Your Mileage May Vary

The recent findings reported in the February 2006 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine have caused a stir amongst those who use supplements, such as glucosamine, to treat arthritis pain. The study of 1,583 men and women with symptoms of knee arthritis found that supplements were not efficacious in the treatment of arthritis pain. However, some supplement users, such as Jane Brody at the New York Times, stand by products such as glucosamine and maintain their effectiveness.

In her article published in the March 14th, 2006 issue of the NY Times, Brody admits to have been using glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate (1,500 milligrams and 1,200 milligrams daily, respectively) for years now. "Though my knees were seriously arthritic," explains Brody, "I was able to continue playing singles tennis and ice skating, and I even started walking three miles a day most days." She also claims that the condition of her hands also improved - she claims there was a significant drop in pain and inflammation.

Brody also points out the other recent study, conducted in 2002, that reported that certain supplements in fact helped significantly in the treatment of osteoarthritis. This study, conducted by Karel Pavelka at Karolinstka Institute, consisted of two randomized, placebo-controlled trials. These trials showed (via X-Ray analysis) that three years of glucosamine treatment slowed the progression of arthritis, as did a two-year trial of chondroitin sulfate.

As Brody concludes, and we at CreakyJoints agree, the lesson to be learned here is that one trial or study is not sufficient to derail any form of arthritic treatment, especially when the results of one study flies in the face of past research and testimony. Stay tuned for more updates about supplement use and its effectiveness in treating arthritis!

Article References
Fine Print Sends Clear Message: Stay the Course, New York Times site accessed on 3/14/2006