Success of chondroitin sulfate in reducing knee arthritis’ pain makes medical fraternity hopeful
Knee arthritis is no longer any unknown disease and is increasingly found in several countries. This is a disease that affects patients over 50 years of age largely and is more common in patients who are overweight, and weight loss tends to reduce the symptoms associated with knee arthritis. Well, according to doctors, a number of researches state that knee arthritis tends to run in families or can be genetic. Well, there are also other factors that can contribute to develop knee arthritis. These include trauma to the knee, meniscus tears or ligament damage, and fractures to the bone around the joint.
How can this be checked therefore? A number of methods have been used already but the researchers are stating that the application or long-standing use of prescription-grade chondroitin sulfate for the treatment of knee arthritis can outshine others and lessen pain and slows joint narrowing considerably. What is chondroitin sulfate? It is a sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) composed of a chain of alternating sugars (N-acetylgalactosamine and glucuronic acid) and is usually found attached to proteins as part of a proteoglycan. A chondroitin chain can have over 100 individual sugars, each of which can be sulfated in variable positions and quantities. Furthermore, chondroitin sulfate is an important structural component of cartilage and provides much of its resistance to compression.
This came to the forefront on account of the Study on Osteoarthritis Progression Prevention (STOPP). It dealt with 622 patients in Europe and the US, ages 45-80 years, suffering from knee arthritis. It has been learnt that the patients had been suffering from moderate levels of pain during the initiation of the study.
Each and every patient, according to report, was assigned to 2 years of daily treatment with chondroitin or inactive "placebo." X-rays of the affected knee were taken to appraise the effect of treatment. The result was impressive and the gradual increase of pain relief in the chondroitin group was realized. The result has made the medical fraternity hopeful.
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