MedHead Message:
An earlier large scale trial showed no difference in pain or function using glucosamine v. placebo. However, they didn’t specify the type of glucosamine, whether sulfate or hydrochloride. The results were mostly generalized. More recent studies, however, show that glucosamine sulfate with chondroitin significantly reduce pain and increase function in adults with osteoarthritis. You can thank your arthritic pets who performed so much better on glucosamine, and no placebo effect for keeping this issue alive! I was starting to wonder if I were going nuts every time my patients would come back and say their joint pains were so much better. It’s because they are, and we finally have proof to overturn these findings!
References:
1. Register JY, Deroisy R, Rovati LC, et al. Long-term effects of glucosamine sulfate on osteoarthritis progression: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2001;357:251 2. Pavelka K, Gatterova J, Olejarova M, et al. Glucosamine sulfate use and delay of progression of knee osteoarthritis: A 3-year, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Arch Intern Med 2002;162:2113-23 3. Poolsup N, Suthisisang C, Channark P, Kittikulsuth W. Glucosamine long-term treatment and the progression of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ann Pharmacother 2005;39:1080-7. 4. Bruyere O, Pavelka K, Rovati LC, et al. Total joint replacement after glucosamine sulphate treatment in knee osteoarthritis: results of a mean 8-year observation of patients from two previous 3-year, randomized, placebo-controlled trials. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2008;16:254-60 5. https://health.costhelper.com/knee-replacement.html
