As you may know, CreakyJoints sells glucosamine sulfate on our web site. The latest study, covered below, shows that glucosamine hydrochloride is no more effective than placebo. Although it doesn't appear to cause any harm, this latest study by the University of Utah, published in the February issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, shows a markedly different result than a 2001 study published in the Lancet which suggested that glucosamine sulfate could be a disease modifying agent in osteoarthritis.

Many people say glucosamine works for them, suggesting that relief could come from the placebo effect (you think it works, therefore it does), or because it actually works for some people and not others. The University of Utah studied glucosamine hydrochloride. The other popular type of glucosamine, which was the subject of the Lancet article, is glucosamine sulfate. Does this mean glucosamine sulfate works better than glucosamine hydrochloride? We don't know.

At CreakyJoints we will continue to sell glucosamine sulfate by Dona until we learn that it has been proven to have adverse effects, or until a reputable negative study on glucosamine sulfate shows it is ineffective. (For more information on why CJ chose Dona, click here.)

However, we will also continue to print negative stories about glucosamine (and chondroitin, which we do not sell) and permanently link them to the CJ's glucosamine page selling the supplement.

Our responsibility to our members is to provide access to information so you can make the best decision for you. We all know there are many components to effectively treating a disease like arthritis. Exercise, diet, your outlook on life, how you deal with negative stress, your personal support group, what medication and supplements you take, and the healthcare professionals you choose, all directly and indirectly affect how well you feel. And our responsibility is also to help you feel good. We have arthritis, too.

If you have comments on glucosamine, including thoughts about whether CreakyJoints should continue to sell it, whether you agree or disagree with the studies, whether it works for you or not, or any other comments related to it, you can participate in the Glucosamine discussion board.

And, of course, we still love you.

Latest Study Casts Doubt on the Efficacy of Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Two widely used nutritional supplements for arthritis pain, glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate, have been shown to be ineffective in the soothing of patients' aching arthritic knees. The study was published in the February 2006 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

In the 24-week study conducted by Dr. Daniel O. Clegg of University of Utah School of Medicine and his team, 1,583 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee were randomly assigned to one of five groups. Some patients took glucosamine, some took chondroitin and some took both. Others, serving as comparison subjects, took a placebo or celecoxib (Celebrex). Celecoxib is a prescription drug that is approved for osteoarthritis.

The study found that no soothing effect was produced by glucosamine, chondroitin or a combination of the two. However, the study did in fact show that the patients who took celecoxib had a statistically significant improvement in their symptoms.

Of important note, the results arrived at in this study stand in sharp contrast to the findings of a study conducted 2001. This earlier study, published in the Lancet, was a 3-year double-blind clinical trial involving 212 people with osteoarthritis who took either glucosamine sulfate or a placebo. The researchers there found that symptoms improved 20 - 25% in those who took the glucosamine.

Dr. Marc C. Hochberg, the head of the division of rheumatology and clinical immunology at the University of Maryland, suggested that other types of glucosamine might still be effective. For instance, in Europe, glucosamine comes in a different form, glucosamine sulfate - the Utah study only examined glucosamine hydrochloride.

But others said there was no reason to expect that glucosamine sulfate would be any different from glucosamine hydrochloride. Other researchers studying arthritis, such as Dr. David Felson at Boston University, believe that the study's finding implies that supplements in general have no benefits.

According to The Nutrition Business Journal, Americans spent an estimated $734 million on glucosamine and chondroitin in 2004. The two, which are produced by many different companies, are often sold together as a treatment for arthritis.

Article References
Supplements Fail to Stop Arthritis Pain, Study Says, site accessed on 02/27/06

Even JAMA admits glucosamine is effective against osteoarthritic pain., site accessed on 02/28/06.