Orthopedic News for Patients

TUESDAY, March 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin D supplements didn't relieve pain or slow the progression of knee osteoarthritis in a new study, even though the patients involved had low levels of the vitamin.

Osteoarthritis is a progressive disease, and currently no treatment is available that will stop the loss of cartilage. Eventually, many patients are headed for knee replacements, the Australian researchers said.

"These data suggest a lack of evidence to support vitamin D supplementation for slowing disease progression or structural change in knee osteoarthritis," said lead researcher Dr. Changhai Ding, a professor at the University of Tasmania in Hobart.