Nutraceutical supplement in the management of tendinopathies: a systematic review
Fusini F
Published in Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons Journal
Methodology
Systematic review searching main databases in late December 2015 for each of nine nutraceuticals in relation to tendinopathy, excluding duplicates, non-English or non-Italian articles and studies unrelated to tendons or tenocytes; clinical article quality independently rated by two reviewers with the modified Coleman methodology score.
Key Findings
This systematic review analysed 46 preclinical and clinical articles on nutraceuticals for tendinopathy, covering glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate, vitamin C, hydrolysed type 1 collagen, arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, bromelain, curcumin, boswellic acid and methylsulfonylmethane. Reported effects included changes in collagen synthesis, inflammation, mechanical properties, maturation of collagen bundles, antioxidant activity, swelling and pain relief. Clinical study quality was poor, averaging 51.3 (SD 20.5) on the modified Coleman methodology score with particularly low marks for statistical power, outcome assessment and clinical effect. The authors conclude encouraging preclinical results are not confirmed clinically and no definitive recommendation can be made.
Conclusions
It is not possible to draw any definitive recommendations on the use of nutraceutical supplementation in tendinopathies.
Limitations
Few clinical papers exist and their methodological quality is poor; most studies gave more than one supplement at a time so individual ingredients cannot be separated, and interactions with drugs, other supplements and chronic disease were never evaluated.
Supplements Studied
It is not possible to draw any definitive recommendations on the use of nutraceutical supplementation in tendinopathies.
It is not possible to draw any definitive recommendations on the use of nutraceutical supplementation in tendinopathies.
It is not possible to draw any definitive recommendations on the use of nutraceutical supplementation in tendinopathies.
Related Health Concerns
Study Details
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This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.