People with arthritis are faced with a huge range of products that may or may not help their symptoms. Some supplements may only help certain kinds of arthritis. The choice of products coupled with often conflicting stories in the press about their safety and their effectiveness, can make choosing a supplement daunting.
Here we take a look at four supplements that seem to have had more success in clinical trials than others.
Glucosamine
An amino sugar found naturally in the body's cartilage, glucosamine may help with joint repair. Several studies have shown that it may be moderately beneficial for the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis, particularly of the knee. Other studies suggest that it may be as effective as ibuprofen for pain relief, although the supplements needed to be taken for at least 2 weeks to have an effect.
Glucosamine supplements may be synthetic or include shellfish extracts. The recommended dosage is 750mg of glucosamine, taken twice a day. It is often combined with chondroitin. This combination appears to help some people with moderate to severe knee pain to osteoarthritis. Glucosamine has no serious side-effects. Avoid it if you have an intolerance or allergy to shellfish, or if you are diabetic.
Chondroitin
This substance is found naturally in the body and is thought to protect cartilage and give it elasticity. Supplements are usually made from the windpipe of cows but do not carry any risk of BSE (a disease in cows that has been linked with the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). A large study of all available evidence has shown that chondroitin can help with some aspects of joint health, such as lubrication, building cartilage, anmaking cartilage more elastic. It may also reduce inflammation.
Chondroitin has no toxic side-effects so it may be worth a try. The recommended dosage is 600mg of chondroitin probably does not work for you. If you take warfarin, or have a disorder that effects clotting, check with your doctor before taking chondroitin.
Fish oils
Oily fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, tuna and halibut, as well as cod¡¯s liver, contain omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA. These are important for brain function. More than 20 trials have shown that EPA and DHA inhibit the development of rheumatoid arthritis. They also help to boost treatments for depression and lower high blood pressure.
The recommended dose is as much as 3g of fish oil supplements a day, which may mean you have to take as many as 10 or even 15 capsules a day. You may experience certain side-effects such as nausea and nosebleeds. Do not take them with anticoagulants such as warafin. Only take supplements that are labelled as being free of carcinogens, such as dioxins, that come from pollution in the sea.
S-adenosyl-L-methione
This substance, also known as SAM-e, occurs naturally in the body where it plays an important part in chemical reactions. It is claimed to help various conditions, including the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis, and fibromyalgia. Several trials show that SAM-e has pain relieving and anti-inflammatory benefits.
SAM-e comes in tablet form or can be given as an injection. Many people tolerate it better than NSAIDs. High dose can cause gastrointestinal problems and headaches. Avoid SAM-e if you are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors or antidepressants, or if you have a bipolar disorder or Parkinson's disease.
