Arthritis pill discounted

Study shows no proof glucosamine, chondroitin ease knee pain, but they don't do any harm either.

What they are Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are substances found naturally in the body. � Glucosamine is a form of amino sugar that is believed to play a role in cartilage formation and repair. � Chondroitin sulfate is part of a large protein molecule (proteoglycan) that gives cartilage elasticity. � Both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are sold as dietary or nutritional supplements. � Both are extracted from animal tissue: glucosamine from crab, lobster or shrimp shells; and chondroitin sulfate from animal cartilage, such as tracheas or shark cartilage.

A clinical trial of the popular dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin found no evidence that they're better than placebos in easing arthritic knee pain, the study's lead investigator said Tuesday.

The good news: like placebos, the supplements aren't harmful, either.

The government-sponsored trial involving 1,600 arthritis sufferers at 16 medical centers across the country was designed to see if the supplements lived up to their billing as potent weapons against arthritis. Sales of the two supplements topped $700 million in 2004, according to the Nutrition Business Journal.

Dr. Daniel O. Clegg, speaking at a rheumatology convention in San Diego, said the supplements -- taken separately or in combination -- didn't fare any better than placebos, pills with no active ingredients. Some study highlights:

� Remarkably, about 6 in 10 patients reported that their knees felt better after six months of therapy -- whether they took supplements or the dummy pills. Psychology may have played an important role in how participants felt. "Patients really believe in dietary supplements, and I think patients wanted to do better," Clegg said.

� Patients taking the glucosamine-chondroitin combination fared slightly better than those on placebos, but not enough to qualify as statistically significant.

� Patients taking the prescription drug Celebrex did better than those on placebos -- by a 70 percent to 60 percent margin.

"It's a very confusing time right now," said Clegg, noting that some previous studies showed the supplements worked better than placebos, while others did not.

An estimated 21 million people in the United State suffer from osteoarthritis, a condition caused by the breakdown of cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in joints throughout the body.