| FRIDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- As America's baby boomers move into late middle age, arthritis and other rheumatic conditions are taking up an ever larger chunk of health-care spending, a federal study warns. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, which spans the six years from 1997 to 2003, detected a 25 percent jump in the number of adult Americans with arthritis and other rheumatic conditions. Overall, more than 46 million people now suffer from arthritis, compared to 36.8 million in 1997. That means more than one in every five adult Americans now has arthritis, the CDC says. The total annual tab to care for these patients: almost $81 billion. The $81 billion figure represents three percent of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), "a startling figure," said Louise Murphy, an Atlanta epidemiologist who worked with the CDC on the report. Something must be done to turn these figures around, experts say. "An aging population isn't something that we can control, but you can try to make the population healthier. We really have to push public health programs that improve food consumption and the ability to exercise," said Edward Yelin, professor of medicine and health at the University of California, San Francisco, and lead author of the study. Read the full article here. |
U.S. Arthritis Numbers, Costs Soaring
Thu, 03 May 2007 16:09:58 GMT | in Healthy Living
Exercise may fend off arthritis in women
Thu, 05 Apr 2007 17:05:15 GMT | in Healthy Living
| Get moving, Grandma! Exercise isn't just about improving your heart and fighting flab that comes with aging. It may also be the answer to preventing stiff, achy joints that can lead to debilitating arthritis. An Australian study suggests the more time older women spend exercising, the better their chances are of staying pain-free from one of the biggest chronic conditions plaguing developed countries. Read the full article here. |
If it works for you, that’s all the proof you need.
Thu, 20 Apr 2006 17:48:59 GMT | in Glucosamine And Chondroitin
| The New York Times article “Fine Print Sends Clear Message: Stay the Course,” addresses the considerable improvements in joint comfort the author experienced after taking glucosamine and chondroitin. She also discusses other hotly debated health issues such as vitamin supplements and low-fat diets, encouraging us, the reader, to make informed decisions about our health that don’t just follow the latest trends, but take into account what works for us, personally. Read the full article. |
Glucosamine and Chondroitin beat Celebrex in arthritis study!
Thu, 20 Apr 2006 17:47:28 GMT | in Glucosamine And Chondroitin
| As proof that articles aren’t necessarily written without bias, the author of this letter to the editor calls attention to the problems in the Feb. 23 article “Study casts doubt on arthritis aid” detailing the results from a study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine comparing glucosamine and chondroitin to the prescription drug Celebrex. The Journal article creates a false bias towards Celebrex, which the numbers don’t support, calling into question the objectivity of the study. The author of the letter deftly defends glucosamine and chondroitin citing both the extremely positive results of the study and the lack of side effects of these nutritonal supplements. Read the full article. |
The Latest Scientific Good News about Glucosamine and Chondroitin: It Works!
Mon, 13 Mar 2006 16:26:25 GMT | in Glucosamine And Chondroitin
| An Under-Reported Story about the NIH Study Finally, the long-awaited results of the National Institutes of Health Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (NIH GAIT) have been reported – and although the facts are favorable, the news media have presented a confusing story and often overlooked the positive data regarding the effectiveness of Glucosamine and Chondroitin (abbreviated GC) supplements “No better than Placebo?” Here’s what the news reports omitted: There were five groups – Glucosamine only, Chondroitin only, Glucosamine plus Chondroitin combination, Celebrex® and Placebo (dummy pill). Doses matched the typical amounts used in dietary supplement products. It is important to keep in mind that all subjects had access to as much Tylenol® as they wanted to control pain (this is called rescue medication). It turned out that the subjects took 1-2 pills of Tylenol® daily, which should take care of mild pain. The results showed that Tylenol® did take care of mild pain as the Placebo group showed fantastic results (60% of the subjects reduced their pain by 20% or more). As a result, the supplement groups, although numerically better than Placebo, were not statistically different from the Placebo group for reduction in pain. Here’s the bottom line: the more you hurt, the more effective GC supplements are: Importantly, the NIH GAIT study results were positive for the combination of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate in persons with moderate-to-severe knee pain from osteoarthritis. GC produced large and significant decreases in pain over the Placebo group. In fact, in the group of subjects with moderate-to-severe knee pain, Celebrex® did not significantly decrease pain compared to the Placebo group. In other words, GC outperformed Celebrex®. In addition, measurements of joint function and mobility were significantly improved in the GC group, but not in the Celebrex® or other supplement groups. This large-scale study of osteoarthritis knee pain cost $12.5 million dollars and was started in 1998, and it is still not finished. About half of the patients are being followed for another year to look at a measurement beyond just pain relief: to see if Glucosamine/Chondroitin (GC) supplements can actually slow, stop or reverse joint cartilage loss (as seen by several European studies). Results from this part of the study should be available by November 2006. Stay tuned… Tylenol® is a registered trademark of The Tylenol Company. Celebrex® is a registered trademark of G.D. Searle LLC. |
Where’s an antioxidant when you need it?
Tue, 06 Dec 2005 07:00:00 GMT | in Healthy Living
| Has anyone seen a free radical lately? I haven’t. But according to current research, these little devils can damage cells in your body, accelerating the progression of cancer, heart disease and other age-related diseases. Turns out the best protection against damage from radicals is in antioxidants. In fact, since learning about the protective properties of antioxidants, some manufacturers are now adding them to skin care and health products—and, I’ve noticed, to some next generation joint care formulas. Fortunately, antioxidants are also naturally found in lots of nutritious foods and vitamins. So the next time you’re snacking, go for something rich in antioxidants. Try this:
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Do something good for your joints—stay on your toes!
Fri, 02 Dec 2005 07:00:00 GMT | in Glucosamine And Chondroitin
| After years of joint discomfort and juggling a hectic schedule, I found a site that showed me some great ways to sneak in some joint “therapy.” Every time I brush my teeth, I do it on my “toes.” I stand tippytoe on the balls of my feet. Yes, it sounds funny—but while I’m doing this, I’m strengthening my calves and ankle joints. And anyway, it’s a start. After you’re comfortable with the toe exercise, try moving on to my shoulder roll. Roll your shoulders gently in a circle while sitting at your desk or in front of the computer. Then do a circle in the opposite direction. A few minutes out of your day and you don’t even have to stop what you’re doing. If someone catches you “exercising,” well, just smile and shrug. More exercise tips |
Looking deeper at the NIH Study
Wed, 30 Nov 2005 07:00:00 GMT | in Glucosamine And Chondroitin
| After my last posts, a few people have sent me links to reports that the NIH study did not look very positive for G & C. Basically, they’re saying that while the percentage of subjects reducing pain by 20% or more after six months was higher, it wasn’t statistically different for each of the supplements compared to the placebo, even though the Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfate group showed a statistical trend to be better than placebo. It’s a bit confusing. So I talked to my doctor about this—he’s a fan of glucosamine & chondroitin—and this is how he explained it.
In other words, if you just looked at small decreases in pain, it was hard to tell what was working. But when the bar was raised, the NIH study showed that G & C was clearly effective. Mystery solved. |
NIH government study findings back up previous research.
Fri, 25 Nov 2005 07:00:00 GMT | in Glucosamine And Chondroitin
| The NIH Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention (GAIT) study wasn’t the first clinical trial ever conducted on Glucosamine and Chondroitin but it was the largest. And it was government-funded. GAIT confirms what at least 50 published clinical trials have pointed to before: that G&C can safely alleviate pain from osteoarthritis—the wear-and-tear kind of arthritis that causes 21 million Americans to suffer. A Boston University team, for example, ran an analysis of 37 previous studies on Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate for treating osteoarthritis. They concluded that “…these compounds may have some efficacy against the symptoms of this most common form of arthritis…” Hmm. Perhaps with the NIH findings, there’ll be more interest and finally more research in this area. There was a small sub-study within the GAIT, on the impact of Glucosamine and Chondroitin on the progression of knee osteoarthritis. Maybe a major study devoted to halting or slowing the progression of symptoms may be just around the corner. Meanwhile, the study is ¬getting lots of enthusiasm from supporters: “…This gold-standard NIH-sponsored study adds to the strong body of human clinical trials that supports the use of G&C for significant and long-lasting relief of joint pain and improvements in mobility.” Andrew Shao, PH.D., The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), Vice President of scientific and regulatory affairs For thousands of people like me whose joints could use some TLC, things look even more hopeful. |
NIH study sufferers makes a splash.
Tue, 22 Nov 2005 07:00:00 GMT | in Healthy Living
| Remember that five-year NIH government study on arthritis I mentioned in my first post? The reaction is starting to come in and it generally looks positive. The media (and everyone in the natural supplements industry, of course) are making noise about the study’s findings, including ABC News, who reported on November 14th: The natural supplements glucosamine and chondroitin appear to beat the leading prescription drug for very painful forms of arthritis, according to a much anticipated study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. I’m glad they recognize that this is big news. After all, the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention was the far and away the most rigorous testing ever conducted on the combined effects of Glucosamine & Chondroitin on osteoarthritis knee pain. Plus, 21 million Americans (like me), deal daily with joint discomfort. We’re a big audience. Whatever the reason behind it, all this attention is good. If there’s an affordable, natural treatment that works, the world should know. |
New research shows Glucosamine & Chondroitin helps joints
Wed, 16 Nov 2005 23:32:02 GMT | in Glucosamine And Chondroitin
| Breakthrough NIH government study finds that they outperform prescription drugs A drug-free approach to treating aching and stiff joints turns out to be your best bet after all. In one of the largest studies of its kind—five years, 1500 patients—the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial sponsored by the government’s National Institutes of Health, came to some significant conclusions. When combined, these joint supplements can be more effective than common prescription pain medications, as well as over-the-counter pain relievers, in treating moderate to severe knee pain. Great news for anyone suffering from joint discomfort. |
