoms.
In each case, the researchers showed they could significantly prolong the onset of disease. That is, those animals that got glucosamine took longer to get ill and once they became ill, the disease was much less severe. It was just as effective when given early in the disease or when the animals became sick.
They examined the animals' spinal cords and found less inflammation and "demyelination" in those that were given glucosamine.
"As a therapy, it might be used in combination with other proven treatments, such as beta-interferon and copaxone," says Dr. Rostami.
The research team has some ideas of how glucosamine exerts its effects. According to Dr. Rostami, EAE and MS are caused by abnormal responses from the immune system's T cells. There are two types: TH1, which promotes inflammation, and TH2, which is anti-inflammatory. "We've shown the glucosamine modulates the immune response by producing more TH2 responses, suppressing brain inflammation," he says. "At the same time, it suppresses TH1 response."
The researchers currently are testing the effectiveness of combinations of glucosamine and standard drugs for MS in the same mouse model to look for adverse effects. They are also trying to find out if glucosamine can suppress the relapses in the relapsing/remitting form of the disease.
Relapsing/remitting is the most common form of MS. Patients experience clearly defined "flare-ups," acute episodes in which neurological functions worsen, followed by partial or complete recovery periods.
Over 400,000 Americans acknowledge having MS; however, many neurologists believe that nearly one million Americans are living with MS in the United States today. Symptoms can include fatigue, loss of coordination, muscle weakness, numbness, inability to walk or use hands and arms, pain, vision problems, slurred speech, decline in the ability to think and reason, and bladder/bowel dysfunction.
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