To answer this question, the scientists found and analyzed 20 research studies. The studies evaluated more than 2,500 people with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. Most studies lasted two to three months. People received glucosamine (in tablets or injection) or were part of another group receiving a pill or a fake injection or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to assess which was more effective. This Cochrane Review offers the best evidence that exists today.
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What is osteoarthritis and glucosamine?
Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common forms of arthritis and can affect the hands, hips, shoulders and knees. In OA, the cartilage that protects the end of the bones is broken, causing pain and inflammation. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments are used to relieve pain and inflammation. Glucosamine can be found naturally in the body and is one of the fundamental substances of cartilage. It is believed that glucosamine supplementation decreases destruction and increases cartilage synthesis and reduces inflammation. But there is a discussion about its effects.
How well does glucosamine work?
Pain: High-quality studies showed that the pain improved to the same extent when people received glucosamine or fake tablets. If all studies are analyzed (including low-quality studies and previous studies), then glucosamine improves pain to a greater extent than fake tablets.
The pain improved 13 more points on a scale of 0 to 100 with glucosamine than with the fake tablets.
Function: High-quality studies showed that glucosamine improved pain to a greater extent than fake tablets when measured by one type of scale, but improved to the same extent as fake tablets when measured with another scale. This result is the same when all the studies are analyzed (including the low quality studies and the previous ones).
Studies evaluating only the Rotta brand of glucosamine (including low-quality and previous studies) showed that glucosamine improved pain to a greater extent than fake tablets. Glucosamine improved function to a greater extent than fake tablets when measured by one type of scale but improved to the same extent as fake tablets when measured by another type of scale.
What security do you have?
The number of people who received glucosamine and had side effects was almost equal to the number of people who received fake tablets. Side effects included mainly upset stomach and other joint pains.
What conclusion can be established?
In a previous Cochrane review it was shown that glucosamine administered for six weeks reduces pain and improves function (physical capacity) in people with osteoarthritis.
Compared to the previous review, this review that analyzes the newer studies and more high-quality studies shows that there is "platinum" level evidence that pain does not improve greatly when glucosamine is administered for two to three months . According to the scale used to measure the function (physical capacity), the function may not improve completely or to a large extent.