Arthritis is the pits. We all know that. I knew that when I was in my 20s, but I didnt give it a second thought. I was more interested in, shall we say, other things.
But now that Im in my 70s, I think about arthritis every morning. It wakes me up before my alarm rings. The ski injuries, the trekking-in-the-Himalayas injuries, the just plain Im old injuries have taken their toll.
Treatment for arthritis has improved dramatically. My mom used aspirin thats all they had. Then came Tylenol, much safer but not pristine. It wasnt until the late 80s that we realized taking too much acetaminophen, especially with booze, caused liver failure. (Side note: The safe dose is 4,000 milligrams a day; if you drink two drinks or more per day, then drop that to 2,000 milligrams a day.)
But for many, Tylenol is not that effective. Enter anti-inflammatories non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. They are stronger for sure, better but not riskier. Still, side effects of NSAIDs may include gastrointestinal bleeds from your stomach, increased heart attack risk for those so prone, especially if youve had one before, and kidney disease. So we doctors have been moving away from these.
So whats a guy to do? The answer may be chondroitin sulfate.
Now, let me tell you, Ive been skeptical about this. I havent seen enough evidence to show that it does something. But a recent study from the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases is very encouraging. It shows chondroitin sulfate is as capable of treating arthritis as Celebrex, the safest effective anti-inflammatory around.
It was a double-blind study of 600 patients, all with symptomatic osteoarthritis the arthritis of old age. They were divided into three groups.
One group took 800 milligrams of pharmaceutical-grade chondroitin sulfate (well talk a bit later about what I mean by pharmaceutical grade). The other group took 200 milligrams of Celebrex. And the third group took dummy tablets.
At one month, three months and six months, everyone was asked about their pain, joint function and how they felt and functioned. At one month, the Celebrex group was in front. Good response and quick action. But at three months and six months, that advantage had disappeared. The chondroitin group did just as well.
This is good news. Taking this might be your answer to morning pain.
So which chondroitin sulfate product should you buy? Thats where the pharmaceutical grade comes in, and its a problem. Why? Because the Food and Drug Administration regulates them the same way it does cosmetics with a light hand. The label may say 800 milligrams, but the stuff inside may be much less.
My spin: I would go one of two ways with this. Consider the store brand chondroitin sulfate as big companies want to make sure they are selling a reliable product. Or go to my favorite go-to website http://www.consumerlab.com.
It costs money to join because they dont have advertising, but you get what you pay for. They test every brand they talk about and they tell you how much per milligram youre paying.
For me this is a great benefit because I want the right dose for the cheapest price. I highly recommend it. Stay well.
This column provides general health information and is not specific advice intended for particular individual(s). It is not a professional medical opinion or diagnosis. Always consult your personal health care provider about concerns. No ongoing relationship of any sort (including but not limited to any form of professional relationship) is implied or offered by Dr. Paster to people submitting questions.
Link:
Dr. Zorba Paster: Try chondroitin sulfate for arthritis pain - Madison.com
- Annual Health Observances | NIAMS - National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) - October 6th, 2024
- Obesity dampens rheumatoid arthritis treatment effectiveness, satisfaction - Healio - October 6th, 2024
- Patient Perspectives: Finding Grace While Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis - Rheumatology Advisor - October 6th, 2024
- Rheumatoid arthritis tied to heavy economic and human burdens - Medical Xpress - October 6th, 2024
- Dual therapy can have synergistic effect in difficult-to-treat inflammatory diseases - Healio - October 6th, 2024
- Hand-Held Scanner Could Transform Cancer and Arthritis Diagnosis - Technology Networks - October 6th, 2024
- Medical imaging breakthrough could transform cancer and arthritis diagnosis - University College London - October 6th, 2024
- Citryll and leading rheumatology centres receive - GlobeNewswire - October 6th, 2024
- Its going to be ubiquitous: Weight loss drugs may aid rheumatic disease treatment - Healio - October 6th, 2024
- Comorbidities Associated With Psoriasis: 5 Things to Know - Medscape - October 6th, 2024
- Opinion: Let's treat arthritis with the seriousness it deserves - Vancouver Sun - October 6th, 2024
- New handheld scanner technology could transform cancer and arthritis diagnosis - The Engineer - October 6th, 2024
- Stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis: Functional cartilage regeneration using 3d bioprinting technology - Open Access Government - October 6th, 2024
- Handheld scanner could transform cancer and arthritis diagnosis study - The Independent - October 6th, 2024
- Ankylosing Spondylitis and Self-Care: 6 Science-Backed Tips - Everyday Health - October 6th, 2024
- From a Labrador with arthritis to a goldfishs lifespan your pet queries answered... - The Sun - October 6th, 2024
- 15 Home Essentials That Make Life Easier If You Have Arthritis - HuffPost - September 21st, 2024
- Gout, a painful form of arthritis, is on the rise. Avoiding red meat and alcohol can help. - Yahoo Life - September 21st, 2024
- Arthritis Can Flare Up in Colder Weather: Tips to Easing the Pain - MedicineNet - September 21st, 2024
- Arthritis Can Flare Up in Colder Weather: Tips to Easing the Pan - U.S. News & World Report - September 21st, 2024
- Arthritis can flare up in colder weather: Tips to easing the pan - Medical Xpress - September 21st, 2024
- See how Waymo is bringing Arthritis Foundation of Arizona families to the ballpark - ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix - September 21st, 2024
- Prevalence of Loneliness in Inflammatory Arthritis and its Association with Disease Activity - Physician's Weekly - September 21st, 2024
- Psoriatic Arthritis and Gluten: Whats the Link? - Health Central - September 21st, 2024
- Arthritis Can Flare Up in Colder Weather: Tips to Easing the Pan - Southernminn.com - September 21st, 2024
- 6 Knee Injuries That Can Cause Arthritis - Health News Hub - September 21st, 2024
- The Best Rheumatoid Arthritis Self-Care Tips To Soothe Painful Joints and Improve Mobility - Yahoo Life - September 21st, 2024
- Arthritis Can Flare Up in Colder Weather: Tips to Easing the Pan - El Paso Inc. - September 21st, 2024
- Shifting kneecap in kids? Early ligament repair can prevent arthritis in young Age: Experts - The Times of India - September 21st, 2024
- Arthritis Can Flare Up in Colder Weather: Tips to Easing the Pan - Shelbynews - September 21st, 2024
- Arthritis Can Flare Up in Colder Weather: Tips to Easing the Pan - Citizentribune - September 21st, 2024
- Arthritis Can Flare Up in Colder Weather: Tips to Easing the Pan - News-Daily.com - September 21st, 2024
- Casavant: Access to virtual care at risk for millions of arthritis patients - Daily Independent - September 21st, 2024
- Arthritis Can Flare Up in Colder Weather: Tips to Easing the Pan - Avery Journal Times - September 21st, 2024
- Arthritis Can Flare Up in Colder Weather: Tips to Easing the Pan - The Elkhart Truth - September 21st, 2024
- What To Eat (And Skip) on a Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet To Reduce Painful Inflammation - Woman's World - September 21st, 2024
- Tiny knee bone linked to arthritis may have helped humans walk upright, scientists suggest - Sky News - September 13th, 2024
- Medical Marijuana Helps People With Arthritis And Other Rheumatic Conditions Reduce Use Of Opioids And Other Medications, Study Shows - Marijuana... - September 13th, 2024
- My 'stomach bug' turned out to be an agonising pain condition that left me wheelchair bound within four years - Daily Mail - September 13th, 2024
- Distinct mucosal endotypes as initiators and drivers of rheumatoid arthritis - Nature.com - September 13th, 2024
- Early Use of Steroids Linked to Prolonged Treatment in RA - Medscape - September 13th, 2024
- How rheumatoid arthritis and Down syndrome are helping researchers find treatments for Alzheimer's - Colorado Public Radio - September 13th, 2024
- Is It Bad to Drink Coffee if You Have Rheumatoid Arthritis? - Health Central - September 13th, 2024
- Harnessing Patient Insights: The Role of PROs in Managing Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis - MD Magazine - September 13th, 2024
- Spotlight On Maryland-The Arthritis Foundation - Audacy - September 13th, 2024
- Gum disease and arthritis: How bacteria in your mouth could be hurting your joints - Hindustan Times - September 13th, 2024
- An interdisciplinary perspective on peripheral drivers of pain in rheumatoid arthritis - Nature.com - September 13th, 2024
- Sky's Angel Reese to have wrist surgery Tuesday, be in cast for six weeks - USA TODAY - September 13th, 2024
- A message from AdventHealth: Swing into action to fight Arthritis - Johnson County Post - September 13th, 2024
- Bio-Thera Solutions and Biogen Publish Phase 3 Clinical Trial Data for TOFIDENCE (BAT1806/BIIB800), an approved Biosimilar referencing tocilizumab in... - September 13th, 2024
- Failed Remission in Early RA No Better With Added Etanercept - Medscape - August 25th, 2024
- Trapeziectomy and Mini TightRope Suspensionplasty for First Carpometacarpal Joint Arthritis - Cureus - August 25th, 2024
- What is early arthritis? UAB experts weigh in - University of Alabama at Birmingham - August 25th, 2024
- Evaluating and Adjusting Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment: Adhering to ACR Guidelines for csDMARDs and Advanced Therapies - MD Magazine - August 25th, 2024
- Gelsolin alleviates rheumatoid arthritis by negatively regulating NLRP3 inflammasome activation - Nature.com - August 25th, 2024
- The association between the aggregate index of systemic inflammation and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: retrospective analysis of NHANES 19992018 -... - August 25th, 2024
- High Prevalence of Tendon Issues in Hand Osteoarthritis - Medscape - August 25th, 2024
- The point of knee shots - Harvard Health - August 25th, 2024
- Exploring the Discrepancy Between Patient Perception and Disease Activity Assessments - MD Magazine - August 25th, 2024
- Do you have knee pain from osteoarthritis? You might not need surgery. Here's what to try instead - ABC News - August 25th, 2024
- Blood test provides early alert to knee arthritis - Cleveland Jewish News - August 7th, 2024
- Lifestyle tips for youth's bone health: Avoid these habits to prevent arthritis - Hindustan Times - January 25th, 2024
- Arthritis | Johns Hopkins Medicine - January 9th, 2024
- What Is Arthritis? | Arthritis Foundation - May 17th, 2023
- Procedure to Surgery for Arthritis Is Recommended After First Failed Non-Operative Therapy - DocWire News - March 29th, 2023
- Higher Prevalence of Sarcopenia Reported in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis - Rheumatology Network - October 7th, 2022
- Exploring the Relationship Between Psoriatic Arthritis and Psoriasis - Dermatology Times - October 7th, 2022
- Are Tomatoes Bad For Arthritis? Here's What An MD Has To Say - Women's Health - October 7th, 2022
- Tocilizumab for Treating ICI-Induced Arthritis and Colitis - DocWire News - October 7th, 2022
- Why Arthritis Is A Clear And Present Danger, And How We Can Fight It - CNBCTV18 - October 7th, 2022
- Arthritis: Five cruciferous veg 'block inflammatory process' - backed by 10-year study - Express - October 7th, 2022
- 5 Exercise Habits for Arthritis in Your 50s - Eat This, Not That - October 7th, 2022
- Arthritis: 8 types of fish can cause acid crystals to build up in joints - 'very painful' - Express - October 7th, 2022
- EMA Issues Positive Opinion on the Safety of Filgotinib - Medscape - October 7th, 2022
- Lamb of God's Willie Adler on their new album Omens - Guitar.com - October 7th, 2022
- Eat Your Way to Stronger Bones & Healthy Joints - Daniel Island News - October 7th, 2022
- Long COVID could be linked to a totally different (and common) virus, new study finds - Fortune - October 7th, 2022
- My body hurt so much I thought I had arthritis & I started forgetting people it was the menopause, says K... - The Sun - October 7th, 2022
- 'Terrified' nan cant afford heating despite painful arthritis and will do 'Christmas shopping at Poundland' - Lincolnshire Live - October 7th, 2022
- Dirt & Glory's Alex Moss Cherishes the 'Real World Impact' of His Role | LBBOnline - Little Black Book - LBBonline - October 7th, 2022