Cortaflex is a dietary supplement which does
not rely on Chondroitin and Glucosamine.
If you go into health food shops and chemists,
you will find lots of products containing Chondroitin
Sulphate and Glucosamine Sulphate.
So what makes it so special? What makes it different is that it has been produced
with smaller molecules, so that they are more
likely to be absorbed into the areas where it
is needed. It is a unique formulation of the smaller
key isolates of Chondroitin and Glucosamine
to make it easier for the smaller molecules to
be able to pass through the tiny cell walls and
into the joints.
Chondroitin sulfate is one of the major constituents of
cartilage. It consists of repeating chains of molecules called
mucopolysaccharides. Classified as a type of glycosaminoglycan,
chondroitin sulfate is rich in sulfur and is a relative of
glucosamine. It helps to provide elasticity in the cartilage
in your joints and maintain the correct level of moisture
and lubrication.
There is no blood supply to cartilage, so chondroitin is
very important because it not only provides structure but
it also allows other molecules to move through the cartilage.
As a result joint healing is greatly increased through supplementation.
However Chondroitin is a very large molecule and supplements
containing chondroitin suffer from the same problems as Glucosamine.
"Chondroitin Sulphate given orally was found to be effective
in reducing pain, improving function and reducing NSAID and
analgesic consumption in seven randomised double blind trials
involving 702 patients with osteoarthritis of hip or knee
over three months or more" University of Oxford Clinical
School Information Management Services Unit and Bandolier.
The Research
Glucosamine and chondroitin for treatment of osteoarthritis:
a systematic quality assessment and meta-analysis.
McAlindon TE, LaValley MP, Gulin JP, Felson DT.
The Arthritis Center, Boston University School of Medicine,
Mass 02118, USA. tmcalind@bu.edu
CONTEXT: Glucosamine and chondroitin preparations are widely
touted in the lay press as remedies for osteoarthritis (OA),
but uncertainty about their efficacy exists among the medical
community. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate benefit of glucosamine and
chondroitin preparations for OA symptoms using meta-analysis
combined with systematic quality assessment of clinical trials
of these preparations in knee and/or hip OA. DATA SOURCES:
We searched for human clinical trials in MEDLINE (1966 to
June 1999) and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register using
the terms osteoarthritis, osteoarthrosis, degenerative arthritis,
glucosamine, chondroitin, and glycosaminoglycans. We also
manually searched review articles, manuscripts, and supplements
from rheumatology and OA journals and sought unpublished data
by contacting content experts, study authors, and manufacturers
of glucosamine or chondroitin. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were
included if they were published or unpublished double-blind,
randomized, placebo-controlled trials of 4 or more weeks'
duration that tested glucosamine or chondroitin for knee or
hip OA and reported extractable data on the effect of treatment
on symptoms. Fifteen of 37 studies were included in the analysis.
DATA EXTRACTION: Reviewers performed data extraction and scored
each trial using a quality assessment instrument. We computed
an effect size from the intergroup difference in mean outcome
values at trial end, divided by the SD of the outcome value
in the placebo group (0.2, small effect; 0.5, moderate; 0.8,
large), and applied a correction factor to reduce bias. We
tested for trial heterogeneity and publication bias and stratified
for trial quality and size. We pooled effect sizes using a
random effects model. DATA SYNTHESIS: Quality scores ranged
from 12.3% to 55.4% of the maximum, with a mean (SD) of 35.5%
(12%). Only 1 study described adequate allocation concealment
and 2 reported an intent-to-treat analysis. Most were supported
or performed by a manufacturer. Funnel plots showed significant
asymmetry (P< or =.01) compatible with publication bias.
Tests for heterogeneity were nonsignificant after removing
1 outlier trial. The aggregated effect sizes were 0.44 (95%
confidence interval [CI], 0.24-0.64) for glucosamine and 0.78
(95% CI, 0.60-0.95) for chondroitin, but they were diminished
when only high-quality or large trials were considered. The
effect sizes were relatively consistent for pain and functional
outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Trials of glucosamine and chondroitin
preparations for OA symptoms demonstrate moderate to large
effects, but quality issues and likely publication bias suggest
that these effects are exaggerated. Nevertheless, some degree
of efficacy appears probable for these preparations.
Publication Types:
* Meta-Analysis
* Review
* Review, Academic
PMID: 10732937 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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