Okay, so you've seen the commercials and read the advertisements, but will glucosamine help with your particular joint problem? If your problem has something to do with the joint (synovial) fluids, hyaline cartilage and other connective tissues, such as tendons and ligaments, then the answer is probably yes. Taking the proper form of glucosamine can dramatically help sufferers of arthritis and osteoarthritis, as well as people with joint injuries and other joint ailments.

However, glucosamine is not a quick fix. It takes time to heal any structure in the body, and that can be especially true with joints. If you take a glucosamine product and notice a difference in how you feel within just a few days, it's not because of the glucosamine, it's because the supplement also has some kind of painkiller in it, something that has no business being in a joint supplement. Pain is the body's way of telling us that something is wrong. When an ingredient in a supplement masks that pain, a person might mistakenly believe that their joint is already better and use it more than they should. This is dangerous and can lead to more damage being done. If you must use a painkiller, then use one separately from the joint supplement. In that way, you'll be able to reduce your reliance on the painkiller as your joints gradually heal.

So, how long can you expect it to take before you see a noticeable difference in how you feel? That all depends on the seriousness of the problem. It usually take 4 to 6 weeks for the average adult to notice a difference in how their joints feel. In the case of injuries and other serious joint ailments, for complete healing to take place can take a great deal longer. For example, torn cartilage takes upwards of a year to fully heal, though you will notice definite improvements long before then. The location of the problem will affect the healing time as well. Some joints need more time to return to a full healthy state than others. The spine can take the longest of all, sometimes as much as three years.

Glucosamine is not just for people with joint problems, however. Even individuals with healthy joints can benefit since taking glucosamine will help keep them that way, preventing problems from occurring further down the road. People who believed that there was nothing wrong with their joints might be amazed at how much better they feel after taking a good joint supplement for just a few weeks. Our joints are one of the most important structures in our bodies. When they are not operating at peak performance, it can dramatically affect our quality of life.