Was this information helpful? Average rating: 3.9/5 (12 votes)
What do you think? Click the stars to vote!
If you have more to say, post a comment below!
Q. I’ve always had low cholesterol, but it has been rising for the past few years. First it went from 180 to 233, and then to 363.
I tried to figure out what might be responsible and realized I had started taking glucosamine and chondroitin for sore knee joints in 2005. I thought perhaps that might have triggered the problem.
My doctor is skeptical and he would like me to take Crestor to lower my cholesterol. In the meantime, I have stopped the supplement. My knees hurt again, but soon I will have my cholesterol tested to see if it has come down.
A. Studies have not shown that glucosamine and chondroitin are effective for relieving mild to moderate arthritis pain (Arthritis and Rheumatism, Oct, 2008). Nonetheless, many people take it and report benefit.
No studies have proven that glucosamine raises cholesterol, though many readers do report such an association. The dietary supplement does appear to increase insulin resistance, however, and could make treatment of type 2 diabetes more difficult (American Journal of the Medical Sciences, June, 2007).
Was this information helpful? Average rating: 3.9/5 (12 votes)
What do you think? Click the stars to vote!
If you have more to say, post a comment below!
My cholesterol level had always been below 165 prior to my taking glucosamine and chondroitin. My HDL was high and my LDL was low. After less than a year of taking the product, my cholesterol level was 200. This despite the fact that I don't eat red meat. I discontinued the product and my level is decreasing.
I find the suggestion that there may be a relation between glucosamine/chondroitin & elevated blood pressure very worth watching further. I have in recent years suffered from labile b.p., & I have been taking g/c. A few years ago my b.p. was excellent. I unfortunately have no record as to the time interrelation, but I'll discontinue the g/c & see if that helps.
Never before taking glucosamine/chondroitin did I have a cholesterol problem. Going off definitely dropped it; but it set me in a pattern where now I have to take a statin to keep it in check; along with careful monitoring of diet and exercise. And I had such pain from arthritis I was not exercising; but after repeated pneumonias and hospitalizations I am in pulmonary rehab and my aches are less with exercise and cholesterol better; without NSAIDS or glucosamine/chondroitin
Glucosamine for me was a definite cholesterol raiser! I was on Zocor and had lipids under control. When I added Glucosamine, it went over 200. On the People's Pharmacy radio show I heard about the connection so stopped taking it. Immediately the readings went down to 183! What more evidence is needed?
My cholestrol was on average of 178. After taking glucosamine & chondronitin my level rose to 235. Which one causes the problem or both I don't know. I've stopped using the combination.
My cholesterol also went up when I started taking glucosamine Chondroitin. I did so at the suggestion of my doctor and a nurse in the emergency room. I had so much pain. It didn't help the pain and I stopped taking it after my cholesterol went up. My cholesterol went down when I discontinued it.
Has anyone had a bad experience with glucosamine and MSN? I was told NOT to take the chondroitin. That might be the culprit!
At the suggestion of my physical therapist, I started taking glucosamine chondroitin in mid-Nov 2008 for arthritic knee pain. Perhaps it's the combination of pt and the drug, but the pain is gone. However, after reading about the potential to raise cholesterol, I plan to have mine checked and see if it is going up.
I have very bad arthritis in one of my knees, and plantar fasciitis in the opposite foot. Some days can be very trying! I tried taking glucosamine/chondroitin, and I started having hot flashes! Since I hadn't had hot flashes for a couple of years, I figured out it was the gl/ch. Sure enough, the hot flashes stopped as soon as I stopped taking gl/ch.
I have since found out about the wonders of red bush tea, and that helps my pain considerably...so much so I no longer have to take industrial strength Motrin. I was up to taking 800 mil in the morning, and another one at bed time. It made me so drowsy; I just hated it.
I had been taking glucosamine and chondroitin for the last 15 years and my cholesterol has been steadily rising. When I read that other people saw a connection I decided to quit taking it, especially when it reached 280 something. I was taking just glucosamine sulfate at that point.
Seven months later my cholesterol was checked and it's down almost 50 points. I'm surprised we don't hear more about this. How many people are taking drugs to lower their cholesterol when all they have to do is stop taking this. There are other things to take for arthritis like turmeric and msm. I feel fine.
My LDL Cholesterol went from 119 to 146 with HDL and Tri stayed the same. Since I am a vegetarian I was puzzled. Was it my two tablespoons a day of Turmeric or the Glucosamine? I know that Turmeric affects the bile and the liver but they say that it is good for reducing LDL, so it must be the Glucosamine.
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: MANY OTHER READERS HAVE REPORTED ELEVATIONS IN CHOLESTEROL WHILE TAKING GLUCOSAMINE.
I bet it was the glucosamine and not the chondroitin that caused the rise in cholesterol, but I was taking the combination for about 10 years for arthritis and my cholesterol gradually went up over the years. I was only using Glucosamine Sulfate toward the end but my cholesterol had gone up so high that I was afraid my doctor would really put the pressure on for me to take medication.
I heard some people had a problem with cholesterol while on Glucosamine so I decided to give it up. My cholesterol went down 50 points the next time it was tested. I take Turmeric but I've found my arthritis isn't that big a problem anymore. I have to mention that I've stopped eating processed food and have started counting calories and losing weight.
A note to the woman who started getting hot flashes from Glucosamine. I had the opposite reaction. When I started taking glucosamine for joint problems, my hot flashes stopped. Several months later I decided the glucosamine was doing nothing for my joint pain. I stopped taking it and within weeks the hot flashes were in full force again. I am now experimenting with very small doses.
Has anyone tried the vegetarian form of Glucosomine? After learning of the significant rise in my cholesterol and trying to find the cause, especially as I am active in exercising and watching my diet, I am looking seriously into the Glucosomine I have been taking over the past 10 years and switching to the corn-based vegetarian Glucosomine.
I was suffered in Vertigo 4 times since 7 month ago. I was have a normal blood pressure, but the latest test result my LDL is 350. Today I realize that it could be becaus I took a Joint Builder Supplement to reduce my knees pain. Sure Glucosmine caused my Cholesterol increased and I'll stop consuming it now..
I started taking a combination of glucosamine and MSM for joint pain about the same time I was going through menopause. I suddenly started having the pain from lack of estrogen, I guess. It made my hot flashes much more frequent and severe so I stopped taking it. I wasn't about to take anything that made those worse! My husband heard from his doctor that MSM (alone) helped with his joint pain, so he started taking the glucosamine/MSM that I had left over for his foot problems. It really helped his foot problems, but he also starting having sweats and feeling hot all the time, so he cut back to one a day and the sweats stopped. I think I'm going to try MSM alone for joint pain as the doctor mentioned.
My physician also has a PHD in Nutrition, and I was very lucky to find him. I have terrible arthritis in my hips, so my doctor suggested niacinamide, 3X a day. It has worked very well. Niacinamide is of the vitamin B group, specifically B3. I am also trying blackberry juice (organic). It is supposed to be loaded with antioxidants and helps with arthritis pain. Don't know if it works yet.. too soon.
Glucosamine most definitely raises bad cholesterol. My ldl levels were always healthy until I started glucosamine supplementation for my osteoarthritis. It jumped up to 181. The doctor wanted to then put me on a statin, which a took for a month and went "What am I doing? I'm young I don't NEED statins!"
So I stopped taking the statins, and then stopped the glucosamine because it is pricey. When I had my blood levels taken again my cholesterol was once again perfectly normal. Beware that this happens with some people so if your cholesterol is very high and you are taking glucosamine, you might want to reconsider.
I am in much more pain these days but will not go back to taking it.
I looked up what Glucosamine is made from and to my surprise it contains a lot of shellfish extractions.... Well all shellfish contain high levels of cholesterol, so if you consume them on a regular basis, especially in concentrated form, guess what, your cholesterol is going to rise!!!