Q. I see all kinds of glucosamine products on store shelves that are either pills or capsules. Each has slightly different ingredients and prices. What's the reason for the price differences?

A. First of all, glucosamine comes in different grades and that affects quality. You will also note that the greater the number of milligrams offered, the higher the price. In pill or capsule form, there is no real guarantee about the quality of the glucosamine. As well, these products contain as much as 80% filler. Obviously, that does not offer you anything of value. Some of these products cost as much as $50/month. It's a lot of money and there is no real certainty about the ingredients. Syn-Flex uses pharmaceutical grade glucosamine in liquid form for maximum absorption and maximum relief.

Q. Are there any side effects?

A. Do not take glucosamine if you are currently pregnant or nursing. If you are diabetic, be sure to check your blood glucose regularly, as glucosamine has been shown to increase blood sugars in animal trials. Also, if you allergic to shellfish to glucosamine do not take it. A small percentage of people who take glucosamine may encounter light diarrhea. This can be avoided by splitting dosage between morning and evening. More information on side effects can be found here.

Q. Why is better, stronger, healthier cartilage important?

A. Cartilage, a smooth, firm material made of a few cells with an amorphous matrix of charged sugars and collagen covers the bone ends in joints. Damage to this cartilage produces pain and grinding in the joints. Osteoarthritis and posttraumatic arthritis are types of diseases in which the cartilage is damaged. Osteoarthritis, which affects at least 40 million people in the United States, results from a change in the quality of cartilage due to injury, disease, genetics, overuse, or aging. As the cartilage begins to lose its fluidity and cushioning effect, damage to the underlying bone can occurs, often resulting in stiffness and pain.

Q. What exactly IS glucosamine?

A. Glucosamine, is a charged sugar molecule that is a key component of the extracellular matrix of cartilage (grout between the cartilage cells). It absorbs and releases water with each step, thereby acting as a shock absorber for the joints. With more glucosamine there is more joint protection.

Glucosamine is a natural sugar produced by your body. It is the essential and principal ingredient that determines the quantity of proteoglcycan (water-holding) molecules that are formed in the body. The greater the amount of glucosamine in the body, the greater the amount of proteoglycans. The proteoglycans are large, water-binding molecules made up of (both) proteins and sugars. It is important to understand that they are a major building block of healthy, vital cartilage. Glucosamine also stimulates the production of glycosaminoglycans (GAG's) which are important proteins found in cartilage. They serve to "bind" the water within the cartilage matrix. Glucosamine supplements are made from the shells of shellfish.

Q. Is Syn-flex approved by the FDA?

A. Syn-flex is a nutritional supplement and nutritional supplements are not regulated by the FDA.

Q. Is it true that Syn-flex will end osteoarthritis pain in dogs, cats, and horses too?

A. Yes. Glucosamine was used to treat horses many years before the beneficial effects for humans were known. Now with the high quality glucosamine, the liquid formula for maximum absorption, and the eleven other beneficial ingredients, your pet's osteoarthritis can be as good as gone with Syn-flex. Full information on Syn-flex for use in pets can be found here.

Q. I had knee surgery and lost half of my cartilage. How much of it can I rebuild and how?

A. Frankly it is difficult to quantify the rehabilitation of cartilage by percentages. The cartilage that has been destroyed, is essentially still there, it simply has lost its water-binding and water-holding capabilities. The ingredients in Syn-flex stimulate the product of protoglycans and glucosyminoglycans, restoring the cushioning properties of the cartilage and stopping bad enzymes from continuing to chew your cartilage away.

It is safe to say that the rehabilitation would be quite dramatic, and would come close to what it was originally, however it does vary person to person.

Q. I see that Syn-flex contains both Glucosamine sulfate and Glucosamine HCL. Why is Glucosamine HCL added to your product?

A. The medical studies released in January of 2001 confirmed that glucosamine sulfate is clinically proven to assist those who suffer from arthritis. However, that is only part of the picture. Another medical study conducted several years ago compared two ingredients. That study found the HCL form of glucosamine created even more cartilage components. We have combined both ingredients to ensure the consumer benefits from both. In fact, Syn-flex offers of 1250mg. of the recommended daily allowance. (More about the ingredients)

Q. I have purchased Syn-flex. What do you recommend for dosage?

A. We have set up a page to explain this. You may read this here.

Q. I have never tried Syn-flex. What does it taste like?

A. Everyone has their own opinion about the flavor. It is slightly tart and has a tarty green apple flavor. If you prefer you can mix it with your favorite drink, however. Some prefer to take a sip of water after. One of our customers even concocted a wonderful "Senior Concoction" of Syn-flex and Metamucil.

Q. I know a lot of people who use it and they all swear by it. What makes Syn-flex so effective?

A. Certainly the ingredients themselves play a major role here. As well, and this is really a matter of common sense, it should be clear that a liquid formula is going to provide the greatest possible absorption into your system. More information on the efficacy of Syn-flex can be found in "How Syn-Flex works." (Read Testimonials)

Q. What if there is NO cartilage left in a joint.... what can Syn-flex do....??

A. When there is no cartilage left, Syn-flex will regenerate as much cartilage as is possible. However, when a bone on bone situation has occurred it is very challenging.

Syn-flex will without a doubt, be your best shot at saving any cartilage that may be remaining and ending your pain. Additionally, if your cartilage in one joint has disappeared, you should be taking liquid glucosamine to ensure this does not spread further to other joints throughout your body.

If you are currently on NSAIDs or COX-2 inhibitors, I would suggest not taking these as you are putting yourself at risk for many severe side effects. Furthermore, there is recent research suggesting taking these will actually hasten the deterioration of your cartilage.

Q. I have noticed that pills and capsules usually contain both glucosamine and chondroitin. Does Syn-flex have chondroitin in it?

A. Yes. The shark cartilage is comprised of approximately 20% chondroitin sulfate. It is interesting that you asked because other studies have found that the combination of all three is the most effective (glucosamine sulfate + glucosamine HCL + chondroitin = joint pain relief).

Q. Why did you use Shark Cartilage to derive the Chondroitin Sulfate in Syn-flex?

A. The two most common compounds that are used for Chondroitin are Bovine (Cow) Trachea and Shark Cartilage. We chose to use shark cartilage over Bovine due to the risk of BSE (Mad Cow Disease).

Q. I know that most joint products contain glucosamine. What are some of these other ingredients all about?

A. All of the ingredients contained in Syn-flex are there because they assist in building healthy joints. Without going into a lot of detail about them, boswellin, yucca, and omega 3 & 6 fatty acids each contribute to joint health and fight inflammation. Manganese and ascorbic acid are added to aid your body's ability to produce glucosamine. (More about the ingredients)

Q. Are there any special instructions other than what is on the label? Also, why are there slight changes in the color of the product?

A. You should not refrigerate Syn-flex. It has a shelf life of two years so you can certainly store it at a room temperature for that long. That slight change in color happens sometimes. It is simply something that happens naturally as a result of exposure to light.

Q. Another company recently put out a liquid product but you have to drink an 8 oz. bottle every day. Would you comment on this product?

A. The product you are referring to contains only three principal ingredients; glucosamine, calcium, and Vitamin C. We don't know why they feel it is necessary to drink 8 ounces a day. The ingredient mix of Syn-flex is considerably broader and our 8-oz. bottle lasts 32 days. We are achieving incredible results by using just 1/4 of an ounce a day. The other product you are referring to is considerably more expensive then Syn-flex and does not bring the benefits of our additional ingredients like chondroitin, fish oils, yucca, and omega 3.