Glucosamine and Chondroitin have no effect ? Again?

Researchers Claim Arthritis Supplements Have No Effect

Another article trashing Glucosamine and Chondroitin. This time from Switzerland - the motherland of Cheese, Chocolates and Banks.

"Health authorities and health insurers should not cover the costs for these preparations, and new prescriptions to patients who have not received treatment should be discouraged," Peter Juni of the University of Bern, whose study was published in the British Medical Journal on Friday, told Reuters [BMJ 2010; 341:c4675 doi: 10.1136/bmj.c4675 (Published 16 September 2010)].

Yes, that is true and has been said before, but...ask the people who take it and benefit from it. It has changed their lives. And no side effects.

Q: So where is the disconnect?
A: When a scientific article claims something is ineffective, it is like saying - "Most humans cannot fit into a size 7 shoe" . Yes, that is true, but what they fail to elaborate is that the average human shoe size is 7 and there are plenty of people who can wear a size 7 shoe perfectly well. They may well be in the minority because majority of humans may have feet bigger or smaller than size 7. So shall we stop making size 7 shoes? That is exactly what the Swiss researchers in the article above are suggesting.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin, like many other remedies, work amazingly well for some folks and do nothing for others. All you can do is try. Take it for 2 months. If it works, keep taking it. If it doesn't work, move on.
 
By the way, there is one other industry that Switzerland tops the world markets in - world's two biggest pharmaceutical giants, that just happen to be Swiss also - Novartis and Roche - both very active in making arthritis drugs. Wonder if the $2 billion market of Glucosamine/Chondroitin is hurting their bottom line!