The GAIT was a major multicenter, double-blind, placebo, and celecoxib (trade name Celebrex), controlled study that involved 1,583 patients (mean age 58.6 years; 64 percent female, 36 percent male), who were selected from 3,238 screened candidates to study the effects of glucosamine and chondroitin.1 The selection criteria included at least six months of clinical evidence of knee osteoarthritis with radiographic evidence of tibiofemoral osteophytes of at least 1 mm and a pain score on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) of between 125 and 400. The WOMAC scoring ranges from 0 to 500.
The authors' primary outcome was a 20 percent reduction in pain. The subjects were divided into five groups and took supplements for six months. The groups included placebo; glucosamine hydrochloride, 500 mg t.i.d.; chondroitin sulfate, 400 mg t.i.d.; glucosamine hydrochloride, 500 mg t.i.d. and chondroitin sulfate, 400 mg t.i.d.; and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory Celebrex, 200 mg daily.
Glucosamine and chondroitin can be classified as chondroprotective neutraceuticals. Some countries in Europe define them as "slow activity anti-arthritis medications." For more information on glucosamine and chondroitin, visit my Web site: www.andersenchiro.com. I have written six articles on mechanism of action, forms, dosing and other studies.
Results
Because there has been and continues to be so much misinformation regarding this trial, the inclusion of tables provides the reader with the raw data background required to honestly evaluate the results.
Comment on the Spin
There are those in the alternative health community who state that pharmaceutical companies (which cannot patent nutritional supplements) have secondary gain issues for negative or unimpressive outcomes when nutritional supplements are studied.2 In this trial, there were 27 main authors, five of whom received consulting fees from McNeil Pharmaceuticals, two of whom received consulting fees from Pfizer, and two others who received consulting fees from both McNeil and Pfizer. Seven were awarded grants from Pfizer, and one received a grant from McNeil. People who are unhappy with the results of this study will probably use the connections of a few authors as a reason to discount the results; however, the study was not funded by pharmaceutical companies. A contract from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases provided the financing.
Table 1. Results of the GAIT Trial| Treatment: | Placebo | Glucosamine HCL | Chondroitin Sulfate | Glucosamine and Chondroitin | Celebrex |
| Patients (each group) | 313 | 317 | 318 | 317 | 318 |
| Number of patients with 20% less pain | 188 (60.1%) | 203 (64%) | 208 (65.4%) | 211 (66.6%) | 223 (70%) |
| Number of patients with 50% less pain | 132 (42.2%) | 147 (46.4%) | 134 (42.1%) | 147 (46.4%) | 159 (50%) |
| Treatment: | Placebo | Glucosamine HCL | Chondroitin Sulfate | Glucosamine and Chondroitin | Celebrex |
| Patients (each group) | 243 | 247 | 248 | 245 | 246 |
| Number of patients with 20% less pain | 150 (61.7%) | 157 (63.6%) | 165 (66.5%) | 154 (62.9%) | 173 (70.3%) |
| Number of patients with 50% less pain | 109 (44.9%) | 118 (47.8%) | 109 (44%) | 109 (44.5%) | 126 (51.2%) |
| Treatment: | Placebo | Glucosamine HCL | Chondroitin Sulfate | Glucosamine and Chondroitin | Celebrex |
| Patients (each group) | 70 | 70 | 70 | 72 | 72 |
| Number of patients with 20% less pain* | 38 (54.3%) | 46 (65.7%) | 43 (61.4%) | 57 (79.2%) | 50 (69.4%) |
| Number of patients with 50% less pain* | 23 (32.9%) | 29 (41.4%) | 25 (35.7%) | 38 (52.8%) | 33 (45.8%) |
Conversely, scan the Internet or read the popular press and you will find that a very high percentage of those who strongly advocate supplement use (and attack any study that is not totally positive) also derive income from supplement sales.
One only has to read the following three quotes (two negative, one positive) from this paper's abstract to see how easy it is to cherry pick the results to support an agenda:
When patients ask about glucosamine and chondroitin, I will give them the same advice as I did prior to the study: Try it for six to eight weeks to see if you are a responder.
References
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
