Osteoarthritis is commonly referred to as the “wear and tear” degenerative joint disease. It typically results from the gradual loss of cartilage - the tough connective tissue that is within/between joints. In a way too simple analogy of this complex mechanism - this cartilage serves as essentially a shock absorber preventing direct shear force or “bone on bone” pressure. Once the shock absorber is weakened/gone – trauma will slowly lead to inflammation and erosion of the joint (PAIN!).
This leads to a pretty straightforward question - is there a way to repair or at the least slow down the decline of cartilage?
Enter Glucosamine - which is an amino sugar and precursor in the synthesis of glycosylated lipids and proteins. It is a natural compound that exists in our cartilage.
In supplement form, glucosamine is harvested from shells of shellfish or made in a lab. There are several forms of glucosamine, including glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride and N-acetyl glucosamine.
Generally it is taken as an oral supplement, oftentimes partnering with
Chondroitin which is
a chondrin derivative also naturally found in our cartilage.
So now we have some background info on the players (Glucosamine and Chondroitin) the question is - do they make a difference? Well that is a complex question that may best be answered with a maybe or even an outright no. Let us review some of the data:
In this
meta analysis by Zhu et al - Twenty-six articles describing 30 trials met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. The estimates between chondroitin and placebo showed that chondroitin could alleviate pain symptoms and improve function somewhat. Compared with placebo, glucosamine proved a mild significant effect only on stiffness improvement. However, the combination therapy did not have enough evidence to be superior to placebo.
In another meta-analysis by Reichenbach et al concluded after reviewing large-scale, methodologically sound trials indicate that the symptomatic benefit of chondroitin is minimal or nonexistent. The authors final recommendation was the use of chondroitin in routine clinical practice should therefore be discouraged.
In another multicenter
randomized control trial by Roman-Blas et al - 164 patients with moderate to severe
knee osteoarthritis were treated with either chondroitin sulfate plus glucosamine or placebo. At six months' follow-up, the mean reduction in the global pain score was actually greater in the placebo group (33 percent) compared with the chondroitin sulfate plus glucosamine group (19 percent).
In general, there have been conflicting results from randomized trials evaluating the efficacy of glucosamine and chondroitin in knee osteoarthritis. Results from reviews with larger, methodologically sound studies found negligible effects of glucosamine hydrochloride on knee pain, while higher doses or higher-grade formulations of glucosamine sulfate (1500 mg/day) or chondroitin (800 mg/day) showed more favorable results and may have a statistically significant but small effect on symptoms compared with placebo.
Please refer to our blog for more potential information and therapy options for osteoarthritis. Sending good vibes and wishing everyone the absolute best. Feel free to reach out anytime with any questions. Stay healthy and stay active everyone!
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.