| Should I Take Glucosamine or Chondroitin? |
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If you suffer from osteoarthritis, you know all too well that it can be a painful and debilitating condition. Osteoarthritis is caused by the wearing down of the cartilage in between our joints. Cartilage is the spongy cushion in our joints that keeps our bones from rubbing together and keeps our joints moving smoothly and pain-free. Osteoarthritis is different than rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an immune condition where the joints become inflamed and painful. In light of safety issues recently connecting a higher risk of heart attack and stroke to certain arthritis drugs like Vioxx, many people are turning to natural remedies for their osteoarthritis. Glucosamine and chondroitin are perhaps So does glucosamine and chondroitin work? Let's take a look at what the experts have to say. Glucosamine Glucosamine is actually a part of the cartilage in our joints. Taking glucosamine as a supplement may decrease inflammation and the breakdown of cartilage.1 There has been quite a bit of research done on glucosamine. Most of it suggests that glucosamine relieves joint pain from osteoarthritis as well as NSAIDS (drugs like ibuprofen (Motrin), aspirin, naproxen (Aleve)).2,3,4,10,11 Most of the data is good but some data suggests glucosamine may not be as effective in older people, people who are overweight or people with severe osteoarthritis. 5,6 If you decide to try glucosamine, you will find that there are different formulations available; glucosamine sulfate and glucosamine hydrochloride. Most of the studies that have shown a benefit have used glucosamine sulfate. As far as side effects, there has been some discussion about glucosamine causing glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. These two conditions have been linked to diabetes. There does not appear to be any good scientific evidence in humans to back up this claim, however. In fact, when studied in patients with and without diabetes, glucosamine did not affect fasting blood sugar or insulin levels. It also did not affect hemoglobin A1C levels, a test used to show how high, on average, the blood sugar has been over the last 3 months. 7,8,9 Chondroitin Glucosamine supplements most often also contain chondroitin. Chondroitin is also a part of the cartilage. Studies show that chondroitin may also help ease the discomfort of arthritis and may even help prevent the breakdown of the cartilage over time. 3,7,8 Although glucosamine and chondroitin are often paired together in supplements, there doesn't appear to be any evidence that this combination works any better than each ingredient on its own. Chondroitin does not really have any known side effects. Although, preliminary research shows that chondroitin may help prostate cancer spread. More research needs to be done, but until more is known, it is probably a good idea to steer clear of chondroitin if you have prostate cancer.12 Other Ingredients You many find glucosamine/chondroitin supplements that contain manganese or methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). There is no real good evidence that these ingredients help arthritis. Manganese can even cause toxicity if too much is taken. The Bottom Line If you suffer from osteoarthritis, it may be worth trying a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement. You may want to start with glucosamine alone. You can always add chondroitin later if you do not experience sufficient relief with the glucosamine. It may be a good idea to use the glucosamine sulfate formulation rather than the glucosamine hydrochloride since the sulfate formulation has been studied in more trials. It may also be a good idea to stick with formulations that only contain glucosamine and/or chondroitin and do not contain manganese or MSM. Finally, look to buy products that bear the seal of the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP). Since the FDA does not require supplement manufacturers to prove that the amount of any ingredient they claim is in a product is really in there, many supplements will vary greatly in the amount of active ingredients they contain. Supplements that bear the USP seal have gone through rigorous testing to verify ingredients. When in doubt or if you need help choosing a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement, don't be afraid to ask your pharmacist for help.
Author: Christi Larson, Pharm. D. Dr. Larson is a Clinical Infusion Pharmacist, author of Empowered Medicine; A Guide for Consumers and creator of www.empoweredmedicine.com. You can read more about her by visiting www.EmpoweredMedicine.com and clicking on the 'About Us' tab. EmpoweredMedicine.com is committed to providing evidence-based medical information.
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