In an interview with Channel News Asia, Dr. Kevin Lee shared his views on glucosamine as a form of supplement for osteoarthritis.
Glucosamine has “no more effect than a dummy pill” in treating knee or hip arthritis pain, according to researchers from the Netherlands.
Doctors and patients were asked to share their thoughts on the joint supplement in the interview with Channel NewsAsia.
Dr. Kevin Lee, the founding partner of Pinnacle Orthopaedic Group, whom Channel NewsAsia spoke to, said he does not prescribe glucosamine supplements and has not done so for the past six years.
He mentioned that there are a significant number of orthopaedic surgeons who also do not do so as they also have known that there is no evidence in the literature that this particular supplement works any better than a placebo.
While osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, Dr. Lee cited that knee osteoarthritis is more common in the Asian population while hip osteoarthritis is more common in the Western Caucasian population.
For those who are above 60, the cause is usually, wear and tear, while in the younger group of patients who are 50 years old and below, they usually have sports-related injuries which have been left untreated leading to premature wear and tear.
They may also be obese, leading to excessive load on the joints, Dr. Lee added.
On the multi-pronged approach to the treatment of osteoarthritis, Dr. Lee said that correction of any mechanical issues such as lower limb misalignment using braces or shoe modifications injections of a natural lubricant called hyaluronic acid into the joint is also treatment options.