December 2000 -- Question: I have
many senior tennis players at my club who constantly discuss the various supplements available for the relief of osteoarthritis. They often ask me what I know about some of these over-the-counter remedies. Can you give a short explanation about some of these supplements?
Answer: First we need
to understand that osteoarthritis involves the degeneration of joints, while rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of unknown origin involving severe inflammation and swelling of joints. For the purposes of this brief discussion, and since little is known about rheumatoid arthritis, we will examine only supplementation and the known effects applied to osteoarthritis. When taking any supplementation of this nature, be sure to check with your physician beforehand.
There are many over-the-counter supplements used to counter the effects of osteoarthritis, but three have been extensively studied: glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin, and SAM-e.
Glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin are naturally occurring in joint cartilage. They give connective tissue its flexibility and resistance as well as play a role in the formation of tendons, ligaments, synovial fluid, skin, bone, nail, heart valve and blood vessel tissue. It has been thought that the consumption of these supplements, separately or in conjunction with one another, will reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis. There is some scientific evidence that glucosamine sulfate specifically can help ease pain, but scientists and physicians still advise caution until it is more completely investigated. Most published trials lasted only four to eight weeks when examining the role of glucosamine sulfate in treating osteoarthritis. Some physicians with whom I have spoken feel that the effect of glucosamine sulfate and/or chondroitin is more anti-inflammatory than anything else.
Incredible claims have also been made about SAM-e. It has been touted to improve the symptoms of depression and to treat osteoarthritis. Some proponents of SAM-e have even said that it may cure arthritis by growing cartilage. But, before jumping on the bandwagon, let’s look at what is actually known.
SAM-e is the abbreviation for a chemical found in every living cell that is critically important to everything that goes on in life at the cellular level. European physicians have been prescribing SAM-e for years. Much of the research was conducted on animals, and human research has been very short term. SAM-e has its extreme skeptics who feel if it seems too good to be true, it just might be, and it also has its huge supporters. As quoted in Running and FitNews, the Arthritis Foundation has said even in a public statement, There is sufficient information to support the claim that SAM-e provides pain relief, but not cartilage regeneration.
So, should someone take any of these alternatives? I would advise their use only with your doctor’s approval. Consequences can be serious if your doctor suggests other forms of treatment and is not aware of your usage of any of these substances. Also, be skeptical since the long-term effects of any of the three supplements are not known.
Despite all this, if you decide to see for yourself, be sure to let your doctor know so that symptoms and progress can be monitored. It’s very possible you could benefit, but you want to be knowledgeable and wise in how you use supplements of any type.
