Osteoarthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease[1] which results in the protective tissue (cartilage) at the joints of bones to break down. It is a painful disease that worsens with both age and obesity and cannot be cured. It is caused by several factors, but its progression is significantly related to oxidative stress and the generation of free radicals in the joint fluid [2].
A recent review on the role of glutathione in osteoarthritis has revealed a that depleted glutathione exacerbated oxidative stress as seen in chronic inflammatory disorders such as osteoarthritis [3]. In addition, some studies showed that the current treatments for increasing glutathione including supplementation with n-acetylcysteine were showing some minor improvements in symptoms.
With its ability to be efficiently transported into cells and rapidly increase cellular glutathione, orally administered gamma-glutamylcysteine is expected to show an even greater effect by reducing cartilage degradation and inflammation markers as well as significant improvements in pain and functional outcomes.
References
1. Daghestani, H.N. and V.B. Kraus, Inflammatory biomarkers in osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and cartilage, 2015. 23(11): p. 1890-1896. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26521734
2. Zhu, S., et al., Glutathione as a mediator of cartilage oxidative stress resistance and resilience during aging and osteoarthritis. Connective Tissue Research, 2020. 61(1): p. 34-47. https://doi.org/10.1080/03008207.2019.1665035
3. Setti, T., et al., The protective role of glutathione in osteoarthritis. Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma, 2020. https://www.journal-cot.com/article/S0976-5662(20)30440-9/fulltext
I m confused Is NAC good for osteoarthritis.
Your article support that NAC has benefits for the osteoarthritis patent.
The report below had different opinion
Attached herewith for your reference.
Hope to get a response. As I have end stage osteoarthritis and I m taking NAC. Wonder I should stop
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7418329/#:~:text=NAC%20users%20had%20a%20significantly,users%20than%20among%20NAC%20nonusers
Hi Susan
Thanks for bringing this article to our attention.
We do not promote the use of NAC. Our article is merely mentioning that other studies with NAC have shown a minor improvement. It is not uncommon for these kinds of observational studies to come to contradictory conclusions. We are not in a position to offer medical advice. Please consult with your health care professional.