Glucosamine & Chondroitin Benefits??

I'm wondering if anyone has an educated (or even researched-backed) opinion on using these
supplements to maintain long-term connective tissue health. I am 56-years old, have averaged close
to 10,000 cycling miles/year for twenty years and would like to continue riding for another 30 years
(hey, my 84 year old Dad just retired from cycling). I have no significant physical problems now;
what do you think of starting to use glucosomine and chondroitin?

Steve Scarich

 

You're looking for information that can only be answered by a clinical study. Don't know if one has
ever been done. Ask your physician or do a literature search at your local university library.
Whatever you find in a post to a newsgroup is likely to be anecdotal, at best.

You might also take a look at Consumer reports from last year. My recollection is that they had a
piece on glu/chon that reported (from studies) that it worked on reducing existing pain, but it did
not address prevention.

--

- GRL

"It's good to want things."

Steve Barr (philosopher, poet, humorist, chemist, Visual Basic programmer)
"FlashSteve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm wondering if anyone has an educated (or even researched-backed)
opinion on
> using these supplements to maintain long-term connective tissue health. I
am
> 56-years old, have averaged close to 10,000 cycling miles/year for twenty
years
> and would like to continue riding for another 30 years (hey, my 84 year
old Dad
> just retired from cycling). I have no significant physical problems now;
what
> do you think of starting to use glucosomine and chondroitin?
>
> Steve Scarich

 

x-no-archive:yes

"> I'm wondering if anyone has an educated (or even researched-backed) opinion on
> using these supplements to maintain long-term connective tissue health. I
am
> 56-years old, have averaged close to 10,000 cycling miles/year for twenty
years
> and would like to continue riding for another 30 years (hey, my 84 year
old Dad
> just retired from cycling). I have no significant physical problems now;
what
> do you think of starting to use glucosomine and chondroitin?
>
> Steve Scarich

My orthopod recommended these supplements, so I take them. Interestingly, though, my veterinarian
told me that these supplements helped his arthritic dogs! He figures since they can't read the
studies, they are just responding to the medication...FWIW

Pat

 

My dogs are on it too. Both have hip / joint problems and the gluc/con is for prevention of future
problems...not just for today.

On Fri, 30 May 2003 20:21:34 -0500, "Pat" <[email protected]> wrote:

>x-no-archive:yes
>
>"> I'm wondering if anyone has an educated (or even researched-backed) opinion on
>> using these supplements to maintain long-term connective tissue health. I
>am
>> 56-years old, have averaged close to 10,000 cycling miles/year for twenty
>years
>> and would like to continue riding for another 30 years (hey, my 84 year
>old Dad
>> just retired from cycling). I have no significant physical problems now;
>what
>> do you think of starting to use glucosomine and chondroitin?
>>
>> Steve Scarich
>
>My orthopod recommended these supplements, so I take them. Interestingly, though, my veterinarian
>told me that these supplements helped his arthritic dogs! He figures since they can't read the
>studies, they are just responding to the medication...FWIW
>
>Pat

 

An anecdotal meta-study of popularized clinical 'studies' seems to indicate that they do no harm at
worst. I note that when first introduced to the public they were touted as 'joint support'
supplements after attracting attention - chondroitin - as an anti-cancer agent and now are quoted as
'triple skin-conditioners' when used with lanolin.

I am most amused by the recent claims for emu-oil, "used for thousands of years by aborigines" when
they didn't have a written language until their culture was overwhelmed by outsiders - much more
recently than even one thousand years ago.

Read a bit on 'homeopathy', even just from a dictionary written before this era of politically
correct tolerance of nonsense, and think on the topic while riding. W7NCD '71 says, "a system of
medical practice that treats a disease esp.[sic] by the administration of minute doses of a remedy
that would in healthy persons produce symptoms of the disease treated."

IIRC one of the fundamental precepts of homeopathy is 'potentiation' by diluting the active
ingredient even to the point that it can be mathematically proven that not one molecule remains in
some one dose. The power of this concept might be demonstrated by reference to the definition of
homeopathy and considering a hypothetical 'curative' toxin. Potentiate it as a homeopathic remedy
and 'magically' ("technology sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from,") all patients survive
and some are made 'better'.

Clearly, Your Mileage May Vary but yours is impressive. I am an allopath. This is Usenet. The
conspiracy of ignorance masquerades as common sense.

"FlashSteve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm wondering if anyone has an educated (or even researched-backed)
opinion on
> using these supplements to maintain long-term connective tissue health. I
am
> 56-years old, have averaged close to 10,000 cycling miles/year for twenty
years
> and would like to continue riding for another 30 years (hey, my 84 year
old Dad
> just retired from cycling). I have no significant physical problems now;
what
> do you think of starting to use glucosomine and chondroitin?
>
> Steve Scarich

 

Try searching on Pubmed for relevant articles.

 

My dog (Nutro Senior) and I both use it (I buy the pills). I'm 61 and cycle 100 miles or so a week
and I'm getting ready to do the PCH from SF to LA end of next month.

Pat wrote:
> x-no-archive:yes
>
> "> I'm wondering if anyone has an educated (or even researched-backed) opinion on
>
>>using these supplements to maintain long-term connective tissue health. I
>
> am
>
>>56-years old, have averaged close to 10,000 cycling miles/year for twenty
>
> years
>
>>and would like to continue riding for another 30 years (hey, my 84 year
>
> old Dad
>
>>just retired from cycling). I have no significant physical problems now;
>
> what
>
>>do you think of starting to use glucosomine and chondroitin?
>>
>>Steve Scarich
>
>
> My orthopod recommended these supplements, so I take them. Interestingly, though, my veterinarian
> told me that these supplements helped his arthritic dogs! He figures since they can't read the
> studies, they are just responding to the medication...FWIW
>
> Pat

 

Hello Steve,
I am 51 and have been using glucosomine sulfate for about 4 years because my cartilage is dissappearing in my knees and that was starting to make my knees ache regularly. Taking glucosomine has preempted that aching and if I don't take it for several days in a row my knees will begin aching again. I did read the phamplet several years ago about studies, but can't recite it now. My doctor has recommended that I take not knowing I was already taking it. From what I have heard I believe it works in the joints up to a point. If joints are already past that point it won't help and thats when people say "It doesn't work". I don't recall from the phamplet that it would be harmful to good joints. I do remember that it causes a fluid to be secreted between the joints, such as my knees, that helps reduce the friction from a lack of cartilage.

Good Luck,
Steve

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