As consumers gravitate towards natural and alternative forms of care for various health conditions, there are more and more dietary supplements being produced. It’s not always easy to know if the claims on supplements have been scientifically proven, but I highly recommend you learn as much as you can prior to starting any new treatment regimen.

If you suffer from arthritis, you may have heard about supplements, such as glucosamine and chondroitin. If you are unsure whether a supplement is right for you, you should first consult with your health care provider. You may also be interested in a new report from the American Academy of Family Physicians, Dietary Supplements for Osteoarthritis. It reviews some of the results of clinical trials on the effectiveness and safety of supplements including glucosamine, chondroitin, SAMe, MSM, ginger, turmeric, and devil’s claw. This is a research based article, with lots of footnotes, but the authors (three PharmDs) make clinical recommendations for each which are easy to understand. It also provides a chart listing potential drug interactions.

So if you’re thinking about starting on glucosamine or chondroitin or another supplement for osteoarthritis, here’s a great resource for you.