Liquid glucosamine chondroitin MSM - effective in reducing joint pain?

Liquid glucosamine chondroitin MSM - new study by Swiss scientists casts doubts about efficacy


Photo courtesy Photos8.com

If you think that that glucosamine and chondroitin supplements like liquid glucosamine chondroitin MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) can reduce the pain caused by osteoarthritis in the hips and knees, think again.

According to a research published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) on 16 September 2010, Swiss scientists have found in a review of trials involving 3,803 patients with osteoarthritis that there was “no clinically relevant effect” of the two popular supplements (glucosamine and chondroitin), taken on their own or in combination on perceived joint pain.

With osteoarthritis being the most common type of arthritis, affecting about eight million people in Britain and nearly 27 million people in the United States, millions of people around the world have taken glucosamine and chondroitin to reduce joint pain. They spent almost US$2 billion in 2008 on glucosamine supplements, which was an increase of about 60% since 2003.



Glucosamine and chondroitin are being prescribed to patients by doctors and specialist rheumatologists. People with joint pain can also buy them over the counter in various forms, including liquid glucosamine chondroitin MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) supplements.

Having reviewed 10 previously published trials and assessed scientific data, the scientists concluded: compared with placebo (dummy pill), glucosamine and chondroitin as well as their combination do not reduce joint pain or have an impact on narrowing of joint space.

Nevertheless, some patients remained convinced that glucosamine and chondroitin are effective. The scientists said this could be due to the naturally fluctuating development of osteoarthritis or due to a placebo effect, which can be particularly noticeable when it comes to pain. Doctors who prescribe glucosamine (in its sulphate form) have also acknowledged that it is merely a mild anti-inflammatory agent that has not been shown to regenerate cartilage in humans.

Is there a better alternative to treat osteoarthritis?

In 2009, researchers at the Kiel- based Collagen Research Institute (CRI) demonstrated the stimulating effect of special bioactive collagen peptides (collagen hydrolysate) and presented its research findings at the congress of Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) in Montreal.

And what did they discover?

Bioactive collagen peptides (collagen hydrolysate) stimulated cell metabolism in the knee-joint cartilage and promotes the regeneration of cartilage tissue.

The research of the CRI confirms the findings of a clinical trial conducted by the Harvard Medical School and the Tufts Medical Center which involved 30 patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee. There was a significant regeneration of the cartilage tissue in the group prescribed with bioactive collagen peptides (collagen hydrolysate). In the placebo group, cartilage degeneration continued as before.

Dr Steffen Oesser, Director of the CRI said, “The targeted manipulation of the cartilage metabolism opens up new possibilities for the treatment and prevention of osteoarthritis.”

Unlike painkillers, anti-rheumatic drugs and glucosamine and chondroitin supplements like liquid glucosamine chondroitin MSM which may merely relieve symptoms and effects, bioactive collagen peptides (collagen hydrolysate) now offers the potential to get to the root of the problem.

Diatomaceous earth - bed bugs can now be exterminated naturally

With diatomaceous earth, bed bugs have nowhere to hide

In recent months, the United States of America has seen a dramatic increase in bed bug infestation across the country, likely to hit epidemic levels if the trend continues. The number of reports has shot up from 20 a day to an average of 150 on bedbugregistry.com, a website which reports occurrences of bed bugs in homes, hotels and other places.

Many different treatment methods have been developed to get rid of bed bugs, which live in the crevices and folds of mattresses, sofas and sheets, breeding fast and feeding on human blood at night, but bed bugs can stay hidden for up to a year without food. Pest management firms often use a combination of methods including traditional pesticide applications, heat treatments and even freezing.



However, bed bugs are very difficult to detect and kill. According to the first Comprehensive Global Bed Bug Study, conducted by the National Pest Management Association and the University of Kentucky and released in July 2010, over three-quarters of the pest control companies surveyed in the bed bug study said they were the most difficult pests to exterminate, even tougher than cockroaches, ants and termites.

So how can you win the war against bed bug infestation in your home?

Because bed bugs have developed resistance to many chemical pesticides currently used, an integrated pest management approach is needed, according to the Joint Statement on Bed Bug Control in the United States from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued on 5 August 2010. This includes reducing clutter in your home where bed bugs can hide, and the use of diatomaceous earth - bed bugs are highly vulnerable to this natural pesticide.



Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring, soft rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. When they come into contact with diatomaceous earth, bed bugs will start to dehydrate as the fine powder destroys the outer layer of their bodies. The bed bugs then die as a result of water pressure deficiency.

For your own safety, use only food grade diatomaceous earth. You can buy food grade diatomaceous earth from farm supply stores as well as online sites.

And here is an example of how you can apply diatomaceous earth to remove bed bugs from, well, your bed:





FAQs

1. What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are small, flat insects that are reddish-brown in color, wingless, and range from 1 to 7 millimeters in length. They typically feed on the blood of sleeping people and animals every five to 10 days, although they can live several months without a blood meal.

2. Are bed bugs dangerous?

The bites from bed bugs usually cause just an itchy rash. Unlike other harmful pests, bed bugs generally do not transmit infectious diseases.

3. What cause an infestation?

People may unknowingly transport bed bugs into their homes via luggage, clothing or second-hand furniture. Bed bugs are also fast breeders, thus causing an infestation.

4. How do you get rid of bed bugs?

Bed bugs are notoriously resistant and are more difficult to exterminate than cockroaches, ants or termites. Besides taking measures to limit their spread (e.g. removing clutter and other potential hiding places, cleaning bed sheets and clothes in hot water), you can use pesticides including natural ones like diatomaceous earth - bed bugs will hate you for that.