What do you make of this study of glucosmine?

[hedgehog]

http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/gait/qa.htm

I see this study cited as proof that glucosamine is worthless, but the conclusions in the study itself don't make sense.

People with mild pain didn't see any difference bt glucosamine and a placebo, but people with moderate to severe pain did.

To me this suggests that people who couldn't ignore pain saw definite improvements.


but this paragraph is very confusing:

The original GAIT study included an additional, or ancillary, study to investigate whether these dietary supplements could diminish structural damage from osteoarthritis of the knee. In the ancillary study, interested GAIT patients were offered the opportunity to continue their original study treatment for an additional 18 months, for a total of 2 years. At the end of the ancillary study, the team had gathered data on 581 knees. After assessing the x-ray data, the researchers concluded that glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, together or alone, appeared to fare no better than placebo in slowing loss of cartilage in osteoarthritis of the knee. Interpreting the study results was complicated, however, because participants taking placebo had a smaller loss of cartilage, or joint space width, than predicted. The results were reported in the October 2008 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

If anything, I would say the study indicates that something is going on, and suggests more research is needed using higher doses. I'm thinking back to research on Vitamin D. It was only when the dose was raised significantly above the old RDA that researchers saw changes in results.


on edit : the Mayo clinic seems to give a cautious thumbs up on glucosamine:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/glucosamine/NS_patient-glucosamine

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. As a user of glucosamine - as well as boswellia and turmeric - for 10 years, here's what I say.

First: I have awful knees - one is essentially bone on bone, the other nearly so - and both ACLs are torn.

Next: I am very mobile and essentially pain free, to the shock of my orthopod, who tried to convince me to take Vioxx years ago (and I refused). When he looks at my XRays, he wonders how I can walk, never mind very actively garden.

And: I am a PhD organic chemist with an additional BA in biology and very, very skeptical - I worked in Pharma for 25 years.

Given that, about 10 years ago, when listening to the People's Pharmacy on our local NPR station, someone called in saying that they are getting good relief from taking glucosamine, boswellia and turmeric for joint pain. And so I started - one pill each, each morning - glucosamine sulfate, turmeric and boswellia - three pills or capsules.

I don't care if it is a placebo effect, but it works - note that turmeric and boswellia are ayurvedic "medicines" used for a long, long time for pain relief.

And so - I can't say why they work so well for me, or whether it is 1, 2 or all 3 of the components. But it is worth a try - especially since you can find all three quite inexpensively on sites like Vitacost.

I probably am facing a knee replacement(s) in a decade or so - but these herbs - as well as taking off 50 lbs a few years ago - are doing wonders for me.

[OnionPatch]

3. I read the study.

And it just doesn't reflect my own results. I've had moderate arthritis for about six years and have used glucosamine off and on during that time. I would love to throw those horse pills out the window forever and never have to swallow another one. But without fail, my arthritis gets noticeably worse every time I stop taking them.

The kind I take also has condroitin. I wonder if that makes a difference. I've not read any studies on it.

[Warpy]

2. It's been a cautious thumbs up for many years now

since other studies have shown about the same thing. Studies indicate there is something going on for some patients beyond the placebo effect. It's just not 100% across the board.

Some people do experience relief of pain and improvement in walking or other tasks. Some people don't experience a thing and no one has reported a worsening of symptoms on it.

I always say it's worth a 2 month trial. By the end of 2 months, people generally have an idea if it's worth continuing or not.