More options for arthritis treatment.Osteoarthritis osteoarthritis or osteoarthrosis or degenerative joint disease Most common joint disorder, afflicting over 80% of those who reach age 70. It does not involve excessive inflammation and may have no symptoms, especially at first. occurs when the cartilage padding that cushions your joints deteriorates and results in pain. Glucosamine glucosamine /glu·co·sa·mine/ (gloo-ko´sah-men) an amino derivative of glucose, occurring in glycosaminoglycans and a variety of complex polysaccharides such as blood group substances. and chondroitin chondroitin (k  n·droiˑ·tin),n are substances the body uses to build cartilage. They have been widely touted in the fitness press for treatment, prevention and a possible "cure" for arthritis. While these claims have not been proved, glucosamine and chondroitin have been shown to have a mild anti-inflammatory effect providing pain relief (that is better than placebo), which new research has confirmed. Doctors from Boston University School of Medicine Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) is one of the graduate schools of Boston University. It is an American medical school located in the South End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. conducted a meta-analysis of research studies on glucosamine and chondroitin. Only the highest quality placebo-controlled, double-blind, and randomized ran·dom·ize tr.v. ran·dom·ized, ran·dom·iz·ing, ran·dom·iz·es To make random in arrangement, especially in order to control the variables in an experiment. studies were included in the analysis. The authors concluded that glucosamine and chondroitin are quite effective in treating the symptoms of osteoarthritis, however, they raised important questions. There is no regulation of supplements, so the consumer has no assurance of quality, efficacy, or safety of these products. The authors were also concerned that there may be a publication bias inherent in the studies available for analysis--studies that show no effect may be less likely to be published and therefore skew the analysis. Although there are no known side effects Side effects Effects of a proposed project on other parts of the firm. with short-term use, long-term studies have not been conducted, which could reveal long-term toxicity. Because osteoarthritis is a chronic condition, patients are likely to use glucosamine and chondroitin for long periods, perhaps indefinitely. Long-term studies are needed before more recommendations are made. If you have considered trying these supplements for chronic joint pain, as always, make sure you see a sports medicine professional and get a clear diagnosis for what ails you. If osteoarthritis is the problem and you want to try these supplements, they are usually sold in the form of sulfates. Choose the most reputable manufacturer you can find and call the toll-free number to ask quality control questions. The supplements are usually taken in 400 to 500 milligram milligram /mil·li·gram/ (mg) (mil´i-gram) one thousandth (10-3) of a gram. mil·li·gram n. Abbr. mg A metric unit of mass equal to one thousandth (10-3) of a gram. doses several times a day with meals. It can take a couple of weeks to notice results, so don't give up too soon. (J. of the American Medical Assn., 2000, Vol. 283, No. 11, pp. 1469-14 75) |
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