Osteoarthritis Supplement May Help Colon Health

A popular dietary supplement for osteoarthritis pain may have beneficial effects on colon health, suggests a study in the International Journal of Cancer. Regular users of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate had a 23% lower risk of developing colon cancer compared with those not taking the supplements, the study found.

Article by Ann Lukits

Chondroitin and glucosamine are structural components of cartilage tissue that are naturally produced in the body. Studies on humans and animals have suggested the compounds may have anti-inflammatory properties, though their effectiveness on joint pain hasn’t been proven, the researchers said. Inflammation is strongly implicated in colon cancer, they noted.

The study, led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, analyzed data from 68,466 women and 27,934 men in their late 60s participating in two ongoing studies of U.S. health-care workers. Supplement use and other factors associated with colon-cancer risk, such as physical activity and routine screening, were first assessed in 2002. The subjects were followed until 2010.

About 13% were regular users of supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin at the start of the study. Stopping or starting the supplements during the follow-up period didn’t alter the results much. A separate analysis showed that the association between supplement use and reduced cancer risk wasn’t due to regular cancer screening.

Caveat: The duration and frequency of participants’ supplement use weren’t known.

Read more at: wsj.com