Q. I have always had good cholesterol levels, but in 2007 I tried taking a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement for joint pain. After taking it for a few months my total cholesterol went from 200 to 247!
I stopped taking the glucosamine and chondroitin immediately. Six months later my cholesterol had dropped to 210.
Then in August 2008 I tried a highly advertised brand of glucosamine and chondroitin. By April my cholesterol had jumped to 263. It has never been that high!
I have stopped the glucosamine and chondroitin again. Although I am pretty sure this was the cause for the increase in my lipid levels, I will have them rechecked in 6 months and let you know what happens.
A. You are not the first person to report that this popular arthritis combination appears to increase cholesterol levels. This has not been confirmed in scientific studies, but we suspect that some people are especially susceptible to this effect. You may wish to try some other approaches to ease joint pain. You can find many at www.peoplespharmacy.com.
