N-Acetyl Glucosamine

- Functional effects : Can help articular cartilage health and skin moisturizing

- Daily Intake : 0.5~1g as N-acetylglucosamine (joint and articular cartilage health), 1g as N-acetylglucosamine (skin moisturizing)

What is N-acetylglucosamine?

N-acetylglucosamine is acquired through hydrolysis of chitin, components of a crustacean (prawn, crab, etc.). In a human body, N-acetylglucosamine forms Glycosaminoglycan, glycolipid and glycoprotein which are matters of cell-bound components and joint synovial cells. 

As N-acetylglucosamine does not any salt such as hydrochloride and sulphate, even a salt-sensitive person can safely take it. This natural material is also contained in milk or mother’s milk.

Effect of N-Acetyl Glucosamine

1. Skin moisturizing
As the precursor of hyaluronic acid which is one of skin moisturizing components, N-acetylglucosamine is rapidly absorbed in the body to increase hyaluronic acid in the derma, thereby making your skin moisturized.

2. Improved articular cartilage and health
A human body is composed of about 200 joints. The region where two bones are connected to enable you move, and there are articular cartilage sypnovial between the bones to protect a joint from shocks. However, as one grows older, the articular cartilage component (Proteoglycan) gets less biosynthesis capability. Furthermore, excessive exercises, labor or overweight will cause damaged articular cartilage and the problems in the joint movements. N-acetylglucosamine promotes biosynthesis of articular cartilage component, and has effect of articular cartilage generation and the increase in sypnovial liquid, thereby helping articular cartilage health. 

Related Articles

1. Anti-wrinkle effect of N-Acetyl-D-gluosamin(NAG) (J. Soc. Cosmet. Scientists Korea. Vol.30, No 4, December 2004, 457-462)

: NAG from a crab shell, has no stimulation at all on skin, with the effect of promoting fibroblast activity and the creation of collagen, as well as of reducing skin wrinkles.

2. Oral N-acetylglucosamine supplementation improves skin conditions of female volunteers. (Kazuaki Kikuchi, Yoshiharu Matahira. J.Appl. Cosmetol 20, 143-152)

: Intake of N-acetylglucosamine showed the effect of skin moisturizing.

3. Effects and safety of soymilk beverage containing N-acetylglucosamine on osteoarthritis. ( Jpn pharmaclo Ther, vol.34, no.1, 2006)

: Intake of soy milk containing N-acetylglucosamine for long time, showed the results that minor pain, stiffness and inconvenience in knee joints have been improved. 

4. N-Acetylglucosamine Prevents IL-1b-Mediated Activation of human chondrocytes. (Alexander R. Shikhman, Klaus Kuhn. The Journal of Immunology, 2001, 166: 5155–5160)

: N-acetylglucosamine inhibits inflammation of articular cartilage.