NEW HOPE FOR PAIN SUFFERERS!
Discover the very latest groundbreaking advances in pain relief . . .more info...
NEW! . . . SUPER FOODS FOR A SUPER-HEALTHY YOU
Unleash the secret healing power of Nature's ultimate foods - & 'programme' your body to remain free of illnessmore info...
Arthritis
Arthritis Sufferers: Time to Throw Out Your Glucosamine and Chondroitin?
Date: 23/09/10
If you suffer from arthritis you must’ve felt confused and concerned when you read about a new Swiss study from the University of Bern, which concluded that glucosamine, chondroitin, and a combination of the two, do not reduce joint pain or have an impact on narrowing joint space in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip or knee. When I first read the news reports, I thought ‘Here we go again’...
Now, based on one single study, researchers want everyone to stop taking these supplements, regardless of the fact that numerous sufferers have benefited from them for alleviating their arthritis. They even go so far as to suggest that health authorities and health insurers should not cover the costs of these dietary supplements. Understandably, blanket statements like this cause distress and uncertainty amongst many sufferers who personally benefit from these popular supplements.
Glucosamine and chondroitin — flawed results
The meta-analyses of 10 previous studies, which included over 3,800 people, were published in the most recent edition of the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
Despite the fact that the study was published in a prestigious medical journal, there is enough reason to doubt its findings.
In their report, the Swiss researchers put the benefits experienced by patients using glucosamine and chondroitin supplements, down to the placebo effect. Yet, they do not take into consideration a range of factors which may have affected the results of their meta-analyses.
Factors such as:
* differences in quality and type of supplements used by patients
* duration of supplementation
* dosage and composition of the supplement formulas used
* severity of OA before supplementation started
Furthermore, this latest meta-analysis follows a 2003 Belgian study, from the University of Liège, which showed the complete opposite results. The findings of the Belgian study were published in the prestigious journal, Archives of Internal Medicine and concluded that glucosamine demonstrated a highly significant efficacy in joint space narrowing and WOMAC — a pain assessment scale used to measure joint pain. Strangely, the Swiss study does not even refer to the Belgian study in its meta-analyses.
High quality trials show the benefits of glucosamine and chondroitin
It’s not just the Belgian study of 2003 that shows positive results. Since the Belgian study, there has also been a Spanish study published in 2007, in the journal, Arthritis & Rheumatism, which concluded that 1,500mg glucosamine sulphate taken once-daily, is more effective than a placebo in treating knee OA symptoms.
Luckily, medical experts and nutritionists were quick to respond to the results of the Swiss study, saying that the researchers conveniently excluded a large portion of the evidence proving the positive effects of glucosamine and chondroitin.
Dr. Andrew Shao, senior vice president of scientific & regulatory affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), said that the majority of published studies involving glucosamine and/or chondroitin are positive.
He also referred to the government-funded Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), which had a 60 per cent placebo effect but still showed that glucosamine and chondroitin were effective at reducing 'moderate' to 'severe' pain in knee OA patients with. On top of that, glucosamine and chondroitin were also shown to outperform the drug Celebrex.
Dr. Robert Verkerk, executive and scientific director of the Alliance for Natural Health, eluded to the fact that the Swiss study may have cherry-picked their results by saying "The type of meta-analysis used is a classic case of throwing a whole bunch — in this case 10 — of different trials into the mixing pot and ending up with an average result that dilutes out the positive results. These trials, amongst other things, involve different forms of glucosamine, different severities of condition and different supplementation periods. You could say it’s a case of apples and oranges, but where you’re only interested in apples but you’ve completely mixed up your apples and oranges!"
Supplements under pressure
In a time when supplements and, indeed alternative medicine as a whole, are facing pressure to conform to strict and unrealistic regulations, one cannot help but wonder what the real motive is behind prejudiced studies like this one.
Consumers and patients are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of natural and alternative remedies and — like in the case with glucosamine and chondroitin — there are numerous studies to support these benefits.
More so, it would also seem that consumers are voting on these benefits with their wallets as supplement sales soar. Hardly surprising people are looking for alternatives, given the safety scares linked to many pharmaceutical drugs. For example, Voixx — the popular arthritis drug was pulled from the market because a study found it doubled the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Whilst the jury may still be out on whether glucosamine and chondroitin hold any real benefits for OA sufferers (in mainstream medicine’s eyes at least!), no verdict is needed to show that it is safe and cost effective.
Despite the Swiss researchers saying that there is no need for further research, we can rest assured that any questions left unanswered may be clarified by the ongoing Long Term Evaluation of Glucosamine Sulphate Study (LEGS).
LEGS is an industry independent randomised trial involving 600 patients assigned to one of four groups: chondroitin sulphate, glucosamine sulphate, glucosamine plus chondroitin, or placebo. First results will become available at the earliest in November 2011.
In the meantime, if you are suffering from OA and are taking glucosamine and chondroitin supplements as part of your treatment regime, the good news is that the Swiss study found no safety risk in taking these supplements and there are numerous studies out there that support their use.
The final question you have to ask yourself is would you rather take a supplement containing glucosamine and chondroitin and have about two-thirds of a chance of getting significant relief... and possibly even slow down your disease progression? Or do you just want to numb your symptoms with acetaminophen or anti-inflammatory drugs and risk ulcers, allergies, kidney or liver damage, hypertension, heart attacks and possibly even death? These are just some of the risks that have been associated with prescription and over-the-counter painkillers.
Arthritis Related Reading
Pharmaceutical industry: More shocking tactics used by drug giants
Vioxx lawsuits: The Vioxx saga continues
Arthritis: Celadrin Offers a Safe and Effective Way to Relieve Joint Pain
HOT TOPICS:
Flawed Calcium Review Leaves Osteoporosis Sufferers Worried and Confused
A Simple Way to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
‘Wrong’ Sunlight Can Lower Your Vitamin D Levels
Sources:
‘Merck Yanks Vioxx From Shelves’ published online 09.30.04, cbsnews.com/stories
‘Industry slams glucosamine, chondroitin meta-analysis’ published online 20.09.10, nutraingredients.com
‘Glucosamine sulphate in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study using acetaminophen as a side comparator’ published online 02.02.07, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
‘Glucosamine and Chondroitin Safe, But No Proven Benefit for Arthritis Relief’ published online 17.09.10, emaxhealth.com
‘Study: Glucosamine, Chondroitin No Help for Arthritis’ published online 16.09.10, webmd.com
‘BMJ research says glucosamine and chondroitin don’t work’ published online anh-europe.org
Back to topNow, based on one single study, researchers want everyone to stop taking these supplements, regardless of the fact that numerous sufferers have benefited from them for alleviating their arthritis. They even go so far as to suggest that health authorities and health insurers should not cover the costs of these dietary supplements. Understandably, blanket statements like this cause distress and uncertainty amongst many sufferers who personally benefit from these popular supplements.
Glucosamine and chondroitin — flawed results
The meta-analyses of 10 previous studies, which included over 3,800 people, were published in the most recent edition of the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
Despite the fact that the study was published in a prestigious medical journal, there is enough reason to doubt its findings.
In their report, the Swiss researchers put the benefits experienced by patients using glucosamine and chondroitin supplements, down to the placebo effect. Yet, they do not take into consideration a range of factors which may have affected the results of their meta-analyses.
Factors such as:
* differences in quality and type of supplements used by patients
* duration of supplementation
* dosage and composition of the supplement formulas used
* severity of OA before supplementation started
Furthermore, this latest meta-analysis follows a 2003 Belgian study, from the University of Liège, which showed the complete opposite results. The findings of the Belgian study were published in the prestigious journal, Archives of Internal Medicine and concluded that glucosamine demonstrated a highly significant efficacy in joint space narrowing and WOMAC — a pain assessment scale used to measure joint pain. Strangely, the Swiss study does not even refer to the Belgian study in its meta-analyses.
High quality trials show the benefits of glucosamine and chondroitin
It’s not just the Belgian study of 2003 that shows positive results. Since the Belgian study, there has also been a Spanish study published in 2007, in the journal, Arthritis & Rheumatism, which concluded that 1,500mg glucosamine sulphate taken once-daily, is more effective than a placebo in treating knee OA symptoms.
Luckily, medical experts and nutritionists were quick to respond to the results of the Swiss study, saying that the researchers conveniently excluded a large portion of the evidence proving the positive effects of glucosamine and chondroitin.
Dr. Andrew Shao, senior vice president of scientific & regulatory affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), said that the majority of published studies involving glucosamine and/or chondroitin are positive.
He also referred to the government-funded Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), which had a 60 per cent placebo effect but still showed that glucosamine and chondroitin were effective at reducing 'moderate' to 'severe' pain in knee OA patients with. On top of that, glucosamine and chondroitin were also shown to outperform the drug Celebrex.
Dr. Robert Verkerk, executive and scientific director of the Alliance for Natural Health, eluded to the fact that the Swiss study may have cherry-picked their results by saying "The type of meta-analysis used is a classic case of throwing a whole bunch — in this case 10 — of different trials into the mixing pot and ending up with an average result that dilutes out the positive results. These trials, amongst other things, involve different forms of glucosamine, different severities of condition and different supplementation periods. You could say it’s a case of apples and oranges, but where you’re only interested in apples but you’ve completely mixed up your apples and oranges!"
Supplements under pressure
In a time when supplements and, indeed alternative medicine as a whole, are facing pressure to conform to strict and unrealistic regulations, one cannot help but wonder what the real motive is behind prejudiced studies like this one.
Consumers and patients are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of natural and alternative remedies and — like in the case with glucosamine and chondroitin — there are numerous studies to support these benefits.
More so, it would also seem that consumers are voting on these benefits with their wallets as supplement sales soar. Hardly surprising people are looking for alternatives, given the safety scares linked to many pharmaceutical drugs. For example, Voixx — the popular arthritis drug was pulled from the market because a study found it doubled the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Whilst the jury may still be out on whether glucosamine and chondroitin hold any real benefits for OA sufferers (in mainstream medicine’s eyes at least!), no verdict is needed to show that it is safe and cost effective.
Despite the Swiss researchers saying that there is no need for further research, we can rest assured that any questions left unanswered may be clarified by the ongoing Long Term Evaluation of Glucosamine Sulphate Study (LEGS).
LEGS is an industry independent randomised trial involving 600 patients assigned to one of four groups: chondroitin sulphate, glucosamine sulphate, glucosamine plus chondroitin, or placebo. First results will become available at the earliest in November 2011.
In the meantime, if you are suffering from OA and are taking glucosamine and chondroitin supplements as part of your treatment regime, the good news is that the Swiss study found no safety risk in taking these supplements and there are numerous studies out there that support their use.
The final question you have to ask yourself is would you rather take a supplement containing glucosamine and chondroitin and have about two-thirds of a chance of getting significant relief... and possibly even slow down your disease progression? Or do you just want to numb your symptoms with acetaminophen or anti-inflammatory drugs and risk ulcers, allergies, kidney or liver damage, hypertension, heart attacks and possibly even death? These are just some of the risks that have been associated with prescription and over-the-counter painkillers.
Arthritis Related Reading
Pharmaceutical industry: More shocking tactics used by drug giants
Vioxx lawsuits: The Vioxx saga continues
Arthritis: Celadrin Offers a Safe and Effective Way to Relieve Joint Pain
HOT TOPICS:
Flawed Calcium Review Leaves Osteoporosis Sufferers Worried and Confused
A Simple Way to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
‘Wrong’ Sunlight Can Lower Your Vitamin D Levels
Sources:
‘Merck Yanks Vioxx From Shelves’ published online 09.30.04, cbsnews.com/stories
‘Industry slams glucosamine, chondroitin meta-analysis’ published online 20.09.10, nutraingredients.com
‘Glucosamine sulphate in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study using acetaminophen as a side comparator’ published online 02.02.07, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
‘Glucosamine and Chondroitin Safe, But No Proven Benefit for Arthritis Relief’ published online 17.09.10, emaxhealth.com
‘Study: Glucosamine, Chondroitin No Help for Arthritis’ published online 16.09.10, webmd.com
‘BMJ research says glucosamine and chondroitin don’t work’ published online anh-europe.org
Click here to send to a friendShare thisPrinter friendly version
