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The researchers from the
University of Utah's School of Medicine
who led the study say though some of
their findings were confusing and more
research was needed, after two years,
there was no important reduction in
joint space width loss.
The multicenter study
which was funded by the National Center
for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine at the National Institutes of
Health, supports other research which
has shown the supplements have few or no
effects.
A trial in 2006 - the
glucosamine/chondroitin arthritis
intervention trial or GAIT- found the
supplements did not reduce the pain of
knee arthritis, except among a small
group of patients with moderate to
severe pain.
Rheumatologist Dr.
Allen Sawitzke and his colleagues say
they had trouble interpreting their
results because patients who took
placebos had a smaller loss of cartilage
than they should have.
The researchers
however continued to watch 572
volunteers for another 18 months and
found the supplements - 500 mg of
glucosamine three times a day; or 400 mg
of chondroitin sulfate three times a
day; or a combination of the two
supplements; or 200 mg of celecoxib
daily; or a placebo - did not appear to
slow the loss of cartilage, taken either
alone or together and what is more they
found the arthritis worsened in 24% of
participants taking both - which was
similar to those taking placebo.
Dr. Stephen Katz,
director of the NIH's National Institute
of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and
Skin Diseases says research continues to
reveal that osteoarthritis, the most
common form of arthritis, appears to be
the result of an array of factors
including age, gender, genetics, obesity
and joint injuries.
Dr. Katz says because
osteoarthritis affects nearly 21 million
Americans, ways to not only treat pain,
but also address the structural effects
of the condition are being searched for.
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