Laurie's Blogs.

 

30
Jun 2013

Chondroitin and Bladder Stones??

Hi Laurie,

I wanted to write a question on your website, but I wasn't sure if there was a forum or should just email you.

I was reviewing your info on Glucosamine/Chondroitin.  I have recently been told by a Nutriceutical Rep that the FDA told them they had to put a warning on their product about using with patients with a history of bladder stones.  Unfortunately, I don't know more specifics than that.

Have you come across anything like this, as far as side effects/contraindications?  I was surprised because I had always understood Chondroitin/Glucosamine to be very safe.

Appreciate your comments, you are always so well read :)

Cheers, -- S

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Hi S,

I don't have a forum specifically set up on the Four Leg site - I sort of thought that it would be redundant b/c of the VetRehab Chat group - and I had to take down the ability to leave blog comments b/c of all of the spam that was getting thrown up!  So this really is your best bet.

So the only paper I could find with a pubmed search is as follows.... (I search Glucosamine AND bladder stones - and only 3 papers came up, of which none were relevant.  I then searched Chondroitin AND bladder stones - and only 3 papers came up as well - with this being the only relevant one.)  I'm not sure what to make of it.  It is a 1992 study... if it were a pervasive problem, I would think that we'd have heard much more about it since then!  Perhaps the company is covering their ‘behinds’ on this one!

Clin Chim Acta. 1992 Jun 15;208(1-2):1-8.

Possible role for chondroitin sulfate in urolithiasis: in vivo studies in an experimental model.

Michelacci YMBoim MABergamaschi CTRovigatti RMSchor N.

Source

Departamento de Bioquímica, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil.

Abstract

The effect of chondroitin sulfate upon the growth of calcium oxalate crystals was measured in vivo by using an experimental model in rats. Adult male Wistar rats were treated by chronic i.p. injections of chondroitin sulfate solutions (1, 5 or 10 mg in 0.3 ml of saline, every 2 days). This treatment led to a dose-dependent increase in the urinary chondroitin sulfate concentration. Urolithiasis was induced by the introduction of a calcium oxalate seed into the bladder of the animals. Urine samples were collected and the calculi formed were removed after 42 days. The chondroitin sulfate concentration have decreased in the lithiasic urines, as compared to controls and higher chondroitinsulfate doses correlated with larger calculi. The presence of chondroitin sulfate in the matrices of stones obtained from chondroitin sulfate-treated animals suggested that there was some adsorption of chondroitin sulfate on to the growth sites of the calcium oxalate crystals. In contrast to the chondroitin sulfate effect observed in vitro, which inhibits the growth of calcium oxalate crystals, our results suggest that in vivo chondroitin sulfate promotes the growth of stones in the urinary tract.

Thanks for the question!  I should use this as a blog post! 

Cheers!

Laurie 



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