Re: Glucosamine as anti-inflammatory

[Guest guest]

I haven't heard that glucosamine can reduce inflammation, just help keep

existing cartilage from deteriorating -- well, now that I think about it, I

guess if it can keep arthritis from developing/getting worse, it DOES reduce

inflammation. Huh! Hadn't thought of it that way.

Ann

Glucosamine as anti-inflammatory

Since my surgeries in April, I have been taking glucosamine and Vioxx to

control inflammation and pain. I quit the Vioxx part around Memorial Day to

see if I could get off it. Within a few days I could hardly walk. I got

back on it and have kept on it. A couple weeks ago I ran out of glucosamine

and was too busy to run in to get more. I was skeptical anyway about it's

benefits. Within a few days I could hardly walk again. I am going to stay

with both Vioxx and glucosamine for the time being. I read somewhere about

how glucosamine can enhance the benefits of anti-inflammatories, but I can't

seem to find it now. I do find where there is little scientific proof that

glucosamine helps rebuild cartilage, but there is scientific proof that it

can reduce inflammation as good or better than ibuprofen. Ibuprofen has

always worked fairly well for me, and has been the standard I have measured

other pain and inflammation reducers by. I just thought this was something

I would pass on to the group. Maybe others can benefit from my experience.

Mike

MT

[Guest guest]

Yeah, by helping alleviate the condition that leads to inflammation

in the first place--the best kind of anti-inflammatory!

> I haven't heard that glucosamine can reduce inflammation, just help

keep existing cartilage from deteriorating -- well, now that I think

about it, I guess if it can keep arthritis from developing/getting

worse, it DOES reduce inflammation. Huh! Hadn't thought of it that

way.

>

> Ann

> Glucosamine as anti-

inflammatory

>

>

> Since my surgeries in April, I have been taking glucosamine and

Vioxx to

> control inflammation and pain. I quit the Vioxx part around

Memorial Day to

> see if I could get off it. Within a few days I could hardly

walk. I got

> back on it and have kept on it. A couple weeks ago I ran out of

glucosamine

> and was too busy to run in to get more. I was skeptical anyway

about it's

> benefits. Within a few days I could hardly walk again. I am

going to stay

> with both Vioxx and glucosamine for the time being. I read

somewhere about

> how glucosamine can enhance the benefits of anti-inflammatories,

but I can't

> seem to find it now. I do find where there is little scientific

proof that

> glucosamine helps rebuild cartilage, but there is scientific

proof that it

> can reduce inflammation as good or better than ibuprofen.

Ibuprofen has

> always worked fairly well for me, and has been the standard I

have measured

> other pain and inflammation reducers by. I just thought this was

something

> I would pass on to the group. Maybe others can benefit from my

experience.

>

> Mike

> MT

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Here are some links and quotes following;

http://www.arthritis-glucosamine.net/glucosamine/glucosamine-sulfate-osteoarthri\

tis.html

Glucosamine Sulfate Verses NSAIDs (Ibuprofen): Decrease in the symptoms of

osteoarthritis happens during the first week with the use of ibuprofen and

not with glucosamine sulfate. By the second week and throughout all the

clinical trials, however, the glucosamine group had caught up in terms of

pain relief and osteoarthritic symptoms. The remarkable difference comes

from side effects; one in three of the ibuprofen users complained of stomach

upset, while there were no reported symptoms from the patients taking

glucosamine sulfate. Although these studies are limited by length (the

longest one was 8 weeks) they certainly show promise in the use of

glucosamine in reduction of reported pain levels. Noack W, et al.

Osteoarthritis Cartilage 1994;2:51-59.

Oral Glucosamine Sulfate Verses Placebo: Again the glucosamine sulfate group

reported a significant decrease in pain and inflammation compared to the

placebo group. No adverse reactions were reported by the patients treated

with glucosamine sulfate, again making it appear to be an effective

treatment for osteoarthritis. Puljate JM, et al. Osteoarthritis Cartilage

1994;2(suppl.1):56.

Glucosamine Sulfate Verses NSAIDs and Placebo: In both the NSAIDs and

glucosamine sulfate groups, each symptom of osteoarthritis improved, but to

a much faster and greater extent in the group treated with glucosamine. D'

Ambrosio E, et al. Pharmatherapeutica 1981;2(8):504-8.

http://uconnsportsmed.uchc.edu/patientinfo/whathurts/treatment/glucosamine.html

Glucosamine does appear to have a mild anti-inflammatory effect which causes

a reduction in pain in 80% of individuals who take it. Several studies have

found glucosamine to be better than ibuprofen (e.g., Advil) and placebo in

the reduction of pain. All studies on glucosamine have demonstrated fewer

side affects than anti-inflammatories. Unfortunately however, there is at

this point, no medical evidence that glucosamine taken orally can reduce or

repair articular surface damage. In fact, in the majority of animal models

studied, glucosamine is not as effective in reducing inflammation as many of

the newer non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and specifically

indomethacin (Indocin).

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthnewsfeed/hnf_1646.htm

According to s Hopkins Orthopedic Surgeon Hungerford, dozens of

quality studies have been done on the supplements. They generally show that

60% of patients get relief, as opposed to 30% of people receiving placebos.

Hungerford says the studies mirror results in his own practice.

" We try everybody on a three month trial of chondroitin and glucosamine,

and, in our experience, about two-thirds of the patients have sufficient

benefit that they want to continue and about one-third of the patients say

'I don't think it's doing anything for me.:14

Hungerford adds that, unlike non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, glucosamine

and chondroitin have no known serious side effects.

Mike

MT

Glucosamine as anti-inflammatory

>

>

> Since my surgeries in April, I have been taking glucosamine and Vioxx to

> control inflammation and pain. I quit the Vioxx part around Memorial

Day to

> see if I could get off it. Within a few days I could hardly walk. I

got

> back on it and have kept on it. A couple weeks ago I ran out of

glucosamine

> and was too busy to run in to get more. I was skeptical anyway about

it's

> benefits. Within a few days I could hardly walk again. I am going to

stay

> with both Vioxx and glucosamine for the time being. I read somewhere

about

> how glucosamine can enhance the benefits of anti-inflammatories, but I

can't

> seem to find it now. I do find where there is little scientific proof

that

> glucosamine helps rebuild cartilage, but there is scientific proof that

it

> can reduce inflammation as good or better than ibuprofen. Ibuprofen has

> always worked fairly well for me, and has been the standard I have

measured

> other pain and inflammation reducers by. I just thought this was

something

> I would pass on to the group. Maybe others can benefit from my

experience.

>

> Mike

> MT

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I take a liqud glucosamine daily (Flexicose) but it doesn't seem to

be working for me. I just started Cod Liver Oil & Devil's Claw,

too. I hope they help.

> Since my surgeries in April, I have been taking glucosamine and

Vioxx to

> control inflammation and pain. I quit the Vioxx part around

Memorial Day to

> see if I could get off it. Within a few days I could hardly

walk. I got

> back on it and have kept on it. A couple weeks ago I ran out of

glucosamine

> and was too busy to run in to get more. I was skeptical anyway

about it's

> benefits. Within a few days I could hardly walk again. I am

going to stay

> with both Vioxx and glucosamine for the time being. I read

somewhere about

> how glucosamine can enhance the benefits of anti-inflammatories,

but I can't

> seem to find it now. I do find where there is little scientific

proof that

> glucosamine helps rebuild cartilage, but there is scientific proof

that it

> can reduce inflammation as good or better than ibuprofen.

Ibuprofen has

> always worked fairly well for me, and has been the standard I have

measured

> other pain and inflammation reducers by. I just thought this was

something

> I would pass on to the group. Maybe others can benefit from my

experience.

>

> Mike

> MT