THE ARTICLE
Glucuronolactone is a naturally occurring chemical compound which is currently most popular in energy drinks and supplements. In the supplement world, it has been used in performance enhancing, pre-workout supplements. If you see this on the label of your favourite supplement, you'll soon find out why.
Glucuronolactone has a regulating effect on glycogen, as it is a natural metabolite of glucose. While is is found naturally in minute amounts, energy drinks provide as much as a 120 fold increase as you'd find naturally, in wine, for example. Up to 2400ml/L is quite a jump. However, studies haven't shown any adverse affects of taking exceedingly high doses of it, though an acute toxicity level was established using a rat model at 20,000g/kg bodyweight. This is a lot more than is found in supplements, about 500-3,000mg.
Is it safe?
Based on the high tolerance levels, glucuronolactone can be taken in large amounts without having to worry. Further, it is metabolised quickly and waste (glucaric acid and 2 sugar structures) are quickly excreted in urine.
Safety studies by the European Commission concerned about the health effects of energy drinks agreed that this component is safe, taken in moderate doses in energy supplements.
While still inconclusive, there are also several studies which suggest that this compound is hepatoprotective, meaning it does no harm to the liver and it may actually have the opposite effect. This is a great plus for this supplement, since many supplements are found to be harmful on the liver.
Is it Good for Joints?
If you're experiencing some joint pain, inflammation or tightness in the tendons, its a good idea to make sure your supplements are not making problems worse. This has not proven to improve the state of problem joints or tendons, but it is a part of the essential make-up of tendons, cartilage and connective tissue. Supplementing with it likely has no negative effects as a result.
Does it really work?
This ingredient wouldn't be so prevalent in so many energy drinks and performance boosters if it wasn't effective in some way. There are a few studies to back it up. The studies which are usually cited to sell energy drinks have a common flaw; they do not control for the effects of the other ingredients in energy drinks, including caffeine. This makes the studies less reliable.
However, they have proven a few good points. One experimented with sleepy drivers in cars in monotonous environments, and it was proven that the drinks reduced drowsiness.
Another study examined memory, mood and information processing. Participants were tested sugar vs sugar free, showing no apparent differences in performance. They were also tested with a placebo, finding that those who took the energy booster performed better than the placebo group.
The last study tested for psychomotor performance, alertness, and physical endurance. Again, it was noted that the subjects performed better in aerobic and anaerobic endurance, and mental performance along with reaction time.
These studies show that glucuronolactone is a part of a safe, performance enhancing compound, easily available to anyone looking for a little help.
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