Nathan J. Fanter, D.O.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin? Consider Saving Your Money...

A recent study showed this commonly advertised supplement offers no improvement for patients with knee osteoarthritis. 

Data published online in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology suggest that glucosamine and chondroitin offer little efficacy in relieving symptoms and slowing disease progression among patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). The research team drew data on 1,625 patients participating in the Osteoarthritis Initiative study and who were not using either supplement at baseline. At 4-year follow-up, they found that 18 percent of participants had initiated treatment with glucosamine or chondroitin. After adjustment, the research team found no clinically significant differences between users at all assessments and never-users of glucosamine or chondroitin in WOMAC pain, stiffness, or function scales, or joint space width. These findings support the recommendations in the AAOS clinical practice guideline (CPG) on the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee.