Glucosamine/Chondroitin

[sportsnut3007]

Glucosamine/Chondroitin I read that this can supposedly help rehydrate a disc or make a bulge go down. Is this true? Are there any dangers in trying to take these to see if it works? Any insight would be helpful

[Justin]

Glucosamine/Chondroitin I read that this can supposedly help rehydrate a disc or make a bulge go down. Is this true? Are there any dangers in trying to take these to see if it works? Any insight would be helpful

This should be helpful: Glucosamine / Chondroitin Therapy for Treating Osteoarthritis.

[sportsnut3007]

Thanks for the insight justin!!!

[Kokanee]

I take Glocosamine daily for a post-op knee (miniscus tear), work great for the knee but does jack all for my cervical discs.

[dalhousie]

I saw my spinal specialist yesterday for a review & asked him about this issue & he said it's so difficult to accurately assess the true benefit of such things as there are so many variables in trial situations. He seemed to sit on the fence about them but said most important was to eat a balanced diet & then take supplements if you want to as an add on.

[ouch33]

I also just bought these and I have taken now or 1 week...pharmacist says it should start kicking in after 1 month...it's a hit or miss I think ...but I'm up for trying anything at this point!

[roryAK]

i've been taking these supplements for years for sore joints from skiing. seems to ease the motion of my knees and shoulders but can't say it's helped my back...

[Justin]

I saw my spinal specialist yesterday for a review & asked him about this issue & he said it's so difficult to accurately assess the true benefit of such things as there are so many variables in trial situations. He seemed to sit on the fence about them but said most important was to eat a balanced diet & then take supplements if you want to as an add on.

Hi Ruth,

See the cut and paste from the link above about the Rotta preparation of glucosamine below. I hope it helps.
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In terms of glucosamine / chondroitin for degenerative disc disease, also known as osteoarthritis, Cochrane Review* demonstrates that "Rotta preparation glucosamine" (glucosamine that is prepared a certain way to help stabilize it) improved pain and function more than placebo with no increased side effects (stomach upset or other joint pain) compared to placebo.

Pooled results from studies (25 studies with 4963 patients) using a non-Rotta preparation or adequate allocation concealment failed to show benefit in pain and WOMAC^ function while those studies evaluating the Rotta preparation showed that glucosamine was superior to placebo in the treatment of pain and functional impairment resulting from symptomatic OA.

Source: Towheed T, Maxwell L, Anastassiades TP, Shea B, Houpt J, Welch V, Hochberg MC, Wells GA. Glucosamine therapy for treating osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD002946. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002946.pub2

*Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Considered to be the strongest evidence available (in Evidence-Based Medicine [EBM]). Systematic Reviews are articles that contain explicit rules for selecting the studies to be included in the review. These rules guide the authors as to what findings they can and can NOT include in the review, thereby lessening the probability that bias will influence the conclusions. A structured format is used for consistent presentation of information and data.

^The WOMAC (Westren Ontario and McMaster Universities) index is used to assess patients with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee using 24 parameters including pain, function and stiffness subscales. It can be used to monitor the course of the disease or to determine the effectiveness of anti-rheumatic medications. Click here for information that is included in the WOMAC index.

Here's a link to "rotta preparation glucosamine:" DONA™ Glucosamine Sulfate

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Glucosamine hydrochloride# and chondroitin have been studied primarily in the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis. However, osteoarthritis can also affect the spine, hands, and shoulders.

Previous studies in the medical literature had conflicting results on the effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate as treatments for osteoarthritis. Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) was designed to test the short-term (6 months) effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate in reducing pain in a large number of participants with knee osteoarthritis.

GAIT is the first large-scale, multicenter clinical trial in the United States to test the effects of the dietary supplements glucosamine hydrochloride (glucosamine) and sodium chondroitin sulfate (chondroitin sulfate) for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. The study tested whether glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate used separately or in combination reduced pain in participants with knee osteoarthritis.

See the attached PDF--"Questions and Answers: NIH Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial Primary Study." It includes a lot of information on Glucosamine/chondroitin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs [Cox-1 and Cox-2 enzyme inhibitors]), and Cox-2 inhibitors like Celebrex (Generic: Celecoxib).

# Glucosamine can be found naturally in the body and is used by the body as one of the building blocks of cartilage. Glucosamine can also be taken as a pill as a supplement to the diet, or sometimes as an injection. It can come in combination with other supplements (such as chondroitin), or by itself in the form of glucosamine hydrochloride or sulphate. The usual dose recommended on packages is 1500 mg per day or 500 mg three times a day.

I hope this is a good start. There are many good resources available on this topic. Let me know if you would like more information.

[Terry Newton]

I have been taking this supplement for years and swear by it. I was developing some arthritis in my hands and my knuckles were inflamed and in a lot of pain. I started taking the glucosamine and it cleared up in about a month or so. I took it for years and then decided to take myself off of it. Within a few weeks my hands were back to feeling the same pain that I had in them previously. I returned to taking the glucosamine and within no time the pain was gone again. I think it has helped all of my joints including spinal issues.

Happy supplementing!