Colgan Chronicles
                             V.2 N.5

Sports Injuries - Part 2:
    Animal studies show that oral glucosamine can increase proteoglycans by up to 170%.  
     This increase has big benefits for aching joints. 
    A double-blind study on arthritic knees gave subjects either 1.5 grams daily of
     glucosamine sulfate or 1.2 grams of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen. 
     The glucosamine group showed greater relief of pain and better recovery of function than
     the ibuprofen group.
    In a representative study of athletes, 51 males and 17 females with cartilage damage of the
     knees were given 1500 mg of glucosamine sulfate daily for 40 days, then 750 mg daily for
     another 100 days.  Of the 68 athletes, 52 showed complete cure of their injury and
     resumed full training.  A follow-up 12 months later showed no sign of cartilage damage in
     any of them.