Yes, running is indeed a pain in the joint, but I like running as a convenient way to squeeze in a concentrated dose of workout into a busy day. I don't really mind the pain (even though I don't like it). I accept the pain as the body's way of preventing me from overdoing it. If I felt no pain, who knows what damage I could do to my body by overexerting! Assuming that I am taking care to avoid injuries, what worries me more is the effect of running on the joints, especially the knee and the hip. I am worried that I may damage the cartilage over time. A while ago, I read a newspaper article about how Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate might slow cartilage breakdown. Since then I have started taking a daily dose of the two supplements. I can't tell if the supplements are doing any good or not, but I sure hope they do.
The Arthritis Foundation lists Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate under alternative therapies and mentions past studies that indicate that these supplements might slow cartilage damage, which helps protect against knee osteoarthritis. Although conclusive evidence is lacking, researchers think that glucosamine helps create new cartilage, while chondroitin slows cartilage destruction. We would find out soon whether these supplements work or not. In 2000, National Institutes of Health (NIH) began a study to test the short-term (6-month) effectiveness of these supplements on a population of over 1,500 people. According to a May 2004 update—see Questions and Answers: NIH Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT)—NIH says that the investigators are analyzing the data now and when that's done, they will submit the report to a peer-reviewed medical or scientific journal. I am looking forward to the results of that trial. In the meanwhile, I'll continue taking the supplements, hoping for the best. Tags: exercise running glucosamine chondroitin arthritis supplement knee joint pain NIH GAIT
I'm anxious to see this report. I've taken Glucosamine on and off over the past few years. I've never noticed a difference being on it or off it. This might be due to the fact that I have other joint problems and have been on Celebrex for the last several years. I stopped taking Celebrex last month though, after reading one too many articles on it and the other COX2 inhibitors, the risk of stroke, etc. I'd rather deal with more stiffness and have to take a couple of Advil's every so often instead. So far, so good, but I can definitely tell you when it's about to rain!
Posted by: Joe Wikert | May 14, 2005 at 10:47 PM
Hi Joe, I have been taking Glucosamine for a while. I am just taking it on face value and hoping that it's working. I am going to keep checking thhat link to see when the report comes out :-)
Posted by: Naba Barkakati | May 16, 2005 at 03:56 PM
Gluscosamine, chondroitin and MSM has definetly shown promising results.
Posted by: JointPainSupplements | November 29, 2008 at 09:18 PM
Indeed running without previous training can be a real pain.
Posted by: Generic Viagra | September 22, 2009 at 07:06 PM
running is a great exercise , but I prefer do a hour of spinning every day
Posted by: After Menopause | October 19, 2009 at 11:39 AM
Is very important that we make exercise, is healthy.
Posted by: Rheumatoid Arthritis | November 18, 2009 at 09:44 AM