Is Phytalgic® a goldmine for osteoarthritis patients or is there something fishy about this nutraceutical? A summary of findings and risk-of-bias assessment
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* Corresponding author: Robin Christensen Robin.Christensen@frh.regionh.dk
1 The Parker Institute: Musculoskeletal Statistics Unit (MSU), Copenhagen University Hospital, Frederiksberg, Nordre Fasanvej 57, DK-2000 Copenhagen F, Denmark
2 Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55 DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
3 Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7 D3, DK-9220 Aalborg, Denmark
Arthritis Research & Therapy 2010, 12:105 doi:10.1186/ar2909
Published: 8 February 2010Abstract
A food supplement containing fish oils, urtica dioica, zinc, and vitamin E (Phytalgic®) for osteoarthritis (OA) has now been tested in a placebo-controlled trial for 3 months and according to the authors has a very large clinical effect, considerably larger than that of any other known product. Even experts endorsing nutraceuticals for OA symptoms would probably agree that a nutraceutical with an effect size above 0.5 is rarely seen. Despite our concerns about the fact that trial registration took place after the study was completed and the likelihood that patients would note the taste of fish, a circumstance that would lead to detection bias, we consider these data promising though with a high risk of bias.