The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point

Archive for the 'Glucosamine/ Chondroitin' Category

CAM use in the Manitoba IBD Cohort Study

Monday, February 27th, 2012

Researchers in Winnipeg, Manitoba surveyed the prevalence of CAM use in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. (more…)

Symptomatic response to chondroitin in patients with osteoarthritis

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

Researchers at the University of Geneva School of Medicine, in Switzerland, evaluated the response to highly purified chondroitin 4&6 sulfate (CS) in patients with hand osteoarthritis. (more…)

Risk of death and the use of supplements

Friday, June 3rd, 2011

Researchers at the University of Washington, in Seattle, evaluated whether 13 vitamin and mineral supplements and glucosamine, chondroitin, saw palmetto, Ginkgo biloba, garlic, fish-oil, and fiber supplements were associated with total mortality.

The results with glucosamine and chondroitin are most interesting. (more…)

Failure of glucosamine to reduce the use of pain relieving drugs

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

Researchers at the Universitetet i Oslo, tell us, “Since 2004, glucosamine has been available as a prescription drug [in Norway] for symptomatic treatment of mild to moderate osteoarthritis.

The aim of this study was evaluate the use of glucosamine on the need for analgesic drugs. (more…)

Glucosamine for chronic low back pain due to degenerative lumbar osteoarthritis

Friday, July 9th, 2010

Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) occurs as cartilage breaks down and wears away. This causes the bones under the cartilage to rub together, resulting pain, swelling, and loss of joint motion.

Although glucosamine is increasingly used by these patients, researchers at Oslo University Hospital Outpatient Clinic in Norway tell us little was known about the effectiveness of glucosamine for this condition until now. (more…)

May is arthritis awareness month

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

Researchers from Bethesda North Hospital Pharmacy, in Cincinnati, Ohio reviewed the evidence for using supplements to treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. (more…)

Effects of glucosamine + omega-3 on osteoporosis

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Researchers in Germany conducted the first study of this combination.

The aim was to see if the combination is more effective than glucosamine alone. (more…)

Glucosamine fails latest test

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

knee-joint-3Reporting at the American College of Rheumatology annual scientific meeting, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, in Pennsylvania found no benefit for preventing joint damage in the knees caused by osteoarthritis. (more…)

Does published research affect supplement sales?

Friday, October 9th, 2009

It depends on what’s being reported.

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Mayo Clinic reviewed sales of 5 popular supplements in light of emerging negative evidence. (more…)

Glucosamine and chondroitin for osteoarthritis

Sunday, May 31st, 2009

No better than placebo after 24 months of treatment. (more…)

Reparagen vs glucosamine sulfate for osteoarthritis

Sunday, April 12th, 2009

Yes, both were effective.

But, are they better than placebo? (more…)

Benefits of chondroitin in knee osteoarthritis

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

 Researchers from the University of Paris Descartes in France assessed the long-term effects of chondroitins 4 and 6 sulfate on the symptoms and radiographic progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). (more…)

Most commonly used natural products

Sunday, January 18th, 2009

Here’s a follow-up to an earlier post on the use of CAM in the US in 2007 as surveyed by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). (more…)

Glucosamine sulfate on hip osteoarthritis

Thursday, December 18th, 2008

After 2 years of treatment, glucosamine sulfate had no effect on the symptoms and the progression of hip osteoarthritis, according to researchers from the Netherlands. (more…)

CAM use in the US

Thursday, December 11th, 2008

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) reports that approximately 38% of adults and 12% of children use some form of CAM. (more…)

Glucosamine and chondroitin for osteoarthritis knee pain

Saturday, June 21st, 2008

The Arthritis Foundation characterized the Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) as “a landmark study that helps define the role of glucosamine/chondroitin in the treatment of knee OA.”

(more…)

An academic allopathic view of CAM options for arthritic pain

Monday, March 17th, 2008

Arthritis pain includes a range of ailments, from acute musculoskeletal injuries to degenerative osteoarthritis (OA) to chronic inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. Eric Ruderman, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago has published a review on Medscape, with lots of space devoted to CAM: exercise, acupuncture, and nutritional supplements. (more…)

ConsumerLab flunks 8 of 38 bone health products

Sunday, February 10th, 2008

The products were purported to contain glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM (methylsulfonylmethane). You can buy the full report here, or MSNBC gives a glimpse of the findings here.

Two products exposed include Nature’s Plus Ultra Maximum Strength Chondroitin 600 for people and Nutri-Vet Nutritionals Hip and Joint Soft Chews for dogs. (more…)

Defining the benefits of glucosamine for osteoarthritis

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

Earlier posts on this topic here and here might leave readers with the impression that the scientific literature doesn’t support glucosamine to help treat osteoporosis.

Considering it’s one of the most commonly used supplements, it’s worth another look. (more…)

A review of 3 treatments for osteoarthritis of the knee

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

The Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has reviewed the evidence and concludes that proof of benefit is lacking for dietary supplements, a common surgical procedure, and injected preparations. (more…)