A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF DIET THERAPY ALONE AND IN COMBINATION WITH GLUCOSAMINE AND CHONDROITIN SULPHATESUPPLEMENTATION ON THE SYMPTOMS OF PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease occurring in the elderly population. Though recent studies have also shown its occurrence in people aged 30-35 yrs. (Marlene Fransenet. al, 2011). The primary factors known to cause this condition are loss of synovial fluid occurring with age and increase in weight which could lead to increased load of the joints. (Stephen P. Messier et.al, 2005; Felson et.al ,1992). A lot of studies have been carried out on osteoarthritic patients wherein different kinds of treatment have been administered. The most commonly used treatments include use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used as painkillers, chondroprotective agents such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate, weight loss diets, physiotherapy and other alternative therapies. In India very few trials have been carried out on use of combination therapies and hence the current study deals with studying and comparing two therapies, alone and in combination with one of them being diet therapy and the other being glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate supplementation on the symptoms of patients with osteoarthritis. newline