Glucosamine Sulphate and Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, affects only the individual's joints. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, over 33 million Americans suffer from Osteoarthritis. Of these, the majority are individuals over 65 years of age.¹ The main symptoms of osteoarthritis include joint pain and limited movement. Other symptoms include stiffness, joint swelling or tenderness, and sometimes a crunching sound or feeling usually from bone rubbing on bone. Most medical treatments for osteoarthritis are usually provided to help control symptoms and include nonsteroidol anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), Cox-2 Inhibitors, Acetaminophen and corticosteriods, various topical creams, and surgery.²

Over the past decade, glucosamine sulfate has received attention for its potential as a treatment agent for arthritis. Glucosamine is an amino-sugar that is naturally produced in humans. It is the key building block in the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans, hyaluronic acid, and proteoglycans. These substances are the foundation of many of the body's tissues including tendons, ligaments, cartilage, collagen, basement membranes, mucous membranes of the digestive system, membranes in the respiratory tract, and synovial fluid in the joints. Proteoglycans are proteins that make up the connective tissue of cartilage giving joints their elasticity, strength, and resilience.

A recent study published in the Lancet assessed the effects of using glucosamine sulphate on the long-term progression of osteoarthritis, evaluating both joint structure changes and symptoms. This 3 year, double blind, placebo controlled trial was conducted with 212 patients who had been diagnosed as having knee osteoarthritis. Patients were given 1500mg of glucosamine sulphate daily, for 3 years. Measurements for weight bearing, and extention of the knee were taken at 1 and 3 years. Mean joint-space width was also taken. The 106 patients receiving the placebo had a progressive joint space narrowing at the tibiofemoral joint, where measurements were taken at the narrowest point between both bones. There was no such joint-space loss with the 106 patients taking glucosamine sulfate. Symptoms worsened in the patients taking the placebo, while those treated with glucosamine sulfate showed improvement. The authors concluded that, "the long term effects of glucosamine sulfate suggest that it could be a disease modifying agent in osteoarthrtis."³