That's code in the world of research for 'hmmmm, we've looked, and not found any convincing evidence..' 

 
2. Chondroitin

And Cochrane found a similar result for chondroitin in 2015.

This time in 9110 participants with mainly knee osteoarthritis taking part in 42 trials.

Chondroitin was ‘better than placebo in improving pain… in short‐term studies.’ 

However, the ‘beneficial effects were uncertain’ in higher quality studies with a ‘large study sample (> 200)’ or… studies ‘without pharmaceutical funding.’

An important last 3 words.


And the authors, once again, recommend further ‘high-quality studies.’ A further 'hmmm... and so on.'
 
Those are the 2 supplements worth looking at.


A Better Approach

I think Tim Spector’s approach to supplements in general applies here.

Tim’s a professor of genetic epidemiology from King’s College London.

And he stopped taking all supplements a while back, writing that there’s…

‘no good evidence that when given in concentrated form as tablets they have any benefit…'

'...rather than taking expensive and ineffective synthetic products, we should get all the nutrients, microbes and vitamins we need from eating a range of real foods, as evolution and nature intended.’

 
My own experience in the clinic is that any discussion about supplements often distracts from talking about what really makes a difference.

Given the choice, we'd all rather pop a pill or two each morning. I know I would.

Making wholesale changes to the way we eat, move and live? That's hard.

Popping a pill with my morning coffee? That’s easy.


Yet, wholesale changes often make the biggest difference.

The biggest difference to the joints that connect us together and move us about.

The biggest difference to doing more with less joint pain.

Good luck!

A bunch of great feedback this week. Thank you. Two bits stand out:

'Loved the paracetamol issue' and 'Paracetamol, eh? Come to think of it... it doesn't really help me' 

Check out Paracetaomal in newsletter #014 and go deeper in #15 at www.danhwilliams.com/#subscribe

And forward this to anyone who who wants to do more with less pain.

Hit the button below to subscribe for FREE. Good luck!