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Glucosamine/Chondroitin: Lessons From the Study
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Because dietary supplements are lightly regulated, the quality and content of ingredients in supplements can vary widely. The exact formulation used in the NIH study is not sold commercially.
The Arthritis Foundation recommends reading product labels carefully and choosing products sold by large, well-established companies. However, the group receives funding from some of those companies.
Consumerlab.com, a for-profit company, has conducted tests on several glucosamine products. Company president Tod Cooperman advises sticking with products that have been tested by a credible group and that have the right dosage; he urges caution on patented combinations of products and products that uses the word "complex." He said one recent test found a product that had only 18 percent of the chondroitin claimed on the label.
5. If you take it, consider matching your dose to that used in the study.
The daily doses used in the NIH study were 1,500 milligrams of glucosamine HCI (hydrochloride) and 1,200 milligrams of chondroitin sulfate. Previous studies have found that people needed to take the supplements for six to eight weeks before feeling a difference in symptoms.
6. Consider other methods for relieving arthritis pain.
Marc Hochberg, head of the division of rheumatology and clinical immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, recommends that patients focus on losing weight to reduce pain and exercising to maintain strength and flexibility.
A recent study of 48 adults found that even modest weight loss can help reduce pain and stiffness and improve day-to-day functioning in patients with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis. Education, physical therapy and both prescription and over-the-counter pain medications have also been shown to help.
Two prescription pain medications -- Vioxx and Bextra -- were pulled from the market in the past year because of safety risks. Similar concerns have also been raised about some other pain relievers, including Celebrex and naproxen, but experts advise patients to evaluate risks individually with their doctors. If you try glucosamine/chondroitin, experts advise you take it as an adjunct to regular treatments, not as a replacement.
More information on arthritis and glucosamine/chondroitin is available through these groups:
The Arthritis Foundation, http:/
Quackwatch, http:/
Consumer Lab, http:/
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, http:/
The American College of Rheumatology, http:/
-- Elizabeth Agnvall
