Evaluation of the effect of glucosamine administration on biomarkers             of cartilage and bone metabolism in bicycle racers.
In the present study, the effect of glucosamine administration (1.5 or 3 g/day)             on cartilage and bone metabolism was investigated in bicycle racers, using cartilage‑             and bone‑specific biomarkers, including C‑terminal cross‑linked telopeptides of             type II collagen (CTX‑II), C‑terminal propeptides of type II procollagen (CPII),             N‑terminal telopeptides of bone‑specific type I collagen (NTx) and bone alkaline             phosphatase (BAP). The results indicate that CPII (a marker of type II collagen             synthesis) was not substantially changed, however, CTX‑II (a marker of type II             degradation) was reduced by glucosamine administration, particularly at a dose             of 3 g/day. Consistent with these observations, the ratio of CTX‑II/CPII was reduced             by glucosamine administration and the effect of glucosamine was dose‑dependent.             By contrast, the levels of NTx (a bone resorption marker) and BAP (a bone formation             marker) were not altered by glucosamine administration. A previous study by this             group reported that glucosamine exerts a chondroprotective action in soccer players             by preventing type II collagen degradation but maintaining type II collagen synthesis.             Together these observations indicate that glucosamine may exert a chondroprotective             action by preventing type II collagen degradation in athletes of various sports,             including soccer players and bicycle racers.
Department of Medicine for Motor Organs, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113‑8421, Japan.
Rei
R
Momomura
Kiyohito
K
Naito
Mamoru
M
Igarashi
Taiji
T
Watari
Atsuhiko
A
Terakado
Shinji
S
Oike
Koji
K
Sakamoto
Isao
I
Nagaoka
Kazuo
K
Kaneko
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000378:metabolism; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002356:Cartilage / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D015990:Placebo Effect; D013177:Sports; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D024042:Collagen Type I; D024043:Collagen Type II; D010455:Peptides; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D005944:Glucosamine