Are supplements effective in the treatment of arthritis?
Videos
Apr 15, 2016
Click play to watch the video or read the video transcript.
Dr. Michael Raab explains how supplements may be used to treat arthritis.
Are supplements effective in the treatment of arthritis?
The use of supplements for arthritic treatment is controversial. Personally, I’m officially neutral on it. If a patient would like to try it, I have no objection. I would recommend that they use a brand name that they recognize and that they and their pharmacist trust, because supplements are labeled as a food by the FDA not as a medication or drug so there’s no quality control or no guarantee that what is in the bottle is what’s on the label. So if you want to try it, such as glucosamine and chondroitin, that’s fine. The results are plus minus. Some people report that they’re helpful, some not. Most orthopedic surgeons don’t disapprove or approve but are neutral on it. So the answer is if you wish to try them, try them, it might take a few months to see any effect. If you’ve not had a relief after two to three months, it’s probably not going to be effective for you.