End Fatigue

Glucosamine as Effective as Celebrex for Arthritis

A follow-up study to the major GAIT study done by the NIH, which compared glucosamine and condroitin to Celebrex for the treatment of arthritis, has shown that glucosamine is as effective — even when followed over two years. Interestingly, when the initial GAIT study came out, media headlines shouted that the medications were more effective and that the natural remedies should not be used. Of course this was not what the actual data showed (overall the natural treatment was more effective) but exactly what one would expect when every study author except one was on the payroll of the drug companies making the pain medications!

For this study update, the NIH actually picked people not on the drug company or the natural products payroll. The study showed that both glucosamine and Celebrex were associated with about a 60% drop in arthritis pain. Interestingly, and to the authors inexplicably, the placebo group showed almost the same drop. This time, the authors did not put out major misleading press reports to the media attacking natural remedies. Interesting to see...

The take-home point? Arthritis medications, and even natural treatments, usually only need to be used for short periods of time (2-4 months), and add little benefit if continued once the pain has diminished. The medications do, however, add a lot of cost (i.e. profits) and toxicity. I would use natural arthritis remedies like glucosamine, End Pain, or Curamin for about three months. For quicker or more powerful effects, these can even be combined. Then, when the pain is controlled at a stable level for 4-6 weeks, these supplements can simply be used as needed. Basically, it appears that once your arthritis pain is turned off, it often will stay turned off on its own.

Once your arthritis pain has decreased by over half, this study suggests that the treatments can simply be used intermittently as needed.

Reference

Ann Rheum Dis 2010;69:1459-1464 doi:10.1136/ard.2009.120469