Glucosamine for arthritis

Glucosamine for arthritis

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The Gauge

Original Poster:

3,240 posts

20 months

Saturday 15th April 2023
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Anyone able to recommend a good brand of glucosamine please?

I have arthritis in both knees, I usually have an ongoing aching discomfort and stiffness in the knees. Exercise loosens them up but then I hurt even more later in the day.

Thinking of taking some glucosamine but was wondering of there are brands that are better than others? Also what quantity? I've read 500mg three times per day should be sufficient?


Skyedriver

18,916 posts

289 months

Saturday 15th April 2023
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Tesco?

Douglas Quaid

2,439 posts

92 months

Sunday 16th April 2023
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I am not sure that glucosamine actually does anything. A far as I’m aware there isn’t really any evidence it works and the nhs have stopped recommending and prescribing it for that reason.

Maybe it will but getting some benefit from it could well be simply a placebo effect.

RSTurboPaul

11,270 posts

265 months

Sunday 16th April 2023
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I took it for a while but I don't recall any marked effect.

I recall one talking head on TV saying it was like taking hair for baldness, lol, but as it's not that expensive, perhaps try it and see if there is any benefit to you (placebo effect or not).

The_Doc

5,127 posts

227 months

Sunday 16th April 2023
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Unfortunately neither glucosamine nor chondroitin are proven to work or help in arthritis. They're in the same box now as hyaluronic acid and homeopathy. The naughty box that the NHS won't waste tax money on.

Spend your money on something else. Physio perhaps.

The Gauge

Original Poster:

3,240 posts

20 months

Monday 17th April 2023
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That's a shame, I was hoping something like glucosamine would help with the pain. I've had physio, hasn't really helped.

I'm in a constant scenario where if I've been sat down my knees ache bad when I stand up, walking is then painful but after a few minutes my knees loosen up and aren't quite as bad, but then when I eventually sit down again it's catch 22.

If I do any strenuous activity such as kneeling up & down (gardening or DIY) or climbing ladders then my knees really hurt later in the day. If I go for a leisure walk over 3 miles they are really painful and I have to stop/sit down, but then when I stand back up they are stiff and I hurt again.

Dylano

237 posts

22 months

Monday 17th April 2023
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I'm convinced Green Lipped Mussel kept my dogs joints going for far longer than they would have without it and I always recommend to anyone with old arthritic dogs.

It is available for human use, in fact the stuff I gave my dog was for humans, I really should practice what I preach and take it myself because I have the knees of an 80 year old in my forties.

Steve H

5,780 posts

202 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
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I take these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07XY6PPDP?ref=nb_sb_s...

But I’d have to say nothing is a miracle cure with dodgy joints, I take them on the basis that they are very unlikely to do any harm and might be doing some good.

The_Doc

5,127 posts

227 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
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Steve H said:
I take these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07XY6PPDP?ref=nb_sb_s...

But I’d have to say nothing is a miracle cure with dodgy joints, I take them on the basis that they are very unlikely to do any harm and might be doing some good.
The Tumeric in that might work, but we haven't done the science properly yet to find dose. You might be taking 1% of the right dose or 4000%.
The other ingredients are bobbins though.

If it didn't help but didn't harm you, would you carry around a rabbit's foot in your pocket for knee pain?

As an example of "it might work but it's harmless, so I'll spend £8/month on it".....

motco

16,229 posts

253 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
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Fifteen years ago I was having increasingly frequent periods of hip joint pain - mainly but not exclusively in one joint. When these events grew to less than a week between them I started taking Sainsbury's Glucosamine and Chondroitin tablets at a rate of one per day. Since that time, or very soon afterwards, the frequency of events of hip pain has reduced to almost nil. I have a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in my family and he agreed that no clinical evidence in support of the 'supplement' exists but that much apocryphal evidence does exist and that as it is harmless, I should see what I find. I join the hordes of satisfied customers! However one swallow doesn't make a summer, etc. Good Luck OP, give it a go.

Liquid Tuna

1,403 posts

163 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
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The_Doc said:
Steve H said:
I take these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07XY6PPDP?ref=nb_sb_s...

But I’d have to say nothing is a miracle cure with dodgy joints, I take them on the basis that they are very unlikely to do any harm and might be doing some good.
The Tumeric in that might work, but we haven't done the science properly yet to find dose. You might be taking 1% of the right dose or 4000%.
The other ingredients are bobbins though.

If it didn't help but didn't harm you, would you carry around a rabbit's foot in your pocket for knee pain?

As an example of "it might work but it's harmless, so I'll spend £8/month on it".....
That brand is what I take. I've been taking Glucosamine for about 15 years. My understanding is it takes a few months before you see any benefit (if any) and it's more for ligaments than joints. I've no idea really whether it works as I've taken it for so long and who knows whether I'd be worse off if I hadn't taken it. I don't get problems with ligaments etc. but that doesn't mean anything does it?

Bazil Bush

101 posts

56 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
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I was getting pain in the joints of my fingers particularly on a morning and couple of lads at work suggested glucosamine.
I gave it a go on the premise of try a pots worth and ditch if no improvement at that point.
I’ve been taking them ever since as I was getting relief after a month or so.
I get mine from Zipvit on eBay

The_Doc

5,127 posts

227 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
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I have nothing more to add here. Millions have been spent promoting these substances. Millions is made making and selling them. Millions have been spent on funding accurate science, which proves they don't work. Millions of words of research have been written. Millions of people carry on taking them.
Have a nice day.

Liquid Tuna

1,403 posts

163 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
quotequote all
The_Doc said:
I have nothing more to add here. Millions have been spent promoting these substances. Millions is made making and selling them. Millions have been spent on funding accurate science, which proves they don't work. Millions of words of research have been written. Millions of people carry on taking them.
Have a nice day.
I know you've said you've nothing more to add, but how do they do the science for it? What I mean is, I've been taking it for 15 years and have no way really of knowing whether it works or not, other than I don't get much pain in my joints - but how do I know I would if I didn't take the supplement? Is it a placebo effect? Unless there's a parallel me to test over 15 years who didn't take it? Not asking you to answer those questions, obviously, but just wondering how they measure it in a lab?

The_Doc

5,127 posts

227 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
quotequote all
A double blinded, placebo controlled, Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) with lots of others bells and whistles if you are doing it properly

https://www.nice.org.uk/glossary?letter=r

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/randomised-controlled-...

expensive, slow and difficult, but pure science if its done right.

GregK2

1,692 posts

153 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
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Stopped taking this after failing to find studies that showed any clear benefit.
I do take Turmeric supplement and an Omega 3 supplement to help with inflammation from an active lifestyle plus the other health benefits they offer.

sunnyb13

1,041 posts

45 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
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Certain Steroid injections in the joints.

Plenty of omega 3/6/9.


mcelliott

8,973 posts

188 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
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Plenty of fish oils for me, how effective I can't say, but what has worked is weight loss and everyday sea swimming.

OldGermanHeaps

4,216 posts

185 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
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Try cutting out all sugar and carbs as much as humanly possible for a month and see how you go. It has transformed my knees dramatically.
The theory is sugar and carbs in the diet can lead to inflammation on the joints, and from my experience I am inclined to believe it.
Cant hurt to try.

Edited by OldGermanHeaps on Tuesday 18th April 19:24

The Gauge

Original Poster:

3,240 posts

20 months

Tuesday 18th April 2023
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Seems to be pot luck as to whether the tablet you are taking actually works, or makes you think ti works.

I nipped into Holland & Barrett today, the epicentre of world health science, and spoke to one of their supplement & nutrition scientists (shelf stacker) and asked about glucosamine and green lipped mussel tablets. She said that they were pretty much one and the same, but with the GLM tablets coming from mussels found in certain waters around New Zealand. Now I had already read about them coming from NZ, so she scored credit points for that. She said that glucosamine supposedly helps rebuild cartilage, with fish oil helping with joint inflammation.

I bought the GLM tablets, and a pack of fish oil tablets. They had a 3 for 2 offer, so I bought another pack of fish oil tablets, giving me 2 months supply of each. I'll take them and see how they go. But I've just realised the lady wasn't wearing a white scientists coat so now i'm not sure whether to believe her!!