Several previous studies showed chondroitin was ineffective for knee osteoarthritis, but a new study says it is as effective as celecoxib. There are reasons to be skeptical. The dietary supplements chondroitin and glucosamine, separately or in combination, have been widely used to treat the pain of osteoarthritis of the knee.… read more "New Evidence for Chondroitin"
Glucosamine and Chondroitin: Do They Really Work?
Glucosamine and chondroitin are widely used for osteoarthritis pain. My daughter even gives them to her elderly horse. Their popularity is puzzling, since the evidence from scientific studies indicates that they don’t work. Wikipedia has a useful survey of the history, studies, criticisms, and systematic reviews (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_trials_on_glucosamine_and_chondroitin). It includes a… read more "Glucosamine and Chondroitin: Do They Really Work?"
Glucosamine Update
Osteoarthritis, the “wear-and-tear” type of arthritis, affects a great many of us as we grow older. Knee pain is a common symptom. The diet supplements glucosamine and chondroitin have been proposed as a more “natural” treatment than pharmaceuticals, and they are components of a number of proprietary “joint health” formulations… read more "Glucosamine Update"
Knee Osteoarthritis: Thumbs Down for Acupuncture and Glucosamine
Osteoarthritis is the “wear and tear” kind of arthritis that many of us develop as we get older. Cartilage becomes less resilient with age, collagen can degenerate, and inflammation and new bone outgrowths (osteophytes) can occur. This leads to pain, crepitus (Rice Krispie type crackling noises with movement), swelling and… read more "Knee Osteoarthritis: Thumbs Down for Acupuncture and Glucosamine"
Effectiveness of Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Osteoarthritis
TO THE EDITOR: This article repeated a common misconception about the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), interpreting it as showing that the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin is effective for treating moderate to severe osteoarthritis.1 The study found that glucosamine and chondroitin, separately or in combination, were not more effective… read more "Effectiveness of Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Osteoarthritis"
Does Glucosamine Really Work?
Glucosamine and chondroitin, used separately or together, are among the more popular diet supplements. They are used widely for osteoarthritis, especially of the knee, and have been better studied than most other diet supplements. But do they really work? The journal of my medical specialty, American Family Physician, recently published… read more "Does Glucosamine Really Work?"
Keeping an Eye on Alternative Medicine
In case you hadn’t noticed, snake oil is alive and thriving under the shield of alternative medicine. As the Baby Boomers approach retirement age and develop health problems, we can expect an even greater boom of quackery, pseudoscience, and misinformation. Even the most critically thinking scientist may think less critically… read more "Keeping an Eye on Alternative Medicine"