Glucosamine Found Unhelpful for Back Pain

Glucosamine does not help people with lower back pain, new research has concluded. Many people take this supplement for joint pain. The study included 250 people with long-term low back pain. They also had osteoarthritis of the spine. Patients were randomly assigned to take either glucosamine or look-alike fake pills (placebos). They also received other treatments prescribed by their doctors. After 6 months, people in both groups showed improvements in their responses to a questionnaire about pain. Both groups also reported better quality of life. But there was little difference between those who took glucosamine and those who took placebo pills. Researchers said any differences were so small they could have been caused by chance. The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association. HealthDay News wrote about it July 6.