THE CASE
Choice magazine, the publication of the Australian Consumers Association (ACA), has just a released a study indicating that the popular alternative remedy glucosamine is ineffective in treating osteoarthritis.
The ACA researchers examined all the studies on glucosamine published before January 2005 and found that almost all showed that glucosamine was ineffective. Interestingly, the studies with positive findings were all sponsored by an Italian pharmaceutical company.
This finding mirrors the April 2007 results of the American "NIH Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial" (GAIT)
Overall, there were no significant differences between the other treatments tested and placebo.
For participants in the mild pain subset, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate together or alone did not provide statistically significant pain relief.
The GAIT study concluded
The Choice study also found that some of the commercially available glucosamine preparations did not contain the amount of glucosamine indicated on the label.
MY VERDICT
All of this gets back to an old complaint of mine. There is an official double standard. Complementary medicines are not subject to the same scrutiny of safety, efficacy and good manufacturing practice as mainstream medicines. Let's not forget the Pan Pharmaceuticals fiasco.
NOTE
As an aside, there is absolutely no evidence that the sustained release glucosamine, as touted by the legendary Dawn Fraser, is any more effective than normal glucosamine. Even Bioglan, Dawn Fraser's employer, merely says
Choice magazine, the publication of the Australian Consumers Association (ACA), has just a released a study indicating that the popular alternative remedy glucosamine is ineffective in treating osteoarthritis.
The ACA researchers examined all the studies on glucosamine published before January 2005 and found that almost all showed that glucosamine was ineffective. Interestingly, the studies with positive findings were all sponsored by an Italian pharmaceutical company.
This finding mirrors the April 2007 results of the American "NIH Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial" (GAIT)
"Participants taking the positive control, celecoxib, experienced statistically significant pain relief versus placebo--about 70 percent of those taking celecoxib had a 20 percent or greater reduction in pain versus about 60 percent for placebo."
Overall, there were no significant differences between the other treatments tested and placebo.
"For a subset of participants with moderate-to-severe pain, glucosamine combined with chondroitin sulfate provided statistically significant pain relief compared with placebo--about 79 percent had a 20 percent or greater reduction in pain versus about 54 percent for placebo. According to the researchers, because of the small size of this subgroup these findings should be considered preliminary and need to be confirmed in further studies."
For participants in the mild pain subset, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate together or alone did not provide statistically significant pain relief.
The GAIT study concluded
"People with osteoarthritis should work with their health care provider to develop a comprehensive plan for managing their arthritis pain: eat right, exercise, lose excess weight, and use proven pain medications. If people have moderate-to-severe pain, they should talk with their health care provider about whether glucosamine plus chondroitin sulfate is an appropriate treatment option."
The Choice study also found that some of the commercially available glucosamine preparations did not contain the amount of glucosamine indicated on the label.
MY VERDICT
All of this gets back to an old complaint of mine. There is an official double standard. Complementary medicines are not subject to the same scrutiny of safety, efficacy and good manufacturing practice as mainstream medicines. Let's not forget the Pan Pharmaceuticals fiasco.
NOTE
As an aside, there is absolutely no evidence that the sustained release glucosamine, as touted by the legendary Dawn Fraser, is any more effective than normal glucosamine. Even Bioglan, Dawn Fraser's employer, merely says
"When taken orally, many nutrients only stay available to the body for a short time. After that, they are either passed through the system or become inactive. In a Sustained Release formulation, the nutrient is release over a much longer time frame."
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