Vitamins & Nutritional Supplements for Osteoarthritis

Glucosamine sulfate (GS), a nutrient derived from seashells, is a building block needed for the synthesis and repair of joint cartilage. GS supplementation has significantly reduced symptoms of osteoarthritis in uncontrolled and single-blind trials. Many double-blind trials have also reported efficacy. One published trial has reported no effect of GS on osteoarthritis symptoms. While most research trials use 500 mg GS taken three times per day, results of a three-year, double-blind trial indicate that 1,500 mg taken once per day produces significant reduction of symptoms and halts degenerative changes seen by x-ray examination. GS does not cure people with osteoarthritis, and they may need to take the supplement for the rest of their lives in order to maintain benefits. Fortunately, GS appears to be virtually free of side effects, even after three or more years of supplementation. Benefits from GS generally become evident after three to eight weeks of treatment...