Supplements May Help with Moderate-to-Severe Osteoarthritis Pain –

The Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), which was cosponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and NIAMS, assessed the effectiveness and safety of glucosamine and chondroitin when taken together or separately. The trial found that the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate did not provide significant relief from osteoarthritis pain among all participants. However, a subgroup of study participants with moderate-to-severe pain showed significant relief with the combined supplements.

The 4-year trial was conducted at 16 sites across the United States. The results were published in the Feb. 23, 2006 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

For those of you who live near a Publix supermarket, you can buy a combination glucosamine-chondroitin supplement in the pharmacy section of the store. Check out this interesting article from the Publix supermarket website.

Typical dosages are 500 milligrams of glucosamine and 400 milligrams of chondroitin – both taken three times a day. As always, use common sense and consult your healthcare professional for specific guidance! Here’s to your good health!