A warning about glucosamine chondroitin supplements...
Both glucosamine (pronounced glue-COSE-a-mean) and chondroitin
(pronounced con-DROY-tin) are found naturally in your body. Glucosamine
is thought to stimulate the formation and repair of cartilage -
which acts a little like a "cushion" for your joints.
Chondroitin sulfate works a little differently. It helps to draw
fluid into cartilage, which makes it more "elastic."
Products that contain glucosamine chondroitin preparations are
supposed to keep your joints healthy. Popular with people suffering
from osteoarthritis, they're sold as an alternative to pain killers
such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
Glucosamine chondroitin
There's no proof that glucosamine and chondroitin can cure
arthritis.
However, in studies on mild to moderate osteoarthritis they do
appear to reduce pain and increase mobility at least as well as
standard pain relievers. This evidence has spurred some doctors
to recommend them for patients with mild to moderate arthritis.
Although some studies have shown that glucosamine chondroitin preparations
can help to reduce joint pain, the results are far from consistent.
One of the reasons many of these products don't work is because
some brands contain only tiny amounts of these supposedly active
ingredients.
Researchers from the University of Maryland have released alarming
evidence showing that many glucosamine chondroitin supplements don't
contain what they're supposed to.
In fact, the University of Maryland research team found that 26
of the 32 products they tested contained less than 90% of
the chondroitin sulfate stated on the label. The percentage label
claims actually ranged from as low as 33% to as much as 110%.
• 17 of the 32 products tested contained less than 40% of
the chondroitin sulfate stated on the label.
• Only 5 out of 32 products contained the labeled amount
of chondroitin sulfate.
What's more, in two of the products there was also a large variation
in the amount of chondroitin sulfate found in each capsule. This
means that you can't be sure how much chondroitin you're getting
with each dose.
It's also important to note that not all chondroitin sulfates are
identical, differing widely in molecular weight. Four of five batches
of the raw material used to make the products exhibited poor "permeability",
making them less likely to be absorbed in the human body. In other
words, even capsules containing the right amount of chondroitin
will offer little relief against joint pain if they're made with
inferior raw materials.
Cost
While most consumers assume that supplements costing more are higher
in quality, this isn't always the case. Although many of the worst
performers were the cheapest, two of the most expensive products
contained almost no chondroitin. The same lack of quality control
also exists with many popular diet supplements.
If you do want to use a glucosamine chondroitin preparation, buy
a product that has been used in a human study. And be very cautious
of cheap glucosamine chondroitin supplements - all of the products
tested that claimed to provide 1200 milligrams of chondroitin sulfate
for less than $1 USD per day contained virtually no chondroitin.
For more information about the products
shown to work in humans, see
How to dramatically reduce - even completely eliminate - nagging joint pain in the Members-Only Area.
Reference
Adebowale, A., Cox, D.S., Liang, Z., & Eddington, N.D. (2000).
Analysis of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate content in marketed
products and the Caco-2 permeability of chondroitin sulfate raw
materials. Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association,
3, 37-44
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