Please list published evidence, if any, of red blood count being
lowered as the result of routine ingestion of chondroitin sufate or
glucosamine sulfate or the two combined (for instance to alleviate arthritic
symptoms).

Hi, 

First of all, I need to remind you that Google-Answers is not a
substitute for professional Medical Advice, and I would strongly
recommend consulting a doctor before embarking on the use of any drug.
With that said, here's what I found.

Currently the concern around either of these doesn't appear to be in
the red blood cell count area, even at high doses. What does seem to
be a concern is whether it works at all. Studies conducted in the 90's
are conflicting at best, ranging from, "it doesn't do anything" to
"its the cure for arthritis".

So far the largest concern is regarding subjects with Diabetes taking
this supplement to help the inflammatory symptoms of arthritis. There
is also some concern with the thinning of blood and those that have a
problem with clotting. And there is one abstract below regarding a
study that shows concerns with Alzheimer-Like Filaments Induced by
Sulphated Glycosaminoglycans.

Because of the huge variations of clinical studies conducted so far
there are several government grant type studies being done, and they
are currently in progress. I've listed a few of them below for you,
and some abstract pages from other studies with more information.


I found this on the Arthritis Foundation website. 

"Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are substances found naturally in
the body. Glucosamine is a form of amino sugar that is believed to
play a role in cartilage formation and repair. Chondroitin sulfate is
part of a large protein molecule (proteoglycan) that gives cartilage
elasticity."

"Past studies show that some people with mild to moderate
osteoarthritis (OA) taking either glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate
reported pain relief at a level similar to that of nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Some
research indicates that the supplements might also slow cartilage
damage in people with OA. Definitive results about the effects of
these supplements are expected from an in-depth clinical study
currently being conducted by the National Institutes of Health. "

Arthritis Foundation Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate 
http://www.arthritis.org/conditions/alttherapies/glucosamine.asp

A  Q&A for the National Institutes of Health study can be found here :
http://www.niams.nih.gov/ne/press/1999/09_15a.htm

So far the largest concern is regarding subject with Diabetes taking
this supplement to help the inflammatory symptoms of arthritis. A
abstract with a large reference area can be found here :

Lessons From Micronutrient Studies In Patients With Glucose
Intolerance and Diabetes Mellitus: Chromium and Vanadium
http://ods.od.nih.gov/news/conferences/lukaski_abstract.html


Publications found on CHID 

Assembly of Microtubule-Associated Protein Tau into Alzheimer-Like
Filaments Induced by Sulphated Glycosaminoglycans.

http://chid.aerie.com/netacgi/nph-brs?Sect1=CINK&Sect2=IMAGE&Sect3=THESOFF&Sect3=PLUROFF&Sect4=HITOFF&co1=and&co2=and&co3=and&co4=or&co5=and&co6=and&co7=and&co8=and&co9=and&d=CHID&f=G&l=20&op10=and&op4=and&op5=and&op6=and&op7=and&op8=and&op9=and&p=1&pg10=so,av&pg4=all&pg5=mj&pg6=de&pg7=au,cn&pg8=ti&pg9=ac&r=1&s1=@YR%3E=1990&s10=&s2=&s3=&s4=Chondroitin+or+glucosamine&s5=&s6=&s7=&s8=&s9=&u=/detail/d
tail-new.html

Determining the Efficacy of Glucosamine and Chondroitin for
Osteoarthritis.
http://chid.aerie.com/netacgi/nph-brs?Sect1=CINK&Sect2=IMAGE&Sect3=THESOFF&Sect3=PLUROFF&Sect4=HITOFF&co1=and&co2=and&co3=and&co4=or&co5=and&co6=and&co7=and&co8=and&co9=and&d=CHID&f=G&l=20&op10=and&op4=and&op5=and&op6=and&op7=and&op8=and&op9=and&p=1&pg10=so,av&pg4=all&pg5=mj&pg6=de&pg7=au,cn&pg8=ti&pg9=ac&r=3&s1=@YR%3E=1990&s10=&s2=&s3=&s4=Chondroitin+or+glucosamine&s5=&s6=&s7=&s8=&s9=&u=/detail/d
tail-new.html

For more information from the CHID, you can use the  NIH search page
by selecting the substance on this page :
http://ods.od.nih.gov/links/links_consumer.html


A Clinical Trail in progress can also be found at ClinicalTrails.gov
here :
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/c/w1b/show/NCT00032890?order=1&JServSessionIdzone_ct=4n4zxp6n61

That last study also has a number of email addresses on the page that
maybe able to get you more "up to date information"

I hope this helps answer your question and if you need further
clarification please don't hesitate to ask.

All of the searches used to find this information was done on the
sites listed above. These and some other good Government Supported
Health sites are listed here.

Clinical Trails.gov
http://clinicaltrials.gov/

National Institutes of Health
http://www.nih.gov/

National Library of Medicine
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/

ToxNet
http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/


Thanks, 

webadept-ga

---

Request for Answer Clarification by cranner-ga on 16 Jun 2002 09:51 PDT

For your information my physician is fully aware of my use of
glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate (and it works for me). What he
doesn't know is whether it has an effect on red blood count. Measured
for the first time after commencing daily dosages (which was 12 months
later) the rbc and hemoglobin had fallen to borderline low. My web
search yielded no suggestion that there could be such an impact was
ever even studied and hence my question.

---

Clarification of Answer by webadept-ga on 16 Jun 2002 12:38 PDT

Hi again, 

I only stated the doctor warning as part of the Disclaimer at the
bottom of this page, and I'm really glad to hear that this is working
for you. I have a very close friend who is suffering from sever
arthritis in her hands, and any news that there could be something
that could relieve that pain, would be welcome news.

The study sited below does exist, though the basic purpose of the
study was not the blood count. In the safety area however he does
write that blood count was measured before the test and noted after.
There appeared to be no real change. I've found the study for you,
another study by the same Christopher T. Leffler, and his published
email address if you feel that this is not enough for you.
The results of this study by Christopher T. Leffler, as well as
several others, are being questioned currently by the studies I listed
for you above.

US Navy Test on the effects of glucosamine
http://www.survival.com.mx/health/glucosamine/glucosamine_test.html

Medical Evidence
http://www.drtheo.com/evidence_gc_research3.html

published email address for Dr. Christopher T. Leffler 
ctleffler@aol.com

All that I could find in biology journals were articles concerned with
malaria and placentas.

If you're SOLELY after RBC count as a measure of hematologic
measurements, there has only been one peer-reviewed study done in dogs
which should be pretty representative of what happens in humans:

"Administration of this chondroprotective agent causes minor but not
clinically important changes in hematologic and hemostatic variables
in young, clinically normal dogs." There was also a SIGNIFICANT RBC
count decrease on day 3 of administration (McNamara PS, Barr SC, Erb
HN.  Hematologic, hemostatic, and biochemical effects in dogs
receiving an oral chondroprotective agent for thirty days.  Am J Vet
Res 1996 Sep;57(9):1390-4)  As you may not know, chondroprotective
agents are used in veterinary medicine for the same thing they are
used for in human medicine: arthritis or more specifically,
degenerative joint/disk disease.