Glucosamine sulfate and osteoarthritis
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Supplement ingredient may reduce the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee, Jean-Yves Reginster, MD/PhD, et al., University of Liege, report at the American College of Rheumatology's annual scientific meeting in Boston Nov. 15. The double-blind, randomized, three-year trial compared 106 patients taking 1,500 mg glucosamine sulfate daily with 106 subjects taking placebo. Those taking the supplement showed no change in joint space narrowing, which was measured by radiograph, while the space between joints in those taking placebo narrowed an average of .08 mm to .1 mm per year. The researchers called on further studies to confirm the results; NCCAM recently announced it was funding a multicenter study on glucosamine and knee OA ("The Tan Sheet" Sept. 20, p. 10)