Glucosamine and Chondoitrin - Any Side Effects?

June 6th, 2008 | Arthritis Help

Are there side-effects to these natural arthritis remedies?

They are natural substances found around the cells of cartilage.

Researchers believe these substances may help repair and maintain cartilage. While glucosamine is said to stop inflammation and help cartilage cells grow, chondroitin strengthens cartilage.

That’s really it in a nutshell. And it’s not hard to see why this could come in useful for sufferers of arthritis.

However… some claim that chrondroitin ’causes’ prostate cancer.

It’s claim versus counter-claim. There seems to be an argument for and against almost EVERYTHING these days.

…Chocolate is good for you, chocolate is bad for you… red wine is good… red wine is bad…
…High carb is good, high carb is bad.

…Eat raw vegetables, DON’T eat raw vegetables… organic is good, organic is bad… soya is good, soya is evil… and so it goes on.

It’s a minefield.

I completely understand your confusion and annoyance with the mainstream media. It’s hard to get a straight answer out of scientists too. Two equally qualified and experienced scientists in the same year can come up with entirely different conclusions about the same substance. If you read the medical reports, it’s always a case of ‘could’, ‘may’, ‘might’ and ‘evidence suggests’.

There are no absolutes. It’s life. And it’s a pain in the proverbial (although that’s what makes it interesting and challenging!).

Chondroitin MAY and MAY NOT have a link. In the case of these two anti-arthritis supplements, it’s not a matter of ‘chrondroitin causes prostate cancer.’ It’s that Dr Charles E Myers Junior, who is a leader in prostate cancer research, believes chondroitin may have a link to the spread of prostate cancer. This is according to his report, ‘Chondroitin Sulfate for Relief of Osteoarthritis Symptoms in Prostate Cancer Patients.’

But in my experience, lots of things MAY have links to lots of other things. It doesn’t stop them being useful remedies for those who really suffer. Literally MILLLIONS of people use supplements containing this substance to help relieve the symptoms of arthritis. They are repeat customers who keep coming back because they notice an effect. They’re not stupid. They may even know that in some quarters there’s a suspected link to prostate cancer, but they’re making their choice.

Look at the benefits for instance…

A study by Timothy E. McAlindon, DM, published in the March 15, 2000, issue of the JAMA says that glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate ‘may have some efficacy against the symptoms of osteoarthritis this most common form of arthritis.’ He recommends that additional studies be done, as do many people. The thing is, if you’re suffering, you can either wait for future trials, counter-trials and all sorts of poking and prodding…

Or you can give the supplements a try.

Again, it’s entirely up to you.

With regard to chondroitin, the American Mayo Clinic have published a patient information leaflet stating: ‘There is limited long-term safety data on chondroitin, although it appears to be well tolerated in most trials.’ In a 2005 review of glucosamine by the Northern and Yorkshire Drug and Therapeutics Centre it was reported that ‘glucosamine was well tolerated in short-term trials.’

There doesn’t appear to be any evidence that glucosamine helps the progression of prostate cancer.

And look at the other side of the evidence…

Many clinical trials have shown that glucosamine really can help your joint cartilage stay nice and thick, which slows the progression of osteoarthritis.