What is Doctor’s Best Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM with OptiMSM®?

Doctor’s Best Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM with OptiMSM® supports joint structure, function and comfort. It is apotent combination of three clinically proven, purified ingredients that help the body manufacture proteoglycans in healthyjoints. Proteoglycans contribute to the maintenance of sound joint structure, ultimately enhancing healthy joint function.

Glucosamine sulfate is extracted from chitin, a long-chain polymer consisting of many glucosamine molecules linked together.Chitin forms structural frameworks in many living things, including aquatic crustaceans. Doctor’s Best glucosamine is purifiedand then sulfated and stabilized with potassium chloride. It is processed to remove residues of protein and impurities, yieldingpure glucosamine sulfate as the final material. Chondroitin sulfate is a chemical in cartilage around joints in the body.

Chondroitin sulfate is manufactured from bovine cartilage. Doctor’s Best uses chondroitin sulfate with a purity of 90 percentor greater. Quality assurance testing is performed using sophisticated laboratory analytical methods.

MSM is an excellentdietary source of bioavailable organic sulfur. Doctor’s Best MSM features OptiMSM®, a highly purified form (99.9% pure) ofmethylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Since the amount of MSM found naturally in living materials is too small to be extracted, theMSM used for dietary supplements is synthesized. The makers of OptiMSM® developed a four-stage process to separateimpurities including heavy metals and other contaminants and is 99.9% pure MSM. Each batch exceeds the United StatesPharmacopeia (USP) monograph standards for MSM, and is validated by testing in independent laboratories.

How does it work?

Articular cartilage is a connective tissue composed of specialized cells (chondrocytes) embedded in a matrix of proteinfibers (mostly collagen) and clusters of complex proteoglycan molecules that consist of a protein core with numerousside chains. These side chains, chiefly chondroitin sulfate and keratin sulfate, are long polysaccharide molecules calledglycosaminoglycans.

Chondroitin sulfate and the other glycosaminoglycans strongly attract water due to the negative chargesof their sulfate groups. These negative charges also repel each other, creating spaces between glycosaminoglycan side chainswhere water can enter. This combination of solid and liquid gives joints a compressible qualitywhich may ultimately enhancehealthy joint function.

Glucosamine is a fundamental building block for proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans. Glucosaminesulfate (GS) helps to maintain joint health through its ability to both act as a component of and stimulate formation ofglycosaminoglycans and the hyaluronic acid backbone essential for the formation of proteoglycans.

MSM contains two oxygenatoms and two methyl groups bound to a sulfur atom. As it donates its methyl groups, MSM enables important metabolicfunctions, including energy transduction and enzyme regulation. MSM’s use in joint stems from its organic sulfur support of thedisulfide bonds that reinforce collagen fibers, a property that’s believed to promote joint integrity and resilience.

Why should I take Doctor’s Best Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM with OptiMSM^®?

Healthy joints may get worn away by sports injuries, overuse, or wear-and-tear that can cause joint pain. Glucosamine helpsstimulate the manufacture of proteoglycans in healthy joints. Chondroitin is a component of healthy joints that attracts water tothe tissue, which helps the joint stay elastic and function as a shock absorber for joints. MSM is a natural sulfur to help formantioxidants and serve as a key structural nutrient in healthy joints and may help to give shape, strength and support to othertissues within the body. This combination of ingredients has been proven to support joint structure, function and comfort.*