Arthritis Supplements

Millions of us take supplement to help with arthritis. But do they work or are you just wasting your money?

The supplements we're talking about are glucosamine and chondroitin. Over the last 10 years or so, these supplements have become best sellers, reaching sales of almost 2 billion dollars in 2008. But studies haven't really backed up claims that they can help with ailing joints. And this new report is no different. A research team looked to see if any of the more than thirty 800 people taking glucosamine or chondroitin---in various studies---had any improvement in their joint pain or if these supplements even helped rebuild their arthritic joint like some manufacturers claim.

The researchers found these supplements didn't have any effect on these people's painful joints. In other words, those taking the supplements and those not taking them had the same outcome. But although the doctors involved in this study do want manufacturers of these supplements to reevaluate the claims they make about arthritis pain relief or cures---they also are saying that for people taking the supplements---even though their study showed no benefits of glucosamine or chondroitin---they are harmless enough that if you think they might be helping to go ahead and continue to take them.