Glucosamine & Chondroitin

Dietary supplement treatments have become an alternative approach in the treatment of symptoms associated with arthritis and joint pain. Glucosamine and chondroitin are the materials that make up cartilage and bone structures within the body. As of yet, it is unknown whether supplement versions of these materials can help to maintain and restore normal joint function.

Osteoarthritis

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, as many as 27 million people within the United States suffer from some form of osteoarthritis. Also known as degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis is a progressive disease that involves the breakdown of the cartilage and connective tissues that cushion the joint structures within the body. Joint pain, swelling and deformity can result within weight-bearing joints like the hands and the knees. During the early stages, joint stiffness becomes a problem. As the condition progresses, pain and swelling may occur.

Joint Repair

The joints of the body are constantly working to break down and repair the connective tissues that enable joints to function properly. In order to do this, needed glucosamine and chondroitin materials must be made available within the joint metabolism process. The natural occurrence of glucosamine and chrondroitin within joint structures is an indication of how essential these materials are to normal joint function. The use of these materials in supplement form is intended to make them available to joint metabolism processes.

Glucosamine

The molecules involved in joint metabolism are made up of precursor materials that are synthesized into the molecule that is used. Glucosamine is a precursor material used in the synthesis of glycosaminoglycan, which is the molecule used to form and repair cartilage structures. Glycosaminoglycan is an amino sugar produced by the body. In supplement form, glucosamine is believed to attract water into the network of tissues that comprise cartilage and to assist in the manufacture of collagen proteins.

Chondroitin

Chondroitin is another precursor material involved in glycosaminoglycan synthesis. It appears in heavier concentrations within cartilage structures, and is thought to account for joint resiliency, and durability. Chondroitin is a carbohydrate molecule that retains water, and may slow the breakdown of cartilage materials within the metabolism process. The supplement version is made from cow cartilage and is sold in the form of chondroitin sulfate. It's found in high concentrations within the fibrous materials that hold joints together, and in the shock-absorbing cushions that cover the ends of joints.

Treatment Effects

The actual effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements in the treatment of osteoarthritis remains a topic of inquiry within medical circles. Numerous studies have been done to determine the effects, however conflicting results are apparent. The first large-scale study performed was GAIT--a multicenter clinical trial done in the United States in 2006. GAIT (Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial) sought to examine the effects of glucosamine and chondroitin in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Results from the study revealed both materials worked to relieve pain symptoms for individuals with moderate-to-severe pain. As far as claims regarding improved cartilage production, no substantial improvement was found in the build-up of cartilage materials.