The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at NIH is supporting a clinical trial to test whether either glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate alone, or in combination with each other, reduces pain and improves function. Patients using this therapy should do so only under the supervision of their doctor, as part of an overall treatment program with exercise, relaxation, and pain relief. Vitamins D and C. Progression of the disease appears to be less in patients with high levels of vitamin D or C intake. More studies are needed to confirm these reports. Injecting this substance into the knee joint provides long-term pain relief for some people with osteoarthritis.
Hyaluronic acid is a natural component of cartilage and joint fluid.
It lubricates and absorbs shock in the joint. Researchers are testing whether hyaluronic acid can slow down the progression of osteoarthritis. In studies of older women, scientists found a lower risk of osteoarthritis in women who had used oral estrogens for hormone replacement therapy. The researchers suspect that low estrogen levels could increase risk for the disease. Further studies are needed to answer this question.