More than 46 million Americans suffer from arthritis, and many of them turn for relief to glucosamine and chondroitin, natural components of joint tissue that have been used in Europe for decades and became
popular in the U.S. about 10 years ago. The L.A. Times reports on the improbably difficult task of figuring out if the supplements really work. The paper reports that researchers started looking at the results surveys about glucosamine and chondroitin in 1969, and dozens of studies have followed, most of them focusing on relief from knee pain. What do we know now? Not so much. The Times reports that a large scale study conducted three years ago at the University of Utah found that neither glucosamine nor chondroitin sulfate  taken alone or together â€â€
worked much better than the placebo, but patients with severe pain found that the combination of glucosamine plus
chondroitin sulfate did appear to reduce pain; 79 percent of those with severe
pain experienced relief compared with just over half of those who took
the placebo.
Wait, there's more unhelpful science on the way: A recent review of the most
rigorous studies found that most show that glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate do reduce knee osteoarthritis pain
when taken together, although results are inconsistent, with some
studies showing no effect. Another review published last year by the Cochrane Collaboration looked at data
from the 25 top studies on glucosamine alone for arthrits. That review found
that, on average, the supplements result in a 22 percent reduction in pain,
but, again, in some studies the supplements worked no better than a
placebo. So what do we know, exactly? It's hard to say.
When I experience knee pain a few years ago. I looked around the internet about it. I saw a ad for gluscosmine sulfate. I ordered a bottle not knowing how it might work. After one month of taking I noticed one morning while kneeling down in front of the fridge I didn’t need to stand after several seconds. Normally I would have to stand up because of the knee pain. It worked for me so I’m happy. I did notice within my brothers and sisters that it had minimal effect for one brother.
I read an article in 1995 in the Sun Sentinal News Paper in Pompano Bch Fl. The head lines in the Life Style of the papper stated The Achie Breakthrough! I had never before read any thing in the Life Style Section. I have the copy to this day. Thankfully I am now 73 years old and I have pain only in one knee that was caused by an Orthopedic Dr. that had one purpose in his Skill of Surgery. Remove the Cartilage in every patient and he could get more business in Knee Replacement! I called an Attorney Group Specalizing in Malpractice and was advised that they representated the Surgon in (9) cases of malpractice and could not take my case. The Surgon lost his Liscense to Practice as a Surgon I wear a Wall Mart knee brace to play golf but eventually I will need surgery! I have an Appointment to discuss the new PKR Surgery! Otherwise I have no other pain in my joints.K.W.S, Pompano Bch Fl.
Newsflashkid said
My wife had problems with a shoulder. She was 3 days away from a operation. She was in terrific pain. We then heard of MG500. She stopped the operation plan and started to use MG500. Within 15 days we saw a big change. Today she has no pain and I take the same vitamin and have no pain. I’m 84 and still very active. I work daily on a full time job.
I’ve been using glucosamine sulphate and condroitin for at least 18 years and it’s been a wonderful help in relieving my knee pain brought on by arthritis. It had been prescribed for me by an alternative health practitioner and I’ve been thankful ever since. About 8 or nine years ago I saw an orthopedic surgeon about the condition of that knee. It had been severely injured in a football game as a teenager, and then further injured in the army, and then further injured in an auto accident. The doctor x-rayed it and told me the glucosamine/condroitin had in fact been regrowing cartilage in the knee and that I should continue using it. I’m now 77 years old now and haven’t had the knee operation yet, because of the pain relief I’ve gotten from the G/C meds. Anyone who says this therapy is a hoax just doesn’t have all the facts. One thing I should mention, is that over the years I’ve used several brands, and they’re not equally effective. It may be that many of the people in those studies were given inferior grade product. I was once told that some of the manufacturers skimp on processing and the molecular structure of their product is too large for efficient absorption by our body. Hope this helps.
I’m almost 60. Around 10 years ago I started taking glucosomine to help my left knee – worked; been taking it everyday since and can run, pump iron or do anything else without knee trouble.
I have been using it on and off for years, i should stop already because it does not work. I have a lot of over use joint problems, hip, knee, lower back etc. No.. it does not work for me at all.