Glucuronic Acid
Glucuronic acid is found naturally in the body. It is considered to be a non-essential nutrient, meaning that it can be made in your body by combining other nutrients with glucose. Glucuronic acid is also extracted from vegetables, fruits and grains.
History
The first use of glucuronic acid was to treat gout, a type of arthritis. The compound was first identified by a German chemist named Karl Heinrich Ritthausen in 1878, who named it after the sugar molecule that is part of its structure: glucuronic acid.
Benefits
Glucuronic acid is a polysaccharide that is present in the body. It is the major component of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which are long-chain carbohydrates found in every cell of the body. They play an important role in regulating tissue development, maintenance and repair. Glucuronic acid helps remove harmful substances from the body - glucuronic acid and the harmful substance combine in the liver and then are passed in the urine.
Glucuronic acid also has antioxidant properties and may help to prevent damage to tissues caused by free radicals.
Safety
Glucuronic acid is safe to consume and has no known side effects.