# Glucosamine and chondroitin



## sugar and spice (Mar 6, 2008)

Forgive me if this has already been discussed in a previous thread but I have been considering whether or not to start taking glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for my knees. Has anyone had any good results from these or is it all hype? I am allergic to aspirin and Ibuprofin so I really cant take anything good over the counter for pain or inflammation, anyone have any other suggestions for something that has worked well for you? Thanks for any help you can give me.


----------



## Paul (Mar 6, 2008)

Sugar and Spice,

I found this article from the New England Journal of Medicine:
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/354/8/795

Here is a quote from this article:



NEJM said:


> [FONT=arial, helvetica]Overall, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate were not significantly better than placebo in reducing knee pain by 20 percent.



The NEJM article confirms what I have heard said by the news media that [/FONT]glucosamine and chondroitin are not that effective in reducing joint pain. Try it if you like, but only if you can get the supplement at a low enough price you would be comfortable paying.


----------



## Dr. Feelgood (Mar 6, 2008)

I have no cartilage left in my knees. By all rights I should probably be in exquisite pain, but my osteopath has had me on 500 mg of naproxen for several years, and it works like a charm for me. I have tried glucosamine and chondroitin, and it never did anything for me; on the other hand, I have a friend who is also lacking cartilage, and he swears by g& c: says it has given him his mobility back. I think it boils down to: different treatments work differently for different people. I wish you good luck and good health.


----------



## sugar and spice (Mar 6, 2008)

Paul said:


> Sugar and Spice,
> 
> I found this article from the New England Journal of Medicine:
> http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/354/8/795
> ...



Thank you, this is so far what I figured, works for some and not for others.


----------



## sugar and spice (Mar 6, 2008)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> I have no cartilage left in my knees. By all rights I should probably be in exquisite pain, but my osteopath has had me on 500 mg of naproxen for several years, and it works like a charm for me. I have tried glucosamine and chondroitin, and it never did anything for me; on the other hand, I have a friend who is also lacking cartilage, and he swears by g& c: says it has given him his mobility back. I think it boils down to: different treatments work differently for different people. I wish you good luck and good health.



Thanks, unfortunately naproxen falls into the family of drugs(Ibuprofen, motrin, aspirin, Advil) that I am allergic to. It is soo frustrating to be allergic to all the most helpful drugs for this.


----------



## Fyreflyintheskye (Mar 6, 2008)

sugar and spice said:


> Thanks, unfortunately naproxen falls into the family of drugs(Ibuprofen, motrin, aspirin, Advil) that I am allergic to. It is soo frustrating to be allergic to all the most helpful drugs for this.



A friend's mom takes Knoxx gelatin and G & C MSM for her knee pains and, so far as I know, it's been working out for her... incidentally, her husband is retired and a hobbyist beekeeper who has never had arthritis or joint pain of any kind. He attributes that to the stings.


----------



## GrowingBoy (Mar 7, 2008)

I have little cartiledge left in my knees or ankles. A few years back, my doctor advised me to use a supplement known as Tripple Flex, which includes MSM, Glucosamine and Chondrotin. This has considerably improved my ankle pain, but has done little for my knees. 

The other thing I noticed was that Glucosamine affects insulin levels, and as a result can make it difficult to lose (or even maintain) weight. As a result, I do not take it every day.


----------



## Zandoz (Mar 7, 2008)

Here is how my doctor put it to me....try it for a couple months (it will take that long for it to build up to effective levels in your system), then stop taking it for a while. If you don't notice an increase in pain when you stop, don't bother with more...if you do notice a change, continue taking it.

For me, I did notice a change...a small one. I continue taking it, because even a little relief is better than none, and I've heard of no substantive downside other than the cost. If you watch the sales closely, you can cut the cost. By keeping an eye on the sales from places like Walgreens, Walmart, etc, my wife gets it pretty regularly on 2-for-1 sales.


----------



## Jes (Mar 7, 2008)

sugar and spice said:


> Thank you, this is so far what I figured, works for some and not for others.



in another thread (no memory of where sorry) i asked about this. I've heard it can work well but that there's a lot of sodium in one of the components and that's bad news in terms of BP especially if one already has BP issues. I would think talking with a Dr., if you haven't, would be a good first step.


----------



## D_A_Bunny (Mar 7, 2008)

I personally do not take this because I am diabetic and it can affect blood sugar levels. I also have good results with ibuprofen for pain. 
BUT - I will tell you that I know FOR SURE that it works wonders for dogs. My mil gave it to her aging lab and extended her life and quality of life for years. My dog had quite an injury to his leg and is quite plump, this was the only thing that worked. My neighbor's dog had a major neck injury and the vet offered this just to make her comfortable. Now she plays like a puppy.
(PS the dog product is Nupro Silver)
My brother took it a couple of years ago and it worked for him too (human stuff). The only problem was the price. You definitely have to shop around and look for sales. The main component is ground lobster shells. Also, look for a product that has some of the other components that help like blue lip mussel extract and what not. If you look into this you will find a lot of information that can help you choose your exact product.

If I did not have high sugar problems and had the money, I would definitely take this stuff.

Good luck with it!!


----------



## sugar and spice (Mar 7, 2008)

Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions. I guess I will comparison shop and see which one will be the best buy and give it a try. Luckily I dont have any BP or blood sugar or insulin issues so I'll read up on it and probably give it a shot.


----------



## pani (Mar 23, 2008)

I take the emergenc C kind that dissolves in water. I don't really have too many problems but one knee was knocked out in an episode of domestic violence years back and every so often in bothers me. (The gift that keeps on giving!) I live on a 4th floor walk up so I need my knees. I find when I take it for awhile, it does help, then I quit for awhile.

I look at all studies in the major medicial journals with a grain of salt. They are highly influenced by pharma who has an interest in keeping us as unhealthy as possible.


----------



## LillyBBBW (Mar 23, 2008)

I'm allergic to shellfish so I can't take Glucosamine Chondroitin. I did however take Shark Cartilege and Omega 3-6-9 and that seemed to help a lot. I got cheap and decided to stop. I was okay for a while but think I will start again. I don't know what the NEJM says about shark cartilege but it might be worth a look also.


----------



## Friday (Mar 23, 2008)

Costco generally has it pretty cheap too. Another thing you might want to try adding to your testing list is fish oil capsules. I have costalchondritis, an inflammation of the cartilage that holds together the ribs, collar bone and sternum. It won't ever go away the doctor says but although I can take Ibuprofen, it doesn't do much. All the other ones, Celebrex, Vioxx, etc, tear up my stomach in 3 or 4 doses (not to mention the other jolly side effects you might have, heart attack anyone?).

I have a book by Jean Carper (I have a couple in fact), called Food, Your Miracle Medicine. You can usually pick up a copy in the health section of the used bookstore. She recommends fish oil as an anti inflammatory and it's the ONLY thing that works on the CC in my chest. Sometimes it gets so bad I can't even cuddle the kitties, much less the hubby and just a week or so of the fish oil makes a world of difference. Now I just take it every day and hey, it's supposed to be good for your brain and your heart too. They carry that at Costco too and usually have a coupon for it at least twice a year when you can buy several bottles to last until the next coupon.


----------



## LillyBBBW (Mar 24, 2008)

Friday said:


> Costco generally has it pretty cheap too. Another thing you might want to try adding to your testing list is fish oil capsules. I have costalchondritis, an inflammation of the cartilage that holds together the ribs, collar bone and sternum. It won't ever go away the doctor says but although I can take Ibuprofen, it doesn't do much. All the other ones, Celebrex, Vioxx, etc, tear up my stomach in 3 or 4 doses (not to mention the other jolly side effects you might have, heart attack anyone?).
> 
> I have a book by Jean Carper (I have a couple in fact), called Food, Your Miracle Medicine. You can usually pick up a copy in the health section of the used bookstore. She recommends fish oil as an anti inflammatory and it's the ONLY thing that works on the CC in my chest. Sometimes it gets so bad I can't even cuddle the kitties, much less the hubby and just a week or so of the fish oil makes a world of difference. Now I just take it every day and hey, it's supposed to be good for your brain and your heart too. They carry that at Costco too and usually have a coupon for it at least twice a year when you can buy several bottles to last until the next coupon.



I agree with everything Friday says... at ALL times. Omega 3-6-9 is just a fancy high tech name for fish oil. What you really want out of the fish oil are the omegas and the 3-6-9 combines a spectrum of them that someone will prove one day you don't need all of them. I have seen a difference in my joints and overall well being from taking them however. I was unaware of how well it was working till I ran out and was too cheap to order again. Now I have returned to the twisted hissing troglodyte I was before and I'm reordering them as we speak. Any fish oil will do really but I spend the extra on 3-6-9 and I'm happy. :happy:

I've found Healthnotes to be a great resource for information on health conditions and supplements. In order to get on the site you have to create an ID and all that but I have access to the important stuff through the Vitamin World website. Of course they hope that by providing the service it will entice you to buy from them but you certainly don't have to. 
http://www.vitaminworld.com/vf/healthnotes/HN_live/index.htm?Hcontent=All_Index


----------



## Jes (Mar 24, 2008)

friday--i'm right there with you on the chest inflammation. NASTY. 

Fish oil can be a lot like snake oil, or so I've seen on medical shows. One science guy said that you should open a capsule of the stuff you take, and put it onto a shallow saucer and then put it into the freezer. Let it get to the freezer temp for awhile and then take it out and scratch it with your finger. if it's frozen, it's not oil, which will get cold, but not freeze. Since stuff costs money and you're taking it to feel better, it's worth testing it to see if it's filler or ...meat, as it were. 

I take pharmaceutical grade (but OTC) oil with the correct balance 2:1 of DHA and EHA, from wild, not farmed, cold-water fish. It's pricey but to me, it's worth it.

All but the fish burps. *retch*


----------



## Friday (Mar 24, 2008)

Well, aren't those lovely burps a sign of authenticity? :eat2:

Honestly, I trust the Costco (Kirkland) brand. They guard their reputation carefully.


----------



## Ruby Ripples (Mar 24, 2008)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> I have no cartilage left in my knees. By all rights I should probably be in exquisite pain, but my osteopath has had me on 500 mg of naproxen for several years, and it works like a charm for me. I have tried glucosamine and chondroitin, and it never did anything for me; on the other hand, I have a friend who is also lacking cartilage, and he swears by g& c: says it has given him his mobility back. I think it boils down to: different treatments work differently for different people. I wish you good luck and good health.



I might be wrong but I thought that in order for glucosamine to work on your joints you had to still have some cartilage left? 

re- Naproxen, just a note of caution. This should not be taken by anyone with reduced lung function. I have reduced lung efficacy due to an illness some years ago and am prone now to fluid retention in my right lung. Naproxen can cause or make worse fluid in the lungs.


----------



## sugar and spice (Mar 25, 2008)

Friday said:


> Costco generally has it pretty cheap too. Another thing you might want to try adding to your testing list is fish oil capsules. I have costalchondritis, an inflammation of the cartilage that holds together the ribs, collar bone and sternum. It won't ever go away the doctor says but although I can take Ibuprofen, it doesn't do much. All the other ones, Celebrex, Vioxx, etc, tear up my stomach in 3 or 4 doses (not to mention the other jolly side effects you might have, heart attack anyone?).
> 
> I have a book by Jean Carper (I have a couple in fact), called Food, Your Miracle Medicine. You can usually pick up a copy in the health section of the used bookstore. She recommends fish oil as an anti inflammatory and it's the ONLY thing that works on the CC in my chest. Sometimes it gets so bad I can't even cuddle the kitties, much less the hubby and just a week or so of the fish oil makes a world of difference. Now I just take it every day and hey, it's supposed to be good for your brain and your heart too. They carry that at Costco too and usually have a coupon for it at least twice a year when you can buy several bottles to last until the next coupon.



Thanks for this suggestion, I did a little research online on the pros and cons of fish oil and decided to give it a try. Some of the side effects sounded kind of scary(bleeding) so I called our Dr. and got her OK for my husband and I to start taking it. I really hope I get some of the relief you have and I look forward to all the other benefits fish oil offers. Thanks again,Fran


----------



## LillyBBBW (Mar 25, 2008)

sugar and spice said:


> Thanks for this suggestion, I did a little research online on the pros and cons of fish oil and decided to give it a try. Some of the side effects sounded kind of scary(bleeding) so I called our Dr. and got her OK for my husband and I to start taking it. I really hope I get some of the relief you have and I look forward to all the other benefits fish oil offers. Thanks again,Fran



I'm so glad to hear you are giving fish oil a try. Please let us know how things work out.


----------



## Friday (Mar 26, 2008)

About those burps? Fresh capsules have less burp issues so it bothers me not a bit to dig to the bottom for the best pull date. I also found it helps if I take them just before bed. Evidently I don't burp while I'm asleep.


----------

