[Aussiegav]

Anyone got personal experience of Glucosamine and Chondroitin for finger & joint health? 

Research & clinical evidence is mixed in opinion?

[Paul B]

I'd have a read of the Duptrytens thread:
https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,4609.0.html

I stopped taking it.

[SA Chris]

I stopped taking after I had an increase in my DC when i was taking it regularly.

[Coops_13]

I was taking it for a couple of years for knee health (partial meniscectomy at age 18 from rugby injury). Stopped maybe a year ago and knee has been feeling worse. Recently started taking it again after some knuckle joint pain which seems to have cleared up - psychological I'm sure. I plan to continue taking it. Mine has Glucosamine, Chondrotin, MSM and Tumeric in it.

[duncan]

Some people report it works for them. Didn't help my various aches and pains and gave me the runs. In general, I respond poorly to dietary interventions, I'm not sure if this is physiology or cynicism.

Research & clinical evidence is mixed in opinion?

In my view, Glucosamine for joint pain is a good example of a body of research where the better the study quality, the less likely the study will find a better than placebo result. This can give the indication the evidence is mixed. Most of the evidence is on folk with knee pain/arthritis.

Turmeric may have stronger research support? As with Glucosamine, because it is not classified as pharmaceuticals we don't know as much about the side-effects. Vitamin D is worth a try if you're deficient.

[shurt]

I have a physical job on some days and now in my 40s certain days used to leave me feeling like a bag of bones and that my joints were fucked. E.g. 3 days putting up fencing.
I started taking it a while back and it took a bit to work but that joint fatigue feeling just doesn't happen anymore. My joints generally feel a load better. I'm far less creaky after a days climbing on it too.
It's a massive thumbs up from me, give it a bash.

[SA Chris]

Are the massive thumbs from careless hammering?

[Nails]

I stopped taking Glucosamine and Chondroitin after a massive increase in my Dupuytren's Contracture whilst taking it. My DC hasn't advanced significantly since stopping taking it and we're now talking twenty years since I stopped taking it. I know of several other climbers with similar anecdotal experience. I very much doubt that Glucosamine and Chondroitin actually cause DC but I'm pretty convinced that they can massively exacerbate it. I've been banging this drum for a long time now and I'm amazed there isn't more research/evidence on the link between the two.

[SA Chris]

I think there have been studies. See my comment above too; my experience was almost exactly the same as yours.

[shurt]

Are the massive thumbs from careless hammering?

No Chris, I'm a master craftsman...!

[slab_happy]

Some people report it works for them. Didn't help my various aches and pains and gave me the runs. In general, I respond poorly to dietary interventions, I'm not sure if this is physiology or cynicism.

Research & clinical evidence is mixed in opinion?

In my view, Glucosamine for joint pain is a good example of a body of research where the better the study quality, the less likely the study will find a better than placebo result. This can give the indication the evidence is mixed. Most of the evidence is on folk with knee pain/arthritis.

Turmeric may have stronger research support? As with Glucosamine, because it is not classified as pharmaceuticals we don't know as much about the side-effects. Vitamin D is worth a try if you're deficient.

Turmeric is pretty poorly absorbed, so if you want to try it, I'd rec going for curcumin (the active ingredient), ideally with some piperine (a black pepper extract) because it enhances the absorption of the curcumin.

Nice review of the current state of evidence and research:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/may/22/does-turmerics-reputation-translate-into-real-health-benefits

[dave k]

Like others I developed Duyputren's contracture within the first few months of taking Glucosamine 15 years ago.