CONSUMER NEWS    RECALLS    COMPLAINT FORM    SCAM ALERTS  
Small Claims Guide   Class Actions   Lemon Laws   FAQ   Newsletters  


Complain about a product or service

Automotive    Education    Electronics    Family    Finance    Health    Homeowners    Shopping    Travel   
NEWS   Latest |  Archives |  Auto |  Cells, etc. |  Computers |  Financial |  Health |  Homeowners |  Parents |  Privacy |  Scams |  Seniors |  Travel

Dietary Supplements Show Same Cartilage Loss Results as Placebos

Osteoarthritis sufferers show no change in tests





October 2, 2008


Dietary Supplements Show Same Cartilage Loss Results as Placebos
Knee Problems Facing Aging Baby Boomers
Need New Knees? Read This First
Acupuncture and Knee Pain
Can Acupuncture Help Knee Pain?
Harvard Studies Knees & Hips

Consumers who take an expensive daily dietary supplement to slow cartilage loss may be wasting their money.

In a two-year study led by University of Utah doctors, the dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate performed no better than placebo in slowing the rate of cartilage loss in the knees of osteoarthritis patients.

This was an ancillary study concurrently conducted on a subset of the patients who were enrolled in the prospective, randomized GAIT (Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial). The primary objective of this ancillary study was to investigate whether these dietary supplements could diminish the structural damage of osteoarthritis.

The results, published in the October issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, show none of the agents had a clinically significant effect on slowing the rate of joint space width loss--the distance between the ends of joint bones as shown by X-ray.

However, in line with other recent studies, the researchers observed that all the study's participants had a slower rate of joint space width loss than expected, making it more difficult to detect the effects of the dietary supplements and other agents used in the study.

"At two years, no treatment achieved what was predefined to be a clinically important reduction in joint space width loss," said Allen D. Sawitzke, M.D., associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine and the lead investigator. "While we found a trend toward improvement among those with moderate osteoarthritis of the knee in those taking glucosamine, we were not able to draw any definitive conclusions."

More than 21 million Americans have osteoarthritis, with many taking glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, separately or in combination, to relieve pain. The original GAIT, led by University of Utah rheumatologist Daniel O. Clegg, M.D., professor of internal medicine, was a multicenter, randomized, national clinical trial that studied whether these dietary supplements provided significant pain relief to people with osteoarthritis in the knees.

GAIT found that the supplements produced no more pain relief than placebo, although a subset of the original GAIT participants with moderate to severe osteoarthritis knee pain appeared to receive significant pain relief when they took a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.



Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.


Consumer News

November 23 2008

Recent Recalls & Safety Alerts

PRINT, MAIL, ETC.


FREE CONSUMER NEWSLETTERS

The Daily Consumer
Afternoons M-F

Sign up now!


Consumer News & Alerts
Every Sunday

Sign up now!

MOST-VIEWED PAGES

  • Classmates
  • GM-Viagra
  • Sharper Image
  • Sears Auto Centers
  • GE Money Bank
  • Maytag Washers
  • Speed Up Your Metabolism
  • Chinese Formula
  • Aspire
  • Wal-Mart Vision Centers
  • Whirlpool Water Heaters
  • NEW COMPLAINTS

  • Babystyle.com
  • Petro Oil
  • Thane Steamer
  • Thane Vacuum
  • Covergirl
  • Paula Young Wigs
  • Family Dollar
  • Bon Ton Stores
  • Firefly
  • Maidenform.com
  • Hey there! ConsumerAffairs.com is using Twitter.
    Twitter is a free service that lets you keep in touch throughout the day. Join today to start receiving ConsumerAffairs.com's updates.







    Back to the top |

    Advertisement



    AUTOMOTIVE
    • Dealers
    • Manufacturers
    • Service
    • Extended Warranties
    • Lemon Laws
    • Recalls
    • Tires
    • Transporters

    FAMILY
    • Aging
    • Children, Parenting
    • Recalls
    • Dating
    • Education
    • Entertainment
    • Pets
    • Weddings
    FINANCE
    • Annuities
    • Banks
    • Credit Cards
    • Debt Collection
    • Debt Counseling
    • Insurance
    • Investing
    • Loans
    • Mortgages
    • Payday Loans
    • Student Loans
    • Tax Prep

    HEALTH
    • Drugs, Pharmacies
    • Health Clubs
    • Hearing Care
    • Hospitals
    • Nursing Homes
    • Nutrition, Diets
    • Vision Care
    • Weight Loss
    HOMEOWNERS & RENTERS
    • Appliances
    • Cookware
    • Furniture
    • Home Improvements
    • Lawn & Garden
    • Movers
    • Pools & Spas
    • Realtors, Rental Agents
    • Recalls
    • Utilities

    ELECTRONICS
    • Cable TV/DBS
    • Cameras
    • Cell Phones
    • Computers
    • Home Electronics
    • Internet Access
    • Local Phone Service
    • Long Distance
    • VoIP
    SHOPPING
    • In-Home
    • Online
    • Retail Stores
    • Sporting Goods
    • Supermarkets
    • Telemarketers

    TRAVEL
    • Airlines
    • Bus Lines
    • Car Rental
    • Cruises
    • Hotels
    • Travel Agents
    • Trains

    RESOURCES
    • Class Actions
    • Complaint Form
    • Small Claims Guide
    • Lemon Laws
    CONSUMER NEWS
    • Latest News
    • Automotive
    • Telecom
    • Financial
    • Health
    • Homeowners
    • Scams
    • Seniors
    • Travel
    • More ...

    RECALLS
    • Automotive
    • Children's Products
    • Drugs
    • Food
    • Household Products
    • Sporting Goods

    ABOUT US
    • FAQ
    • Privacy Policy
    • Advertise With Us
    • Newsroom
    • Syndication
    • Terms of Use

    Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use

    Advertisements on this site are placed and controlled by outside advertising networks. ConsumerAffairs.com does not evaluate or endorse the products and services advertised. See the FAQ for more information.

    Company Response Welcome If complaints about your company appear on our site, we welcome your response. Please see the Response Form for more information.

    For more information, see the FAQ and privacy policy. The information on this Web site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice.  ConsumerAffairs.com Inc. makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof. 

    Copyright © 2003-2008 ConsumerAffairs.com Inc.  All Rights Reserved.    The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission.