Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2010/January 2011 | Page 155

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Island Life - December 2010
glucosamine has any clinical value at

have been published on the value

all.

of glucosamine in the field of

“A further problem is that the
results of trials are not consistent. A

taken alone or in combination with

meta-analysis which combines the

chondroitin. In a recent meta-analysis

results of several studies that address

published in the British Medical

a set of related research questions

Journal this year, the authors stated

was undertaken in 2005 and found

‘glucosamine supplements are not

eight randomized clinical trials with

harmful and can be given to patients as

glucosamine showing no benefit and 15

long as the patients perceive a benefit

trials showing a benefit when using one

and pay for their own treatment’.

set of pain measurement scales and no
benefit at all when using other scales.
“Medicine is a dynamic area of
study with medical opinions changing
regularly based on the latest clinical
evidence. To obtain a license for
a medicine, clinical trials must be
undertaken - usually randomised clinical
trials - to establish efficacy and safety.
Efficacy is generally established using
statistics and demonstrating that a
medicine has a statistically proven
positive effect on a condition is not
the same as saying that a medicine has
proven clinical value.
“Consequently we have a medicine,
glucosamine, which has a statistically
proven ability to improve osteoarthritis
of the knee whilst there is considerable
medical debate as to whether

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rheumatology. Glucosamine may be

“Therefore it