Glucosamine and/or MSM?

M Powell said:

I've Googled the group and found a thread from last May about folks taking (and avoiding)
supplements for joint pain. What was NOT discussed was dosage levels that seem to be effective.

I'm a 53-year old returnee, coming back to cycling after a long absence. Doing about 80 to 100
miles per week for the last 3 months on a hybrid. It's as much my upper leg muscles (are the
hamstrings on top, or just lower part above the knee?) that hurt.

Glucosamine is supposed to help arthritic joints. I'm not aware of it doing anything for muscles.
MSM is also supposed to help with arthritis. I used to take glucosamine for a year or two but I
couldn't really tell a difference. I stopped and I still can't tell a difference. What seems to help
my arthritis the most is just regular exercise but not overdoing
it.

As for your muscles, your quadriceps are on the upper leg in the front. The hamstrings are on the
upper leg in the back.

mrtrainer.commuscloc.htmlOpen ↗

If you're having muscle pain, I'd recomend taking a few days off and then come back with shorter
rides. Make sure to stretch thoroughly both before and after your ride. What kind of pain is it? Are
you riding every day?

Drink lots of water before, during and after your ride. It can't hurt and it may help.

--Bill Davidson
--
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I'm a 17 year veteran of usenet -- you'd think I'd be over it by now

In article <[email hidden]>, M Powell

Quoted message said:

I've Googled the group and found a thread from last May about folks taking (and avoiding)
supplements for joint pain. What was NOT discussed was dosage levels that seem to be effective.

I'm a 53-year old returnee, coming back to cycling after a long absence. Doing about 80 to 100
miles per week for the last 3 months on a hybrid. It's as much my upper leg muscles (are the
hamstrings on top, or just lower part above the knee?) that hurt.

Sounds like the quadriceps.

Quoted message said:

Advice? Counsel?

You'll work the quads a lot harder in the upright riding position of a hybrid than you would on
a drop-handlebar road bike or even a cross-country mountain bike. In the upright position you
are mostly unable to use your glutes. You might try lowering your handlebars if you can tolerate
the position.

If you're in your optimal position already, then hydration, taking in calories on long rides, and
pacing yourself (reducing effort) are all things that will preserve your strength. Make a point of
hydrating before, during and after the ride. Weigh yourself before and after the ride to see what
you've lost.

Spinning a faster cadence (lower gear) may also help.

If the hard efforts cause pain, ride more miles at low effort.

--Paul

I've known several people who have been helped greatly by glucosamine and MSM. They've had joint
pain and disability and after several months of using 2,000 to 3,000 mg. of each daily, have been
restored to a functional level. You can regard these supplements as being for longterm prevention,
as well as for reducing existing joint problems. They help maintain and lubricate the cartilage in
the joints and may even rebuild it a bit, in some cases. The body's response to taking them will not
be immediate, but it may require a few months before benefits are noticed.

Glucosamine is a very complex carbohydrate that is formed naturally in the body, but its
production declines with age. Glucosamine supplements are usually made from the shells of
shrimp, so if you have an allergy to this type of shellfish, it may not be suitable for you.

Our modern method of growing fruits and vegetables and the storing and processing of them,
leaves them deficient in MSM. It is an organic compound of sulfur, that forms from elements in
the upper atmosphere and comes down with rainfall. It doesn't last long in water, before it
degrades chemically. Irrigated crops and those stored or cooked before being eaten, don't have
much of it. Our ancestors picked berries, roots and other tidbits from plants that were watered
by the rain and absorbed the MSM immediately. They ate them on the spot, before the MSM had
deterriorated. Unless you eat wild foods in this way (the Gorilla Diet), MSM supplements could
help you, regardless of age.

Steve McDonald

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I've Googled the group and found a thread from last May about folks taking (and avoiding)
supplements for joint pain. What was NOT discussed was dosage levels that seem to be effective.

I'm a 53-year old returnee, coming back to cycling after a long absence. Doing about 80 to 100
miles per week for the last 3 months on a hybrid. It's as much my upper leg muscles (are the
hamstrings on top, or just lower part above the knee?) that hurt.

The top (front) of the thigh is the quadriceps, and the back of the thigh is the hamstrings.

Quoted message said:

Advice? Counsel?

Muscle soreness is largely a matter of conditioning, but I also find that I get sore muscles a lot
more when I don't take in enough salt. YMMV, though.

--
David Kerber An optimist says "Good morning, Lord." While a pessimist says "Good Lord,
it's morning".

Remove the ns_ from the address before e-mailing.

...... MSM supplements could help you, regardless of age.......

One of the things I read about MSM is that it also softens scar tissue. I don't know if this is true
or not but I am wondering if that is a bad thing for me.

I am recovering from surgery for a VERY severe ruptured disk. Lots of nerve damage left behind in my
foot (and 20 months worth of rehab and recovery so far). I am riding again now and was interested in
MSM but I wonder if scar tissue is what is holding my disk together and if softening the scar tissue
could weaken it.

Yes, I am going to ask the doctor in a couple of weeks but I wonder if anyone had any
thoughts on this?

(Steve McDonald) said:

Our modern method of growing fruits and vegetables and the storing and processing of them, leaves
them deficient in MSM. It is an organic compound of sulfur, that forms from elements in the upper
atmosphere and comes down with rainfall.

I'm not a nutritionist, but from what I understand we get more sulfur than we need by eating
animal protein.

I guess this also means that burning high-sulfur coal and the resulting acid rain could be a good
thing, nutritionally speaking :-/

RFM