Arthritis Research on Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Over 27 million Americans with osteoarthritis (OA) spend more than $810 million a year on glucosamine and chondroitin supplements to ease pain, replace cartilage, and give more joint mobility. Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis.

Are these people wasting their money?

It could be…but it's not for sure. What is for sure, however, is that the supplements may not be doing as much good as you think they are doing.

Phase 2 of the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) reported this October that the dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, together or alone, appeared to fare no better than placebo in slowing loss of cartilage in osteoarthritis of the knee.

However, interpreting the study results is complicated because participants taking the placebo had a smaller loss of cartilage than expected. Therefore, the researchers couldn't draw definitive conclusions and want to do more research.

The first phase of the GAIT study, 2006, reported that these supplements weren't any more effective against pain from osteoarthritis than a placebo except for some people with moderate to severe pain.

Should you use glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate if you have OA?

The official word is for you to work with your health provider to develop a plan for managing arthritis pain. The plan should include good nutrition, exercise, losing excess weight and proven pain medication. Even if you did want to continue using the supplements, you couldn't use exactly the ones used in the research project because they were specifically developed for the project and subject to the FDA's pharmaceutical regulations. The supplements on the store shelves are not as well regulated.

I'm not a physician so I'm not going to give you any advice other than if you have questions, talk to your doctor. I can tell you what I'm going to do. Fortunately I have only very mild symptoms of OA. I have been taking glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate because no one has said they do any harm and I believe – the magic word – that they may do some good.

Am I wasting my money? The researchers aren't sure that I am. I will stop taking the supplements when they give me more evidence but until then, I am going to continue to take them.

What about you? What do you think about this report? Will you start or stop taking the supplements for your arthritis?

To your health success,

Ruthan Brodsky