Glucosamine

I am not an advocate of its use for anything, though it is very difficult to establish by anecdotal comments the efficacy of analgesics, as the placebo effect is very pronounced. But a controlled studies reported in 2010 found that patients with chronic pain experienced no benefit from taking 1500 mg/day of glucosamine. It involved 250 adults with chronic low-back pain and degenerative osteoarthtiris who were followed for one year. Half of the patients took glucosamine and half received a placebo. The glucosamine group did no better than the placebo group. If it works for you . . fine. But as with all analgesics, much of the effect may be all in your mind and those who advocate for it will not be dissuaded.

 

Thanks, that is very interesting.

I'm curious, when you make mention that analgesics being in the mind, does this mean that you don't feel that these have an actual effect on reducing pain on a physiological level in the brain?

 

Of COURSE the brain along with expectations has a great deal to do with the perceived effects of many medications . . especially pain medications. It is by no means a secret that how one anticipates, perceives and deals with pain is very much a function of the mind. I can tell you as a surgeon that patients' attitudes on both ends of the spectrum going into a surgery are often very accurate predictors as to how well the patient will tolerate the procedure and its aftermath. The reason that double-blind studies (where neither the patient nor the evaluator knows in advance whether a placebo or an active medication was given) when investigating a medication are necessary is that expectations can work every bit as well as the drug. When talking about glucosamine, which is sold as a "supplement," there are a bunch of folks who have a great deal invested in substantiating that doctors and their high-tech prescription medication don't know what they are talking about, and thus they are very resistant to accepting real medical data. Right or wrong, it's really hard to change their minds. But you asked me for MY opinion, and that's what I have given you.

FOOT DOC

 

Thanks Doc.