Arthritis: Chondroitin stops joint damage
Chondroitin has for a long time been regarded as a supplement that can slow the progress of osteoarthritis – and a new study has proved it.
Researchers have discovered that chondroitin can stop joint damage if it’s taken regularly for two years or more. It also reduces the pain from osteoarthritis (OA).
A research team from the University of Paris Descartes in Paris made the discovery when they tested chondroitin on a group of 622 OA patients, who were either given chondroitin or a placebo. They tested the progress of the disease with x-rays and the patients were also assessed for symptoms and pain.
Following two years of treatment, the chondroitin group had suffered significantly less damage in their joints, and pain was much lower than in the placebo group. Pain relief was also faster in the chondroitin group.
The researchers used a prescription version of chondroitin, and they do not know if the same effects would be seen if the patients had taken over-the-counter dietary supplements.
(Source: Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2009; 60: 524).