Health News

Two recent clinical trials evaluated if two popular dietary supplements may, or may not, provide relief to arthritis sufferers.

Glucosamine comes from the crushed shells of lobsters and crabs; whereby, Chondroitin comes from animal cartilage. Both claim to help alleviate arthritic pain. They also claim to prevent joint narrowing and grinding of bone against bone common in arthritis.

The two clinical trials set-out to determine if the two supplements really worked. Some 1,583 people from the U.S., and 318 from Europe, participated in the study. The results were reported in a recent meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in San Diego.

Daniel O. Clegg, MD, with the National Institute of Health led the U.S part of the study. Clegg concluded: “The supplements were not better than the placebo.”

A spokesperson for the Arthritis Foundation, Erin Arnold, MD, stated the Clegg focused more on the studies overall conclusion. She was more impressed with the study’s finding that patients who used a combination of Glucosamine and Chondroitin reported significant relief. Arnold stated that she encourages patients to try the combination and is happy with the results of the study.

The European study had less controversial findings. Gabriel Herrero-Beaumont, MD, from the Jiminez Diaz Foundation in Madrid, Spain led the study.

Herrero-Beaumont recently claimed that their results clearly demonstrated the Glucosamine could control knee pain caused by osteoarthritis.

Is Glucosamine and Chondroitin only for bad arthritis pain?

Patients older than 40 with knee pain caused by osteoarthritis were admitted to the U.S. study. Each was randomly assigned to one of five different treatments:

1. A Chondroitin and Glucosamine combination
2. Placebo pills
3. A daily 20mg dose of Celebrex
4. 400mg of Sodium Chondroitin 3 times a day
5. 500mg of Glucosamine Hydrochloride 3 times a day

Participants in general pain related studies often indicated relief from their pain from taking the placebo pills. In this study, almost 60% of the participants said they had pain after taking the placebo pill. About 67% reported less pain when taking the Glucosamine and Chondroitin pill. That is a 5% difference indicating that the safety data is reassuring but that efficacy data is inconclusive.

When those who reported moderate to severe pain were looked at the results showed 54% got relief from the placebo pill, while 79% got relief form the Glucosamine and Chondroitin pill.

U.S. Study opinions

The Arthritis Foundation has stated that Clegg’s study shows that Glucosamine and Chondroitin may be a beneficial part in the overall treatment strategy for people with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis. The Foundation also believes that the supplements are safe and recommends giving them a “try.”

There are at least 50 or more published clinical trials indicating that there is some degree of a reduction in joint pain and improved joint spacing when using these supplements. The supplements provide overall joint health and are not restricted only to osteoarthritis sufferers.

Is Glucosamine better than Acetaminophen?

Some positive results coming out of the European study. Either a 1,000mg of acetaminophen was given each day, a 1,500mg dose of Glucosamine Sulfate, or an inactive Placebo was given to the patients.

Those receiving the Glucosamine or Acetaminophen reported significantly less pain than those getting the Placebo pills. But Herrero-Beaumont stated that those receiving the Glucosamine supplements reported a higher level of improvement than those treated with the Acetaminophen.

Points to consider

It is important to know that these supplements do not cure arthritis. They are only part of an over-all strategy to deal with arthritic pain. Certain supplements work better with some individuals than others. Using these supplements typically decreases the necessity for anti-inflammatory and other pain medications.

Both Glucosamine and Chondroitin actually repair damaged joints rather than masking the pain. Repair takes time and patients should be patient with their recovery expectations. Sometimes effects of the supplements are not fully benefited from until after 2 to 3 months of taking the pills.