Glucosamine Supplementation Does
Not Impair Glucose Control
Glucosamine supplementation does not cause
clinically significant changes in glucose metabolism
in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Glucosamine is increasingly used by type 2 diabetics
and others to treat osteoarthritis, the authors
explain, yet animal studies have shown that high
glucosamine levels can raise plasma glucose levels.
In the first placebo-controlled, double-blinded
trial of its kind, Dr. Daren A. Scroggie from
Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force
Base, Texas and colleagues evaluated the effects
of glucosamine supplementation on glycemic control
in 34 mostly elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.
Mean hemoglobin A1c levels changed very little,
the authors report, increasing from 6.43% to 6.50%
in the glucosamine group and decreasing from 6.25%
to 6.09% in the placebo group.
Statistical analysis confirmed the lack of significant
differences in the hemoglobin A1c levels, the
researchers note, and indicated that the study
was large enough to detect differences between
the groups of at least 0.3% and within the groups
(before and after supplementation) of 0.15%.
Only one patient withdrew from the study due to
a possible adverse effect from glucosamine (excessive
flatus), the report indicates, and medical therapy
did not change during the study period.
The typical oral doses of glucosamine are around
20 mg/kg per day, the investigators explain, whereas
the doses used in animal studies ranged from 3283.2
mg/kg/day to 435,363 mg/kg/day.
"Since patients with diabetes are at risk
for toxic effects from some of the current treatments
for osteoarthritis (NSAIDs in particular),"
the authors conclude, "glucosamine may provide
a safe alternative treatment for these patients."
Arch Intern Med 2003;163:1587-1590.
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FACT:
How much exercise is required to reduce blood
pressure in essential hypertensives?
In previously sedentary hypertensive subjects,
clinically significant decreases in BP can be
achieved with relatively modest increases in physical
activity above sedentary levels and that the volume
of exercise required to reduce BP may be relatively
small that should be reasonably attainable by
a sedentary hypertensive population. American
Journal of Hypertension Volume 16, Issue 8 , August
2003, Pages 629-633
