Glucosamine and Chondroitin Helpful in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis
Many people have found glucosamine and chondroitin to help substantially in controlling the pain and stiffness of arthritis. The medical profession, however, has remained skeptical and continues to rely exclusively on anti-inflammatory drugs that have undesirable side effects and may actually aggravate the condition in the long run.
A review of existing studies was published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association (March 15, 2000; 283 11: 1469-75). The authors concluded that there is substantial evidence that these substances have “moderate to large (beneficial) effects”. The authors cautioned that quality standards in the dietary supplement industry remain poor and this may lead to inconsistent results.