Popular supplements to fight joint pain don’t work: Study

LONDON - Two popular supplements to combat joint pain taken by millions of people around the world do not work, according to a new study.

The supplements, glucosamine and chondroitin, are either taken on their own or in combination to reduce the pain caused by osteoarthritis in hips and knees.

The researchers, led by Professor Peter Juni at the University of Bern in Switzerland, argue that given these supplements are not dangerous “we see no harm in having patients continue these preparations as long as they perceive a benefit and cover the cost of treatment themselves.”

However, they add: “Health authorities and health insurers should not cover the costs for these preparations, and new prescriptions to patients who have not received treatment should be discouraged.”

As part of the research, Juni and colleagues analysed the results of 10 published trials involving 3,803 patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis. They assessed changes in levels of pain after patients took glucosamine, chondroitin, or their combination with placebo or head to head.

They found no clinically relevant effect of chondroitin, glucosamine, or their combination on perceived joint pain or on joint space narrowing.

Despite this finding, some patients are convinced that these preparations are beneficial, say the authors. They suggest this might be because of the natural course of osteoarthritis or the placebo effect.

“Compared with placebo, glucosamine, chondroitin, and their combination do not reduce joint pain or have an impact on narrowing of joint space. Health authorities and health insurers should be discouraged from funding glucosamine and chondroitin treatment,” they conclude.

The study appears on bmj.com. (ANI)