GLC 2000

What is GLC 2000?

GLC 2000 is an all-natural oral formulation for treating arthritis symptoms and maintaining joint health. It is sold by GLC Direct and available both as powder and capsule.

The formulation of GLC 2000 is patented. The product is built around two active ingredients: glucosamine and chondroitin. GLC 2000 contains more of these 2 ingredients than most joint support formulas available in the market.

These 2 active ingredients are not simply combined in GLC 2000. They are combined in specific ratios and by a patented delivery mechanism that ensures that GLC 2000 produces an absorption and bioavailability profile superior to other joint support formulas made out of the same ingredients.

The formulation of GLC 2000 has been clinically tested in animal models and determined to offer a better therapeutic profile than other competing products.

GLC 2000 contains more chondroitin and glucosamine than other joint support medications.

In GLC 2000, the patented formulation produces improved serum levels of chondroitin and glucosamine. In addition, the formulation ensures that these two active ingredients stay longer in the serum to produce longer lasting effects.

GLC 2000 contains no binders and fillers. It is a pure, all-natural joint support formula that has been proven effective by a clinical trial spanning 8 years.

The Ingredients of GLC 2000

Glucosamine

There are 4 different forms of glucosamine in GLC 2000 and they are all sourced from shellfish. These glucosamine salts are glucosamine HCl, glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine potassium and N-acetyl D-glucosamine.

Glucosamine is formulated as salts because it is an unstable molecule on its own.

GLC 2000 includes 865 mg of each of the first 3 glucosamine salts and 240 mg of N-acetyl D-glucosamine.

Glucosamine is an amino sugar naturally produced in bones and bone marrows. It is also found in the exoskeletons of arthropods. This is the reason why shellfish is the major source of glucosamine in supplements.

Glucosamine is a precursor of glycosaminoglycans. Glycosaminoglycans aggregate and form the extracellular matrix of cartilages. Therefore, glucosamine is needed for the repair of joints and to slow down the degeneration of cartilages.

Glucosamine also improves the lubricating properties of synovial fluid.

A number of studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of glucosamine in rebuilding connective tissues especially cartilages. It works even better when combined with chondroitin sulfate.

Both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate were used in the landmark GAIT study which was designed to access the efficacy of both dietary supplements in the treatment of arthritis.

The salt of glucosamine used in that study was glucosamine HCl.

Glucosamine HCl vs. Glucosamine Sulfate

Most of the early glucosamine studies were done with glucosamine sulfate and only the recent glucosamine studies used glucosamine HCl. The new studies try to dispel the belief that only glucosamine sulfate is effective for providing joint support.

New evidences have now shown that both forms of glucosamine are equally effective although some researchers still maintain that the sulfate group in glucosamine sulfate improves the activity of glucosamine.

Of the two salts, glucosamine HCl provides more (80%) pure glucosamine than the sulfate salt (60%). This is because the sulfate group has more molecular weight than the hydrochloride group.

As a result of this, less glucosamine HCl is needed to yield the same pure glucosamine as glucosamine sulfate. Since both salts of glucosamine are supplied in the same proportion in GLC 2000, glucosamine HCl will produce more glucosamine than glucosamine sulfate.

Although both glucosamine HCl and glucosamine sulfate yield glucosamine and can be made bioequivalent by adjusting their concentrations, the salts do have varying secondary benefits.

For example, glucosamine sulfate contains sodium while glucosamine hydrochloride does not. This is because sodium chloride is needed to stabilize the sulfate salt.

On the other hand, glucosamine hydrochloride is stabilized naturally without the need for salt or other preservatives. Therefore, some researchers and manufacturers prefer the hydrochloride salt because its glucosamine yield can be easily determined and because it does not increase the amount of sodium being ingested.

Lastly, glucosamine sulfate is more expensive than glucosamine hydrochloride since the former is made from the latter.

However, some researchers believe that the sulfate group of glucosamine sulfate is required by the body to speed on the production of new cartilage.

This is not a universal conclusion among all researchers but some do believe it is the reason there are more positive glucosamine studies involving the sulfate salt and that, therefore, glucosamine sulfate is the more effective form of glucosamine.

Glucosamine Potassium

Glucosamine potassium is the compound obtained from the stabilization of glucosamine sulfate with potassium chloride.

It is more accurately called glucosamine sulfate-potassium chloride.

Glucosamine sulfate is an unstable glucosamine salt. It is a hygroscopic compound which absorbs moisture and is then degraded. This degradation is characterized by the color change from white to off-white and then tan and brown.

Potassium chloride is a preferable stabilizer for glucosamine sulfate because when the salt is stabilized with sodium chloride, it adds to the sodium levels in the body. This can cause high blood pressure and edema.

Potassium chloride, on the other hand, is actually needed in the body because it increases the potassium levels in the body while balancing the sodium/potassium ratio and making up for the low level of potassium in Western diets.

In a 2010 article published in the Journal of Medical Association of Thailand, the efficacy and safety of glucosamine sulfate potassium chloride were compared to those of glucosamine sulfate sodium chloride in the treatment of mild to moderate pain in osteoarthritis patients.

The results showed that glucosamine potassium was just as effective and safe to use as the glucosamine salt stabilized with sodium chloride.

N-acetyl D-glucosamine

N-acetyl D-glucosamine is the form in which glucosamine is naturally found in the exoskeletons of arthropods and bacterial and fungal cell membranes.

N-acetyl D-glucosamine is especially effective in treating autoimmune causes of arthritis.

In a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, researchers found out that this simple monosaccharide was able to influence the surface proteins of immune cells such as T-cells.

Furthermore, N-acetyl D-glucosamine bonds to glucuronic acid (another monosaccharide which is also one of the sugars making up chondroitin) to form hyaluronic acid.

Hyaluronic acid is one of the two lubricants found in synovial fluid. Therefore, it is needed for maintaining the smooth sliding motion of bones over one another. Hyaluronic acid is also required for bonding glycosaminoglycans to proteins to form the basic units of cartilages.

Furthermore, hyaluronic acid needs to be constantly produced in the body since we use up a third of the body’s store every day. Therefore, GLC 2000 can supply this important precursor to increase the synthesis of an important joint lubricant.

Chondroitin Sulfate

Chondroitin sulfate refers to a class of varying length glycosaminoglycans.

Each long chain of chondroitin is made up of two monosaccharides: D-glucuronic and N-acetyl D-galactosamine. These monosaccharides are alternated to form straight chondroitin chains and each monosaccharide carries one, two or zero groups.

Chondroitin sulfate molecules aggregate to form the basic structure of the cartilage. These aggregates absorb moisture to give the cartilage its cushioning property as well as its flexibility and resistance to compressive forces.

Therefore, chondroitin sulfate slows down the degradation of cartilages and also contributes to its regeneration.

Chondroitin sulfate is sourced from cow or shark cartilage. For GLC 2000, bovine cartilage is used.

Manganese

Manganese is a trace nutrient that serves as a cofactor for a number of enzymes and antioxidants in the body. It is mostly stored in bones where it contributes to their mineralization and to the regeneration of cartilages.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is an antioxidant that can help protect the cartilage and synovial membranes from oxidative damage by free radicals and autoimmune factors.

However, vitamin C plays another major role in joint health. It is needed for the conversion of proline to hydroxyproline. Hydroxyproline is a precursor to collagen and collagen is one of the major proteins making up the cartilage and other connective tissues found at joints.

How to Take GLC 2000

The recommended dose of GLC 2000 is 1 – 3 capsules taken daily depending on your body weight. For those taking GLC 2000 powder, that dose is 1/3 – 1 scoop.

These doses should be divided into two and taken in the morning and evening.

GLC 2000 capsule is ideal for those already taking multivitamin or prescription pills since it can simply be included alongside the medications they routinely take.

GLC 2000 powder is for athletes, weightlifters and other people with active lifestyles. Since these people are already taking proteins shakes and electrolytes, they are can easily add GLC 2000 in this form to their regular supplementation.

Is GLC 2000 Effective?

GLC 2000 represents a unique joint support formula built around glucosamine and chondroitin but especially around the special properties of glucosamine.

It takes full advantage of the multiple glucosamine pathways available in the body. Because the body can utilize all 4 forms of glucosamine, a good way to improve the bioavailability of glucosamine is to supply all of these 4 forms.

Each of the glucosamine salt has a different absorption, distribution and therapeutic profile in the body. Therefore, instead of including just one salt like most natural arthritis formulations do, GLC 2000 uses glucosamine in different ways.

Therefore, GLC 2000 takes the fullest advantage of glucosamine. It quickly raises and then sustains the blood level of glucosamine. This ensures continuous conversion of glucosamine to glycosaminoglycans which are the building blocks of the cartilage.

For these reasons, GLC 2000 is a very effective joint support formulation.

It has a high degree of success amongst its users and especially among the elderly and people with active lifestyles.

GLC 2000 has been proven effective by a long-running and independent clinical trial. It is easy to see how GLC 2000 could prove superior to most of the other joint support formulas especially in a long-term study.

However, because GLC 2000 is a cartilage-rebuilding formula, it is not well suited to treating acute joint pain and inflammation. It does not produce immediate pain relief nor do its effects begin immediately. Rather, it may take weeks before the first positive signs are observed.

Still, GLC 2000 acts faster than similar formulations. This is because it includes four different salts of glucosamine; it includes them in high concentrations too and then pairs them with chondroitin sulfate.

This formulation, therefore, speeds up the repair of damaged cartilage; it also quickly slows down cartilage degeneration and produces a more significant effect overall.

With the amounts and number of glucosamine salts included in GLC 2000, it is quite possible that the gastrointestinal side effects of glucosamine will be increased compared to formulations which only use one salt of glucosamine.

However, there are precious few complaints about these side effects.

It could be that the unique formulation of GLC 2000 reduces these side effects. Even if these side effects are present, they are mostly minor and resolve in time as the body develops tolerance to glucosamine.

In addition, since the glucosamine salts in GLC 2000 are all obtained from shellfish, people with shellfish allergy should avoid this supplement.

For other people though, GLC 2000 represents a uniquely formulated, high-strength and effective joint support formula.