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Supplements may slow bone loss in arthritis

Wednesday, November 28, 2007; 4:27 AM

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Two dietary supplements widely used by arthritis sufferers may indeed help slow the bone loss associated with the joint disease, a "basic science" study indicates.

In experiments with bone tissue samples from patients with knee arthritis, researchers found that the supplements -- chondroitin and glucosamine -- affected the activity of certain proteins involved in bone "remodeling."

Bone remodeling refers to the continuous process in which existing bone is broken down and replaced with new bone tissue. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage cushioning the joints begins to break down; but there is also a breakdown in the bone underneath the cartilage.

Research suggests that this bone loss is related to an imbalance in the activity of the cells that break down bone (osteoclasts) and cells that build bone (osteoblasts).

The new findings, published in the journal Arthritis Research & Therapy, suggest that chondroitin and glucosamine may affect osteoblasts in a way that slows arthritis-related bone loss.

The results may help explain why the supplements have been shown to ease arthritis symptoms in some studies, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Steeve Kwan Tat of the University of Montreal Hospital Centre in Canada.

For the study, the researchers used osteoblast cells taken from patients undergoing knee-joint replacement for severe knee arthritis. They exposed some of the bone cells to chondroitin, glucosamine or a combination of the two, then analyzed the samples for changes in activity related to bone remodeling.

The researchers found that the supplements, particularly when used together, affected osteoblast activity in a way that may inhibit bone breakdown.

The results, they conclude, "provide interesting and insightful information about the mechanisms by which these drugs exert positive effects on the osteoarthritis disease process."

Whether arthritis sufferers actually benefit from the supplements is not completely clear. A recent large U.S. trial found that people with moderate-to-severe arthritis pain saw some relief, but those with milder symptoms did not.

In general, experts advise that arthritis patients talk with their doctors before trying chondroitin and glucosamine, and that they not abandon their current treatment.

 

I took glucosamine/chondroitin for several years without experiencing any benefit.  Maybe my OA/RA joints were too far gone already to be "improved" by these supplements.I have shellfish allergies, so I don't take them

MaryBlooms and others interested,

I recomend a vegetable glucosamine from Effective Natural Products. It contains non animal/non shell fish or by products and is made from corn. There is no chondroitin so you would have to add that to the mix but there is a mix of ingredients to help with the bone and joint health and also anti inflamatories and vitamins for joint health. I take half the recomended dose as my bakers cysts became filled with the full dose. Yous can check it out if interested.

http://www.effectivenatural.com/vegetable_glucosamine.php

LEV

PS One of the larger vitamin suppliers also has a vegetable glucosamine but the name escapes me and it has no other benificial ingredients but if you sarch i'm sure you can find it if you want to compare the products.

My RD doesn't believe in gluc/chon. so I stopped it.  Big mistake.  Within a few months I had a whole new set of pains I never had before.  I went back on the supplement and those particular pains went away.  I don't take it every day now, just a few times a week and that seems to work. Thanks Lev, I will check it out!  I have been taking tumeric and ginger after some articles I have read but I don't know if they are making much of difference yet.


Three of my friends swear by it and suffer when they run out. That's for osteo, which I don't have, but I tried it and, of course, nothing happened. But it has such a good reputation osteo sufferers could well try it. Cheers - Dessy.
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