Posted on 09/17/2010 8:59:51 AM PDT by dangerdoc
New research suggests that glucosamine and chondroitin, two supplements regularly prescribed to help patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis manage joint pain, produce "no clinically relevant effect".
The number of prescriptions issued for glucosamine and chondroitin has increased rapidly over the last ten years, with the treatments also available over the counter.
However, studies on the efficacy of glucosamine and chondroitin have produced mixed results, prompting Professor Peter Juni and a team of researchers at the University of Bern in Switzerland to launch their own investigation.
After looking at ten previously-published trials, Professor Juni and the team concluded that glucosamine and chondroitin, whether taken independently or together, had no bearing on joint pain or on joint space narrowing.
"Compared with placebo, glucosamine, chondroitin and their combination do not reduce joint pain or have an impact on narrowing of joint space," the authors wrote.
"Health authorities and health insurers should be discouraged from funding glucosamine and chondroitin treatment."
However, a spokesperson for Arthritis Research UK noted that Professor Juni also found glucosamine and chondroitin to be safe and had no issue with patients taking the supplements as long as they paid for them themselves.
"Glucosamine and chondroitin are two of the most popular health supplements for osteoarthritis and two of the most commonly investigated," the spokesperson commented.
"Many trials have been done over the years but with mixed results. Some trials, but not all, have shown worthwhile improvements in pain. These compounds are also safe. NICE makes it clear in their guidelines on osteoarthritis that while they don't feel there's enough evidence to warrant the NHS paying for the supplements, some people may want to consider an over-the-counter trial as part of a wider self-management plan which includes exercise and keeping to an ideal weight, and we would support that view." 17 September 2010, 15:07
Glucosamine didn’t work for me, but fish oil did.
It must have lowered the inflammation to sub-pain level.
Meat gelatin, as well. Look at what people buy for meat vs. what ya get when ya butcher an animal. They take away all the stuff that reminds you you’re eating an animal.
In other words, it has helped me tremendously.
They can say what they want. I have used it on older dogs and within a month they are actively playing again after having difficulty getting up a staircase before. I also use it and can say it takes most of the stiffness out of my joints.
I could possibly be accused of mentally thinking it’s helping but the reason I began to use it was seeing what it did for my older dogs. (We train and show dogs)
You should keep taking it. Although, it's cheap enough if you shop carefully and buy ahead on sales.
Several years ago a doctor showed me a study that had a slight possibility of regenerating disk material in the spine. He made it clear it would be little help if at all and six months before we would see anything, if at all.
After taking it for about 2 months, my knee that had cartilage surgery 15 years before quit “clicking” and aching.
The later MRI showed no help at the ruptured disk.
Several long term studies documented lower rate of occurrence for arthritis for long term users of Glucosamine and Chondroitin, and most of those users already had some joint problems.
The stuff has gotten expensive but I intend to keep taking them. Both my father and his father have/had significant arthritis issues.
Have you tried ground or liquid flax seed?
Was talking to my vet one day (years ago) about giving it to my arthritic dog. He said when he saw the difference it made in his dog patience, he started taking it himself...
If you get it from the vet, its expensive, but I was told I could use the pill I took myself....it made a difference in the dogs walking and running....She was a 45 pound dog and 1000 mg worked for her....I also give it to my lab 80 pounds when she started showing signs of arthritis and I had the vet X ray her spine. She was just starting to show signs of arthritis.... Its just glucosomine hydrochloride I don't know why it makes a difference but 2 / 500 mg doesn't work. The expensive stuff doesn't work for me either (yea) The caps are large and I get the brown ones. 1000 mg per pill. 150 pills for under 15 dollars.
One time Wal Mart and a 2 for 1 price deal. Had enough pills for quite a while...
Tore my achilles tendon and was crippled for three years.
With the supplements the tendon grew back in three months.
“but when I added 2 Collagen tablets daily within a few weeks noticed the difference”
Can you buy collagen over the counter?
(I know this is an old thread, I was originally looking for one I saw a day or two ago that started out about DMSO, then I began reading posts added about glucosamine and/or chrondroitin.)
“I’ve never used glucosamine and chondroitin, but I have used other dietary supplements which have also been “proven” not to work”
What were they? (I just ran across this thread while looking for another one from a day or two ago about DMSO vs. glucosamine.) Thanks!
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