November 18, 1999 – A three-year study of 212 patients with osteoarthritis has just been hailed as the first major research to rigorously prove that glucosamine sulfate supplements prevent the deterioration of cartilage in people with the disease .
The results of the research led by Dr Jean-Yves Reginster of the University of Liège were made public on November 17 at a congress of the American College of Rheumatology. They showed that after three years only 22% of patients consuming 1500 mg of glucosamine daily had deterioration of the knee joint compared to 38% in the placebo group. Best of all, the symptoms of pain and stiffness, and joint function improved in the experimental group over the period while they worsened in the placebo group.
The American Arthritis Foundation is of the opinion that the study suggests that “glucosamine sulfate relieves symptoms and helps prevent damage to joint cartilage” in people with osteoarthritis and that it “may be considered a valid treatment ”in the same way as more conventional medical treatments.
This study and statements from the American Arthritis Foundation point to a significant shift in mainstream medical discourse regarding the treatment of osteoarthritis. To add to the new respectability of the supplement consumed by millions of people, American researchers with a grant of $ 6.6 million from the National Institutes of Health, will begin within a few weeks another study on glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate.
HealthPassport.net
According to the Boston Globe, November 16, 1999
