Glucosamine Chondroitin benefit for arthritis

Glucosamine and chondroitin are commonly used for the treatment of osteoarthritis, and their use is increasing in the general population. Glucosamine and chondroitin are helpful in many patients with osteoarthritis. This web page discusses the research with these nutrients and their role in improving symptoms of patients with osteoarthritis. Research regarding the benefits of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for the treatment of arthritis or osteoarthritis has provided conflicting results. However, the majority of the studies do support the use of these two supplements in the treatment of osteoarthritis.

Joint Power Rx Formulated by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
Because joint pain is so debilitating, glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate alone are often not enough. This powerful joint formula includes several additional herbal extracts and nutrients including MSM, CMO, boswellia serrata, turmeric, cat's claw extract, grape seed extract, and sea cucumber for optimal joint health.  

Joint Power Rx Supplement has:
Glucosamine sulfate (from shellfish) - glucosamine is a popular ingredient in many joint health products
Chondroitin sulfate - chondroitin is a popular ingredient in many joint health products
MSM nutrient which stands for methylsulfonylmethane
CMO complex also known as cetyl myristoleate
Boswellia serrata extract is used in Ayurvedic medicine
Turmeric is an herb that contains curcumin
Cat's claw extract comes from the Amazon jungle
Devil's claw is a plant widely used in South African traditional medicine,
Grape seed extracts have compounds called procyanidolic oligomers which are powerful antioxidants, perhaps much greater than vitamins C and E.
Sea cucumbers have a number of substances that have therapeutic value.

Glucosamine and chondroitin slow bone loss in osteoarthritis
In experiments with bone tissue samples from patients with knee arthritis, chondroitin and glucosamine affect osteoblasts in a manner that slows arthritis-related bone loss. Bone remodeling is a continuous process in which existing bone is broken down and replaced with new bone tissue. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage cushioning the joints begins to break down; but there is also a breakdown in the bone underneath the cartilage.This bone loss is related to an imbalance in the activity of the cells that break down bone (osteoclasts) and cells that build bone (osteoblasts). When osteoblast cells taken from patients undergoing knee-joint replacement for severe knee arthritis are exposed to chondroitin, glucosamine or a combination of the two affected osteoblast activity in a way that may inhibit bone breakdown. Arthritis Research & Therapy, online November 9, 2007.

Glucosamine, chondroitin helpful in some patients with osteoarthritis
Glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and the two in combination for painful knee osteoarthritis.
N Engl J Med. 2006 Feb 23;354(8):795-808. Clegg DO, Reda DJ, Harris CL, Klein MA, O'Dell JR, Hooper MM, Bradley JD, Bingham CO 3rd, Weisman MH, Jackson CG, Lane NE, Cush JJ, Moreland LW, Schumacher HR Jr, Oddis CV, Wolfe F, Molitor JA, Yocum DE, Schnitzer TJ, Furst DE, Sawitzke AD, Shi H, Brandt KD, Moskowitz RW, Williams HJ.
Division of Rheumatology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are used to treat osteoarthritis. The multicenter, double-blind, placebo- and celecoxib-controlled Glucosamine chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) evaluated their efficacy and safety as a treatment for knee pain from osteoarthritis. We randomly assigned 1583 patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis to receive 1500 mg of glucosamine daily, 1200 mg of chondroitin sulfate daily, both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, 200 mg of celecoxib daily, or placebo for 24 weeks. Up to 4000 mg of acetaminophen daily was allowed as rescue analgesia. Overall, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate were not significantly better than placebo in reducing knee pain by 20 percent. As compared with the rate of response to placebo (60.1 percent), the rate of response to glucosamine was 3.9 percentage points higher, the rate of response to chondroitin sulfate was 5.3 percentage points higher, and the rate of response to combined treatment was 6.5 percentage points higher. The rate of response in the celecoxib control group was 10.0 percentage points higher than that in the placebo control group. For patients with moderate-to-severe pain at baseline, the rate of response was significantly higher with combined therapy than with placebo (79 percent vs. 54 percent). Adverse events were mild, infrequent, and evenly distributed among the groups. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate alone or in combination did not reduce pain effectively in the overall group of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Exploratory analyses suggest that the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate may be effective in the subgroup of patients with moderate-to-severe knee pain.
   Comments: This study had a major flaw in that subjects were allowed to use acetaminophen which could have masked the benefits of the glucosamine chondroitin treatment. It does appear that glucosamine and chondroitin were helpful in those with severe pain. The high placebo response rate of 60 percent adds additional confusion to the interpretation of this study.

Glucosamine Chondroitin supplement safe for diabetics
The effect of glucosamine chondroitin supplementation on glycosylated hemoglobin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial.
Arch Intern Med. 2003 Jul 14;163(13):1587-90. Scroggie DA, Albright A, Harris MD. Department of Rheumatology, 59th Medical Wing, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Lackland, TX 78236, USA.
To evaluate possible effects of glucosamine chondroitin supplementation on glycemic control in a selected population of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Patients were typically elderly patients, evenly divided between men and women. Most of the patients were being treated with 1 or 2 drugs for glycemic control. In daily doses for 90 days, patients received either placebo or a combination of 1500 mg of glucosamine hydrochloride with 1200 mg of chondroitin sulfate (Cosamin DS; Nutramax Laboratories Inc, Edgewood, Md). Mean hemoglobin A1c concentrations were not significantly different between groups prior to glucosamine therapy. Posttreatment hemoglobin A1c concentrations were not significantly different between groups, nor were there any significant differences within groups before and after treatment. This study demonstrates that oral glucosamine chondroitin supplementation does not result in clinically significant alterations in glucose metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Glucosamine chondroitin arthritis questions
Q. My question is about about Glucosamine and Chondroitin. I would like to know your opinion about the efficacy. I have been taking glucosamine and chondroitin somewhat regularly. I would like to know that there is a long term solution to osteoarthritis, especially since my arthritis is not that serious. I thought that since my arthritis is not very serious at all, then I could take the Glucosamine Chondroitin combination, and my arthritis would remain in this condition without getting worse.
   A. It is difficult to predict what effect glucosamine and chondroitin have in any one individual, but statistically, a good number of people do find a benefit from the use of glucosamine chondroitin supplements.

Q. Would a glucosamine chondroitin supplement offer benefits that go beyond a glucosamine supplement by itself?
  A. Based on our evaluation of studies, we believe that the addition of a chondroitin to glucosamine does add to the benefit.

Q. I am currently taking a glucosamine chondroitin complex. Would taking MSM supplement offer more benefit?
   A. It is difficult to predict in any one person what the results would be, but one study has found that taking MSM along with glucosamine does help. Perhaps the same is true taking MSM with a glucosamine chondroitin complex.

Q. I find glucosamine chondroitin sulfate supplements are cheaper online than in pharmacies. Is there a reason for this, is a glucosamine chondroitin sulfate supplement not as good a quality online?
   A. The most likely reason is the overhead stores have to pay whereas online vitamin companies have much less overhead costs.

Q. I had arthroscopic surgery three weeks ago to remove 50% of the medial meniscus in my right knee. I understand that glucosamine chondroitin helps to regrow cartilage as long as all the cartilage has not been removed. Since I still have half the cartilage in the medial area in my right knee, would a glucosamine chondroitin combination help to restore the missing half of the meniscus?
   A. There are two menisci in the knee; each rests between the femur and tibia. The menisci are made of tough cartilage and conform to the surfaces of the bones upon which they rest. One meniscus is on the inside of the knee; this is the medial meniscus. The lateral meniscus rests on the outside of the knee. It is doubtful that a glucosamine chondroitin combination would help regenerate the rest of the missing meniscus, but some people may notice overall joint health improvement with the use of a glucosamine chondroitin supplement.
 

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