A scientific test for the recommended best buy for glucosomine and fish oil.
Choice did make some comments - https://www.choice.com.au/health-and-body/medicines-and-supplements/vitamins-and-supplements/articles/glucosamine-review
Are you suggesting Choice get into the ābusinessā of clinical trials?
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Clinical trials are not necessary (should be plenty evidence for those with some knowledge), but perhaps an update once your articles are - say - older than 2 years? Or perhaps a notification to say that there is no further evidence to suggest the article requires updating? When you see an article dated 2014, and we are almost into 2017, it does raise questions on its continued relevance.
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Scientific testing is one issue.
In recent months/years there has been much scientific conjecture about the benefits of consuming ānaturalā supploements such as omega (fish).oils and other naturally based supplements. There is little if any evidence that they work and most take such supplements are taken just in case at some stage in the future they are proven to have some benefit. The marketing of these supplements have been very successful and it is now a billion dollar industry which prays on the hope that one of the supplements will be a life giving panacea.
Harvesting fish oils is potentially devastating to the environemnt/oceans as many oily fish/crustaceans are harvested specifically for such purpose. Harvesting krill for example, no one knows what the long term impact of depleting krill in our oceans. It is particularly concern since it is towards the bottom of the marine food chain/the basic building blocks for everything bigger than it.
It would be good for Choice to discuss effacy of such supplements and its production on the environment/health of the oceans/planet. I beleive that such information would balance out the perception that such supplements are good for ones health, even when such information does not exist in most circumstances.
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I know itās not scientific, but I take glucosamine and chondroitin for arthritic pain. I know Iām not wasting my money because when I stop taking it the pain comes back. When I start taking it again it takes s few days for the pain to go away. Good enough for me.
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Your dismissive attitude flies in the face of many of us who find particular supplements helpful. My knees were abused by artistic skating, fencing, and tennis in my younger days and were not in the best of shape. I needed a cane to walk by 2009; I tried glucosamine without any improvement; then tried krill oil. After a few months I could do without the cane and improved gradually over many months. Today I still play tennis doubles (seniors group) although the knees occasionally play up in the cold and damp, and the cane has been stored since.
If that is a placebo I am all for them.
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I see you have an opinion, and experience doesnāt matter. To each his own. There is actually research on glucosamine and chondroitin conducted in the 90ās in the US.
Further to the response from phbriggs2000, I understand that Choice are now going to give us an updated scientific test to the various products which may put our minds at rest about this.
I take the point he has made about krill and I wondered about this too.
Maybe Choice can cover this point also.
To each his own. I gave up on glucosamine years ago as useless.
I have inflamed cartilages in my knees, especially the right one, caused by arthritis. It got to the point of buying a walking stick. āMetsalā is the most effective of the lotions, but what did the trick for me was a daily capsule of turmeric, or the active ingredient, curcumin. Within a couple of months my knees have gone back to about 95% ānormalā and I rarely think about them when walking. The bio-availability is greatly improved when the curcumin is accompanied by black pepper and by monounsaturated oil (e.g. peanut butter). I believe that most of our illnesses are caused by internal inflammation. Curcumin (and magnesium) are very powerful anti-inflammatory agents.
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Clinical Trials relating to Glucosamine have been conducted as early as 2010 with an Australian trial demonstrating benefit (Arthritis Research & Therapy - Open Access). Further research compared different formulations of Glucosamine - Glucosamine Sulphate and Glucosamine Hydrochloride. Glucosamine Hydrochloride cannot be recommended based on available clinical data. The Australian Rheumatology Association and Arthritis Australia have an information sheet specifically relating to Glucosamine and chondroitin - good and informative reading. Glucosamine and Fish Oil combination has scientific merit. Like any medication/supplement they do not work for everyone as indicated by TheBBG. Tobydn sated when they cease Glucosamine/Condroitin their pain returns. Choice provides the reader with information allowing the reader to research options to find a combination to help. You should consult your health provider to make sure you get teh right dose/combination. Well done Choice for their informative information.
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I was advised by my Chiropractor years ago , before they were household names about
Glucosamine and Flax Seed Oil. I then asked my GP about taking them and his advise was,
āif it feels beneficial.keep taking themā, and I have ever since.I prefer taking natural remedies
and many of them are quite beneficial if taken on a regular basis. Do your own research as to what is beneficial for you.
I think a lot of arthritis problems centre around inflammation of cartilage, especially in relation to the knees. The most effective means of control I have found are the anti-inflammatory supplements turmeric and magnesium. Turmeric is very effective and is made more bio-available (aka effective) when taken with black pepper and also monounsaturated fat (like peanut butter).
Fish oil is of limited value in relation to arthritis, but is very good for restoring the balance between Omega-3 and Omeg-6 polyunsaturated oils. We ingest far too much Omega-6 in Australia (about 60 grams per day instead of about 5). This leads to a number of conditions, CVD not the least of them. The only form of fish oil supplement worth taking is the extra-virgin liquid form. Melrose is a reliable brand. It must be stored in the fridge.
Trust me, Iām a Doctor with Michael Mosley on SBS (login required, http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/850921027513/michael-mosley-trust-me-im-a-doctor) had a segment on Glucosamine last night, mentioning that many studies, and even meta-studies (looking at many individual studies) have failed to find evidence that it works at all. They also had a large segment on Turmeric and the evidence for cancer protective properties, which I was interested in , as I grow it myself.
In their glucosamine study, exercise gave the best results - 80% reported an improvement of 1/3 or more, and the supplement group participants reported that 55% of them saw an improvement of at least 1/3. The supplement they were taking might surprise you!
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@gordon I saw that programme as well. The interesting thing about the turmeric was that in supplement form (capsules containing the active ingredient) it was ineffective. The turmeric needed to be cooked in food to have an effect. From memory they werenāt sure why this was the case and the studies continue.
