Zenaida Perdomo’s osteoarthritis hurt her legs so much that many days she could not get out of bed. “I had to walk on my tip toes. That’s how bad it was,"she recalls. A nutritionist suggested she try two supplements "glucosamine and chondroitin. A year later, she can’t believe the difference "she’s now taking high-impact aerobics.
　　FOR YEARS, many doctors were skeptical about the supplements, but Thursday they received a powerful endorsement.
　　Consumer’s Union, the independent testing group, said the supplements not only relieve pain but can actually rebuild damaged joints.
　　“The good thing about them is that they appear to actually build up the structure of the joint, lubricate it, strengthen it, and so on, in a way more so than a simple painkiller would do,"said Dr. Geoffrey Martin of Consumer’s Union.
　　Some 21 million Americans suffer osteoarthritis, a disease that often occurs with aging where the cartilage wears out, leaving severe pain in the joints. It affects 30 percent of women 60 and over and 17 percent of men.
　　Studies so far show the supplements help about one in four people, but no one at Consumer’s Union guarantees results like Perdomo’s.
　　But the group points out that glucosamine "derived from shellfish shells "and chondroitin "made from cow cartilage "appear to be free of side effects. Aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs used by millions to ease the pain of arthritis can cause stomach problems, and some studies suggest newer drugs called Cox-2 inhibitors might increase the risk of heart attack.
　　“So we’re excited that there is a dietary supplement that people can take that might help,"said Consumer’s Union Health Editor Ronni Sandroff.
　　In its labs, Consumer’s Union also found that most brands actually contain the amounts of pure supplements claimed on the label. So the group recommends people buy the least expensive products, which cost about 45 cents a day.
　　What does the medical profession think of the supplements? The National Institutes of Health is carrying out a definitive $14 million study to be finished in 2005. Meanwhile, many doctors are suggesting their patients give them a try. In fact, last year’s sales of glucosamine and chondroitin hit $640 million.

　　From MSNBC.com