Glucosamine potential treatment for knee osteoarthritis

Glucosamine could be a potential pain relief for knee osteoarthritis, but patients should pay for the treatment themselves, doctors have said.

Published evidence suggests that oral glucosamine sulphate provides modest pain relief in knee osteoarthritis and appears to be relatively safe.

But there are questions about the cost-effectiveness of glucosamine sulphate, which means it should not yet be available in the NHS, they wrote.

Patients on warfarin should not take glucosamine supplements, since the combination makes internal bleeding more likely, they added.

Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin (2008) 46: 81-84

Readers' comments (1)

  • I take glucosamine sulphate regularly for my osteoarthritis which was 14 months ago. Once I found out that I got it, I immediately went straight to the health food shop. I was given codeine phosphate for the pain from my GP and after a month from taking glucosamine I have been pain free except for a little ache now and then but not enough for I to take codeine phosphate. I would certainly recommend it to anyone.

    Unsuitable or offensive?

Have your say

You must sign in to make a comment.

Related Jobs

Sign in to see the latest jobs relevant to you!

  • Nurses - All Grades

    Excellent Rate South East; Wales; North Wales; Mid Wales; South Wales

  • Charge Nurse

    £35000 - 40000 per annum South East; Middlesex

  • RGN’s, RMN’s and RNLD’s

    Salary Not Stated London; South East; South West; East Anglia; East Midlands; West Midlands; North West; Yorkshire; North East; Scotland; Wales

  • Live in Nurses

    Salary Not Stated London; South East; South West; East Anglia; East Midlands; West Midlands; North West; Yorkshire; North East; Scotland; Wales

  • Manager & Nurses - RMN

    Competitive Rates East Midlands; Leicestershire; Northamptonshire

  • Registered Nurse

    £24,000 to £25,000 South East; East Sussex

Online training units, written and reviewed by experts. Earn two hours' CPD and a personalised certificate for your portfolio.

Subscribers get five FREE learning units and non-subscribers can access each learning unit for £10 + VAT.

Click here to find out more

Newsletter Sign-up

More Newsletters