Chondroitin in the treatment of arthritis and other conditions.

There have been a few studies that show positive effect of chondroitin in the treatment of arthritis. Most have not shown either positive or negative effect. Many people claim that it has helped them. Since it is safe and inexpensive it is not an unreasonable thing to try.

Description of Chondroitin

Chondroitin is a substance found in human and animal cartilage that is used to treat several physical disorders, most importantly arthritis, psoriasis, and cancer. Chondroitin has been studied in humans for over 40 years as a treatment for psoriasis, cancer, and arthritis with mixed results.

Chondroitin and Psoriasis

Studies have been conducted in the United States since 1990 to determine whether chondroitin can speed up wound healing in psoriasis and related conditions. Most of the studies have been on shark cartilage The studies have been inconclusive.

Chondroitin and Cancer

There is a theory that sharks do not get cancer and since they have more cartilage than other animals that taking shark cartilage or chondroitin made from shark cartilage can prevent or treat cancer. However sharks do develop a variety of different cancer.

There are several theories as to why chondroitin and cartilage products containing it might be useful in treating cancer. One theory is that they slow down or stop the formation of blood vessels that supply the cancer with oxygen and nutrients. Another theory is that chondroitin blocks the formation of certain enzymes that tumors produce to invade surrounding tissue. The third theory suggests that cartilage products stimulate the immune system. As of late 1999 the National Cancer Institute was conducting a multicenter clinical trial of liquid cartilage extract.

There have been several clinical studies on different forms of cartilage being used in the treatment of cancer. There is mixed results in the study.

Chondroitin and Osteoarthritis

Dozens of studies have been done with mixed results ranging from very good results to no results at all.

Chondroitin is also thought to protect cartilage by:

Anti-inflammatory activity.
Inhibiting the activity of enzymes that break down cartilage.
Counteracting enzymes that interfere with the transport of nutrients to the cartilage.
Stimulating the production of proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, and collagen. These complex molecules are the building blocks of new cartilage.

Several randomized double-blind studies of chondroitin in osteoarthritis patients were conducted in France and Italy in 1998. The European studies demonstrated that oral as well as injected chondroitin helps to increase joint mobility and reduce pain. American practitioners, including naturopaths as well as allopathic physicians, tend to be skeptical about the usefulness of chondroitin taken by mouth.

Side effects of chondroitin

Chondroitin sulfate has no known significant side effects. Some people report having a bad taste in the mouth or mild nausea when taking large doses of oral chondroitin on an empty stomach. A few people who have received chondroitin by injection report a mild soreness around the injection site. Chondroitin is not known to cause any significant interactions with other medications. A paper presented at the 1999 annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, however, suggests that because the chondroitin sulfate molecule is similar to the heparin molecule, its use together with anticoagulant drugs is questionable.

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