Chondroitin Deficiency Found in Pet Products

[malernee]

http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-d ... -headlines

Chondroitin Deficiency Found in Pet Products

By Charles Choi
Charles Choi is a freelance writer.

November 4, 2003


When it comes to chow supplements touted as aids for a pet's ailing joints,
a new report finds some contain none of a particularly expensive therapeutic
ingredient they are advertised to contain.

White Plains-based ConsumerLab.com, an independent supplement testing firm,
revealed two pet supplements tested had no chondroitin, an organic compound
clinical studies suggest may help prevent the breakdown of joint cartilage.

"Three years ago, we found the majority of products containing chondroitin
for human use were short on that ingredient," ConsumerLab.com president Dr.
Tod Cooperman said. "The situation has improved for humans, but for pet
owners, the situation seems much worse. They should be extremely concerned
about getting ripped off."

The research team came across these results as part of a larger study
examining human and pet supplements used to treat osteoarthritis. About 30
million Americans have this often-painful ailment, where the cushioning
cartilage between bones wears away.

The investigators focused on products claiming to contain glucosamine,
chondroitin and MSM, substances found naturally in the body. Supplements
with these ingredients generated $790 million in U.S. sales last year.

A one-month supply of chondroitin-glucosamine combination pills for humans
can cost $40. For pets, 350 grams of chondroitin-glucosamine powder can cost
$55, which lasts from 50 to 175 days, depending on the size of the animal.

MSM, or methylsulfonylmethane, is a sulfur compound marketed for joint pain.
Glucosamine is usually extracted from crab, lobster or shrimp shells, and is
a kind of amino sugar research suggests promotes the formation and repair of
cartilage. Chondroitin is typically harvested from cow cartilage, and costs
about 10 times as much as glucosamine. In veterinary medicine, glucosamine
and chondroitin are commonly used in combination to treat degenerative joint
disease, typically in older cats and dogs as well as in horses.

The research team looked at 49 products, of which six are for pets. Of
these, 45 contained the advertised levels of ingredients. Two products for
human use contained 18 percent and 85 percent, respectively. "Most shocking
was that no chondroitin sulfate could be detected in two pet supplements
despite each displaying a 'guaranteed analysis' showing a significant amount
of chondroitin sulfate," the report notes. Chondroitin is almost always
found with sulfate to make it more stable, Cooperman said.

Shawn Madere, chief executive of Paris, Ky.-based Martingale Pharm, defended
his company's product against ConsumerLab.com's allegation that it contained
no chondroitin.

"It was verified and validated by Sanipure Labs, which is one of the most
respected testing companies out there," Madere said. He added testing
companies often get different results because of different testing methods.

Cooperman responded, saying, "We use what's now the approved method in the
industry. It's the same method we used on all the dozens of the other
products containing chondroitin. When we retested it, we even used other
methods just to be sure. We're fairly secure and certain with our methods."

Irena Jacek, a marketing official at Windmill Health Products in West
Caldwell, N.J., one of the two companies cited for low chondroitin levels in
human supplements, said her company was refraining from comment until it saw
the final report. "Consumer Lab's a wonderful company," Jacek said.

The FDA is responsible for the safety and labeling of pet food and pet food
supplements.

"When the FDA identifies significant safety concerns with a particular
product, we take enforcement action. If the agency does not believe that
there are significant safety concerns, we generally try to educate
manufacturers about what they should be doing and consumers about what they
should be looking for in products. As far as dietary supplement-like
products for animals are concerned, buyer beware is a good principle to
practice," FDA official Kimberly Rawlings said.

Charles Choi is a freelance writer.
Newsday, Inc

[malernee]

To: <healthfraud@lists.quackwatch.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 2:46 PM
Subject: [healthfraud] Cosequin ?


>
> Can anyone tell me if veterinary Cosequin (glucosamine/condroitin)
> from Nutramax Laboratories can be considered any more reliable than
> supplements in general, in containing what is stated on the label?
>
> While I haven't paid too much attention to it, from what I've seen on
> this list, glucosamine/condroitin seems to be in the "probably useful"
> area for osteoarthritis at this point. My new vet suggested I look
> into Cosequin and see if I want to try it on my cat, because she
> feels long-term Rimadyl prescribed by the previous vet is too risky.
>
> The website for the Cosequin for cats is
> http://cosequin.com/veterinary/cosequincat.htm
>
> Below are a few quotes from the webpage (and package insert).
> They mention studies, but don't footnote any reference to them.
>
> "Cosequin, with its exclusive combination of high purity glucosamine,
> low molecular weight chondroitin sulfate and manganese ascorbate,
> is the only glucosamine/ chondroitin supplement that has been the
> subject of published, peer-reviewed, controlled, veterinary clinical
> studies in the United States."
>
> "Chondroitin sulfate is a large molecule that is difficult to
> absorb. Cosequin is the only brand that uses the high purity,
> low molecular weight chondroitin sulfate that has been studied for
> absorption. Lower molecular weight means the particle size of the
> molecule is smaller and more easily absorbed by the digestive system
> than other less pure forms of chondroitin sulfate. While this highly
> pure form of chondroitin sulfate is more expensive, it is the only one
> supported by published, controlled U.S. clinical studies for efficacy,
> safety and absorption. Cosequin is manufactured in the United States
> by Nutramax Laboratories following manufacturing standards adopted
> by the pharmaceutical industry. Each batch of Cosequin is subjected
> to stringent quality control measures."
>
> "A recent study published in the Journal of the American Nutraceutical
> Association showed that over 80% of glucosamine/chondroitin
> over-the-counter brands did not even meet their own label claim."
>
> --
> jamie (mjwm@cox-internet.com)
>

My favorite part of the product description is "...low molecular weight
chondroitin..." Well, the ultimate in "low molecular weight chondroitin"
would be D-glucuronic acid and D-N-acetyl galactosamine, since it is a
polymer of these two (sulfated as appropriate to type). If they are being
truthful (which is always a long-shot with these products), it just mean
that they have hydrolyzed the chondroitin. That means they mixed it with a
little acid (as a catalyst) and water, heated gently and waited for the
polymer to break down a bit - pretty much what you do with a tough piece of
meat in a stewpot.

By the way, the terms "TRH122" and "FCHG49" mentioned as though they were
types of chondroitin and glucosamine or processes for making this
"ultra-pure" product are, in fact, merely registered trademarks.

I think it need to be repeated that, despite well publicized (if not so well
performed) studies of the "wonders" that chondroitin and glucosamine work
for arthritis, there is yet to be a single study that shows that these
products are absorbed at all OR that they are incorporated into the joints
that they are purportedly healing.

If anyone out there wants a simple yet elegant way to see if this "wonder
drug" actually works, feed radiolabeled (C14) chondroitin to animals (rats,
perhaps) that have arthritis and, after a few months, dissect the joints out
and see if any of the radiolabeled material is there. The control would be
rats without arthritis. You could do the same with glucosamine. I haven't
seen a study like this yet - perhaps I never will.

Jim
Portland, Oregon USA

[malernee]

As a rule when you run across something in an advertisement that is a
moon-howling lunacy, you can pretty much bet that everything else about the
product is a screamer too. Let's take the following:

Cosequin is the only brand that uses the high purity,
low molecular weight chondroitin sulfate that has been studied for
absorption. Lower molecular weight means the particle size of the
molecule is smaller and more easily absorbed by the digestive system
than other less pure forms of chondroitin sulfate. While this highly
pure form of chondroitin sulfate is more expensive

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Chondroitin sulfate is a large molecule that is difficult to
absorb.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

True. Boy that's a nifty way ... almost political double-speak -- to handle
an objection in advance. Chondrotin is a large molecule and it is poorly
adsorbed, if at all.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Cosequin is the only brand that uses the high purity,
low molecular weight chondroitin sulfate that has been studied for
absorption."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Huh?? If I change the molecular weight of a compound, then I don't have the
same compound any more ... If I change the molecular weight of sodium
chloride from 58 to 57, I no longer have salt, I have ionized sodium
sulfite, which is poisonous... or may I have magnesium bisulfite, which
sounds like it should be poisonous, whether or not it is ...

I bet the farm that they don't actually give a reference for this "low
molecular weight" chondrotin study, do they?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
" Lower molecular weight means the particle size of the
molecule is smaller and more easily absorbed by the digestive system
than other less pure forms of chondroitin sulfate."


This is called CYA, and at the same time why bother with facts when you can
confuse the definitions. They really don't mean low molecular weight at all
... they mean some sort of particle size measurement. Any company, producing
some sort of compound that they claim has medical benefits, you could
reasonably expect to understand the difference between "molecular weight"
and "particle size" couldn't you ... maybe I expect too much from a claimed
pharmaceutical company.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

" While this highly
pure form of chondroitin sulfate is more expensive"

Well, darnitall ... no they really didn't mean "molecular weight" or
"particle size" after all ... they meant purity of the chondrotin. And all
this mumbo jumbo gets you to the really important thing they want you to
remember ... that why they charge more for their stuff than others charge
for their stuff. Whether or not any of it does what they claim it does -- is
not on the list of questions they want to answer.


John


John's blog: http://curbstonecritic.blogspot.com/


Don't skinny dip in a pond that contains snapping turtles.