I want to thank Wes and Jessie Neagle for their interest in my problem. Is
Phosoplex available in the US? I will check it out. I taken glucosamine and
chondroitin in the past. I do have some concerns:

1) Chondroitin is a large molecule, and one source claimed it is too large to be
absorbed in the gut without being broken down into its constituents, and
glucosamine alone would be as effective. I found this was so with the "runner's
knee" problem that had led me to take it at this time. (I ultimately fixed the
knee problem by using a bicycle for aerobic activity instead.)

[When I stopped glucosamine and continued only with chondroitin, there was less
positive effect, but still some. My view is that even if broken down somewhat,
the chemical constituents are still effective. --Paul]


2) There have been threads in sci.life-extension on glucosamine increasing
insulin resistance by an alternate pathway to that caused by sugar, and papers
with _in vtro_ evidence this was so. I stopped using glucosamine for this
reason. Now I find an _in vivo_ study showing this is not the case for at least
6 weeks. [1]

[I used to be concerned about the potential of glucosamine for increasing
insulin resistance and advised people not to take it except for real need (which
I too had for several years with respect to my left knee). However, I have
become much less concerned about it since this recent paper. --Paul]


3) There have been canine studies showing glucosamine works, and others that it
doesn't. Canines should not show a placebo effect.

4) betaine I have not looked into for years. I seem to recall it is found in
beets.

[Perhaps you are forgetting that betaine is merely another name for
trimethylglycine (TMG) which reduces homocysteine by providing a pathway for
conversion of homocysteine to methionine alternate to that related to folic acid
and B12. --Paul]


It is possible the combination of ingredients in Phosoplex is more effective
that any one component. If I can find it, I will try it. I'll try anything. If
I can't, I'll try the ingredients.

I find an inversion table helps with acute episodes. When I do sit-ups and
sidebends hanging by my heels, there will be a loud pop from my back, and the
pain stops.

[1]Muniyappa R, Karne RJ, Hall G, Crandon SK, Bronstein JA, Ver MR, Hortin GL,
Quon MJ.
Oral glucosamine for 6 weeks at standard doses does not cause or worsen insulin
resistance or endothelial dysfunction in lean or obese subjects.

Diabetes. 2006 Nov;55(11):3142-50.

http://PMID.us/17065354

Max Watt (Richard Kaufman)


(Paul - if this has html garbage at teh end, I'm abandoning yahoo mail)

[No garbage, but still double spacing of the previous message. --Paul]


>----- Original Message ----
>
>From: Wes and Jessie Neagle <wesjess@...>
>
>To: morelife@yahoogroups.com
>
>Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 3:39:57 AM
>
>Subject: [morelife] Re: SI joint pain
>
>
>
> Just noticed the post by Max Watt. My sister,
aged 70, has about three
>
> good vertebrae in her body (result of a childhood accident), joint pain
>
> and knee pain from other causes (surgeon wants to do knee replacement
>
> but she won't have it). She has heavy doses of prescription
>
> painkillers. She also has bad arteries from smoking. She gave this up
>
> many years ago, but the damage has apparently been done. I got her a
>
> joint supplement called Phosoplex containing glucosamine, chondroitin,
>
> and betaine amongst other ingredients. After many weeks, she was able to
>
> cut down on her prescription painkillers, so here is another instance
>
> that these things seem to work. It is the only non-prescription
>
> medication she has accepted from me. So far, she won't take generic
>
> ALT-711 or COQ10 that I have offered her. She takes many prescription
>
> medications. - Jessie Neagle
>
>
> [I expect you have also suggested fish oil to her. --Paul]