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Glucosamine & Chondroitin (Glucosamine Sulfate vs HCl)

15K views 15 replies 5 participants last post by  imported_Top Of The Hill 
#1 ·
I was in Costco the other day and was looking at the Glucosamine & Chondroitin. They had their own brand and also another good brand which was on sale. I was sure that someone on here mentioned that they use the Costco brand for their dog. Anyway I had bought some Cosequin DS just last week and was comparing the two. I seem to remember that my Vet said to use Glucosamine HCl...which is what is in the Cosequin DS and also the previous brand I got from him. The previous brand were just Glucosamine HCl without the Chondroitin. Well I noticed the brands that Costco sells are Glucosamine "Sulfate" not HCl and I'm wondering what the difference is and if the Sulfate is okay to use for dogs. I believe both the Costco brand (Kirkland) and the other brand they sell are Glucosamine Sulfate. Is the HCl superior to the Sulfate? The mg amounts both seem to be the same... with 500 mg Glucosamine "Sulfate" and 400 mg Chondroitin Sulfate in the ones I picked up at Costco as compared to the same in the Cosequin except that the Cosequin is Glucosamine "HCl" and also contains 5 mg Manganese (as Manganese Ascorbate). Could anyone knowledgeable about this please reply? There is a HUGE difference in price between the Costco brand and the brand that I bought on sale at Costco verses the Cosequin! One other difference.....the Cosequin I got are chewable tablets as compared to "capsules" from the brand I got at Costco. I'm not sure if the Costco/Kirkland brand are capsules or tablets.....or if it matters whether you give tablets or capsules. I figured if they weren't suitable for the dog I could use them myself. Thanks in advance for any replies.
 
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#3 ·
CYNLABS said:
I don't know if this article will help you understand the difference: http://www.nutrasense.com/gluchclvssul.html

It doesn't sound like it makes a difference if it's Sulfate or HCl other than in the price. We use the Costco variety for $20 a bottle for Maddy and we've been happy with the results for over 5 years.
Thanks I'll go and read that link. Can you confirm for me that the Costco brand you use is Glucosamine Sulfate please? I believe it was, but we don't have a Costco locally so I can't run back and check. Is the Costco Brand pills or capsules? TIA
 
#5 ·
CYNLABS said:
Thanks. I guess I somehow missed seeing these ones in the store. The brand that I did pick up says it "is a premium product derived from 667 mg of glucosamine sulfate complex, providing a full potency 500 mg dose of glucosamine sulfate per capsule." It's a really good make. I use the same brand for things I take such as calcium citrate, so I'm kind of surprised if the "sulfate" is an inferior form of the product.
 
#6 ·
Top Of The Hill said:
CYNLABS said:
Thanks. I guess I somehow missed seeing these ones in the store. The brand that I did pick up says it "is a premium product derived from 667 mg of glucosamine sulfate complex, providing a full potency 500 mg dose of glucosamine sulfate per capsule." It's a really good make. I use the same brand for things I take such as calcium citrate, so I'm kind of surprised if the "sulfate" is an inferior form of the product.
I read quite a long time ago that Glucosamine Sulfate was the better (and less expensive) form. I stock up at Walmart.... plain old Glucosamine Sulfate for me and the dogs that I give it to. I broke my back a few years ago, and I think it works better for me than the Move Free type formulations. But then I also have taken MSM for years... and what is that, but sulfur? Sulfur is very important to joint health!
 
#7 ·
#9 ·
birdbrainz said:
I read quite a long time ago that Glucosamine Sulfate was the better (and less expensive) form. I stock up at Walmart.... plain old Glucosamine Sulfate for me and the dogs that I give it to. I broke my back a few years ago, and I think it works better for me than the Move Free type formulations. But then I also have taken MSM for years... and what is that, but sulfur? Sulfur is very important to joint health!
Do you just use the glucosamine sulfate on its own or also chondroitin sulfate?

Bob Pr. said:
Puff and I both take the Kirkland 1500 mg Glucosamine HCl and the 1200 mg Chondroitin Sulfate. Have for years.

A year or so ago, Consumers Report rated Costco's Kirkland G&C the most potent and best value. Works for us.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...=1&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1
Bob, do you buy this in the store or on-line? I didn't see this in the store I went into. I was pretty sure that the Kirkland brand they carried was a different strength than you mention and also Glucosamine Sulfate not HCl. I guess I'll have to check again next time I'm there.

kiddsmom said:
Thanks for this link. I notice that it mentions that you can't give the Glucosamine HCl on its own as it should be given with the Chondroitin Sulfate for "better uptake".....and yet that is what my Vet first prescribed....Glucosamine HCl on it's own. :confused: Also that it should contain Manganese for better absorption.....which I think only the Cosequin has of the ones we've mentioned.
 
#10 ·
I buy this formulation in the store.

In the Costco that I use, they've sometimes had different brands and strengths of G&C in different places.

If you do NOT find the one I posted, ask someone in the pharmacy to help you locate it -- I bet it's there but in another place. (Of course, you can always order it online if you have to.)
 
#11 ·
Top Of The Hill said:
birdbrainz said:
I read quite a long time ago that Glucosamine Sulfate was the better (and less expensive) form. I stock up at Walmart.... plain old Glucosamine Sulfate for me and the dogs that I give it to. I broke my back a few years ago, and I think it works better for me than the Move Free type formulations. But then I also have taken MSM for years... and what is that, but sulfur? Sulfur is very important to joint health!
Do you just use the glucosamine sulfate on its own or also chondroitin sulfate?
I used to use the Kirkand one formulated like Move Free w/ the chondroitin sulfate but.... in my experience, the Glucosamine Sulfate (Spring Valley brand), from Walmart, works better. 2000mg per capsule, 2x per day. I get 200 in a bottle for ~$12.00.
 
#12 ·
birdbrainz said:
I used to use the Kirkand one formulated like Move Free w/ the chondroitin sulfate but.... in my experience, the Glucosamine Sulfate (Spring Valley brand), from Walmart, works better. 2000mg per capsule, 2x per day. I get 200 in a bottle for ~$12.00.
Wow, locally I got 120 Cosequin for over $80.00. (I know now that you can get it cheaper on line)

I guess if I decide to switch from the Cosequin once I've used this bottle up to a different brand I can just switch from one day to the next. No problem that I'm going to be going from the Gluc. HCl to Gluc. Sulfate....seeing as I've also bought a large bottle of this other brand? Also the other brand from Costco (but it's not the Costco brand) is in capsules rather than tablets. Does that matter? And would you pull the capsules apart or just give as you would a pill? TIA
 
#13 ·
I never pull the capsules apart-- I just toss them in the dish. My dogs hardly seem to care about any of the supplements I give (fish oil, E, B50 etc).

I am a tightwad when it comes to all this, but I have to say, my 13.5 yo is doing awfully well for her age and I do think the supplements have to help. After today, I hope to have Sonya off the glucosamine as I always give it as a precaution/bandaid til OFAs are done (and look good). I did put Fuji back on it as she had broken a toe at ~1 yo and starting favoring that paw after jumps in obed. Either it's fused now on its own (my OFA vet says that can happen) or the glucosamine has really helped. Don't know which but it sure felt like it had an ugly set of ridges on that toe last spring! Haven't felt it recently but I've also noticed she's not as sensitive about getting that nail dremelled now too. Anne
 
#14 ·
birdbrainz said:
I never pull the capsules apart-- I just toss them in the dish. My dogs hardly seem to care about any of the supplements I give (fish oil, E, B50 etc).

I am a tightwad when it comes to all this, but I have to say, my 13.5 yo is doing awfully well for her age and I do think the supplements have to help. After today, I hope to have Sonya off the glucosamine as I always give it as a precaution/bandaid til OFAs are done (and look good). I did put Fuji back on it as she had broken a toe at ~1 yo and starting favoring that paw after jumps in obed. Either it's fused now on its own (my OFA vet says that can happen) or the glucosamine has really helped. Don't know which but it sure felt like it had an ugly set of ridges on that toe last spring! Haven't felt it recently but I've also noticed she's not as sensitive about getting that nail dremelled now too. Anne
Well if you can get really good results for that price it makes sense. We already have her on Royal Canin Mobility Vet Diet which contains green-lipped mussel powder. I'm not sure how much good the green-lipped mussel in this food does, but she seems to do well on the food regardless.....and my Vet said it was fine to add in the G & C (Cosequin for example) on top of using this food. The down side of this food is that it is very expensive. I should probably be taking the G & C myself as I have arthritis, but I heard that it can affect your blood sugar.

Good luck with Sonya. I hope you get an excellent rating! Bad hips are a real drag. :(
 
#15 ·
Top Of The Hill said:
Well if you can get really good results for that price it makes sense. We already have her on Royal Canin Mobility Vet Diet which contains green-lipped mussel powder. I'm not sure how much good the green-lipped mussel in this food does, but she seems to do well on the food regardless.....and my Vet said it was fine to add in the G & C (Cosequin for example) on top of using this food. The down side of this food is that it is very expensive. I should probably be taking the G & C myself as I have arthritis, but I heard that it can affect your blood sugar.

Good luck with Sonya. I hope you get an excellent rating! Bad hips are a real drag. :(
My dad has diabetes and hasn't had a problem w/ G/C.... certainly something to consider though! Can you use MSM? I swear, it's done wonders for me. I am in remission from SLE (Lupus) too, btw.... I think the MSM and dogs in combo were the trick for me.

Sonya's hips and elbows looked good, thankfully! I wasn't too worried about hips but you hear so many elbow stories any more, even w/ assymptomatic dogs, that until I see the films, I worry.... Anne
 
#16 ·
Anne - My friend's mom is diabetic and the G & C (or maybe it's just the Glucosamine) seemed to throw her blood sugar off kilter. My SIL also had some sort of issue when taking them and she isn't diabetic. Who knows though....perhaps it wasn't the G & C. I haven't tried G/C or MSM.....mainly because my blood sugar was already higher than it should be. I'll ask the doctor about it next time I'm there. Interesting that you think the MSM helped your autoimmune condition. I've also had/have some autoimmune issues.

I'm glad Sonya's hips/elbows looked good. There sure do seem to be a lot of problems with elbows now. Dee's looked okay thankfully. It's enough that her hips aren't good.
 
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