Abstract
The effect of an S-adenosylmethionine-containing Yeast SM-10 dietary supplement on joint functions of individuals with knee joint pain was investigated in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial using 57 subjects with knee joint pain but without the diagnosis of osteoarthritis. Subjects were randomly assigned to the two groups and administered with either a test supplement containing 600 mg Yeast SM-10 (Yeast SM-10 group) or a placebo (placebo group) per day for 12 weeks, and joint functions were evaluated with the diagnostic tools for locomotive syndrome (the 25-question geriatric locomotive function scale, standing test and two-step test) as well as JOA (Japan Orthopaedic. Association) score.
The results indicated that the subscales for the diagnostic tools for locomotive syndrome and JOA score were not significantly different between the placebo (n=29) and Yeast SM-10 (n=28) groups during the intervention, when all the subjects containing those with mild hip joint pain and low back pain were analyzed. Then, the subjects without or with weak hip joint pain and low back pain (visual analog scale scores of Japanese Orthopaedic Association Hip-Disease Evaluation Questionnaire JHEQ and Japan Low Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire JLEQ <10 mm) were further analyzed. Notably, the two-step test was significantly improved in the Yeast SM-10 group (n=15) compared with the placebo group (n=8) at 12 weeks during the intervention. Similarly, the subscales of JOA score (pain on walking, pain on ascending or descending stairs and total) were improved in the Yeast SM-10 group compared with the placebo group at 12 weeks during the intervention.
Together these observations suggest that the daily administration of a test supplement containing 600 mg Yeast SM-10 is effective for improving walking ability and QOL of healthy subjects with joint pain.
