Jane Brody (one of my favorites) wrote this week on osteoarthritis. First Step in Treating Arthritis: Keep Moving. While we know from good studies that physical therapy helps osteoarthritic patients, I am dismayed by how few of our patients will devote themselves to a program. They assume that we have a magic pill that will fix them. The article discusses the wide variety of therapies. She discusses the increasingly popular supplements:

So-called dietary supplements offer another option that may be taken alone or along with other arthritis drugs. Most popular among them are glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, often sold in combination tablets or capsules with instructions to take three a day.

Other than a possibility of somewhat loose stools in the first few weeks of therapy, they have no known side effects. Several clinical studies, not always pristinely conducted, have indicated that glucosamine alone or the two in combination can relieve arthritic discomfort and may delay or halt its progression.

The National Institutes of Health is conducting a proper study of their effectiveness.

Some evidence also supports another dietary supplement, SAM-e, for arthritis pain, as well as mild depression. For arthritis, 200 to 400 milligrams of SAM-e are taken three times a day. With all supplements, do not expect noticeable pain relief for three or four weeks.

Dietary supplements can be quite costly and are not covered by medical insurance. Neither are their quality and potency regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. So bargain hunting may be a bad idea. It is best to choose products made by reputable companies like Nutramax and Schiff.

This is a good reference for the web searching patient. The information is sound, well balanced and obviously researched.