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N-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG) is a form of glucosamine, is a building block of connective tissues to hold cells together. N-Acetyl Glucosamine is an amino sugar which consists of amino acids and glucose. Amino sugars are essential components of all body tissues, being integral parts of cell membranes and their surface structure as well as the interstitial tissue which holds cells together. NAG occurs naturally in the human body and is the starting point for the synthesis of many important tissue components. Attached to proteins, N.A.G. can form cartilage, ligaments and tendons. It forms an important substrate in the connective tissues lining the intestinal tract and musculoskeletal system. Tissue components made from N.A.G. are durable and dispersed throughout the body. NAG differs from glucosamine sulfate and glucosamine hydrochloride in that instead of a sulfur or chloride molecule, NAG has a larger, more complex molecule attached to it. As a result, NAG is an entirely different molecule than either glucosamine sulfate or hydrochloride, and it also appears to be handled by the body differently.
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