{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T23:49:27Z","timestamp":1782949767332,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"16","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,14]],"date-time":"2024-08-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1723593600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Natural Products &amp; Drugs GmbH"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Various nutritional supplements are available over the counter, yet few have been investigated in randomized controlled trials. The rationale for using the specific mix of nutritional substances including collagen type II, hyaluronic acid, n-acetyl-glucosamine, bamboo extract, L-lysine, and vitamin C is the assumption that combining naturally occurring ingredients of the intervertebral disc would maintain spine function. This double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a nutraceutical supplement mix in the management of lumbar osteochondrosis. Fifty patients were randomly assigned to either the supplement or placebo group in a 1:1 ratio. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) included the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the visual analogue scale for pain (pVAS), short form-12 (SF-12) physical and mental component summary subscale scores (PCS and MCS, respectively), and global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to evaluate degenerative changes of intervertebral discs (IVD) including Pfirrmann grades as well as three-dimensional (3D) volume measurements. Data were collected at baseline and after the 3-month intervention. None of the PROMs were significantly different between the supplement and placebo groups. Disc degeneration according to Pfirrmann classifications remained stable during the 3-month intervention in both groups. Despite no significance regarding the distribution of Pfirrmann grade changes (improvement, no change, worsening; p = 0.259), in the supplement group, one patient achieved a three-grade improvement, and worsening of Pfirrmann grades were only detected in the placebo group (9.1%). Furthermore, in-depth evaluations of MRIs showed significantly higher 3D-measured volume changes (increase) in the supplement (+740.3 \u00b1 796.1 mm3) compared to lower 3D-measured volume changes (decrease) in the placebo group (\u2212417.2 \u00b1 875.0 mm3; p &lt; 0.001). In conclusion, this multi-nutrient supplement might not only stabilize the progression of lumbar osteochondrosis, but it might also potentially even increase IVD volumes as detected on MRIs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu16162695","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,14]],"date-time":"2024-08-14T05:23:27Z","timestamp":1723613007000},"page":"2695","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["A Dietary Supplement in the Management of Patients with Lumbar Osteochondrosis: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Brenda","family":"Laky","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Austrian Research Group for Regenerative and Orthopedic Medicine (AURROM), 1050 Vienna, Austria"},{"name":"Austrian Society of Regenerative Medicine (RegMed), 1010 Vienna, Austria"},{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Sigmund Freud Private University Medicine, 1020 Vienna, Austria"},{"name":"Center for Clinical Research, University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria"},{"name":"Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniel","family":"Huemer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Austrian Research Group for Regenerative and Orthopedic Medicine (AURROM), 1050 Vienna, Austria"},{"name":"Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Martin","family":"Eigenschink","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Austrian Research Group for Regenerative and Orthopedic Medicine (AURROM), 1050 Vienna, Austria"},{"name":"Department for Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery, AUVA Trauma Center Vienna-Meidling, 1100 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6739-4222","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Benedikt","family":"Sagl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Competence Center Artificial Intelligence, University Clinic of Dentistry, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rainer","family":"Thell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria"},{"name":"Emergency Department, Klinik Donaustadt, 1220 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1683-7265","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Karl-Heinz","family":"Wagner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Werner","family":"Anderl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Austrian Research Group for Regenerative and Orthopedic Medicine (AURROM), 1050 Vienna, Austria"},{"name":"Momentum Praxis M\u00f6dling, 2340 M\u00f6dling, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Philipp R.","family":"Heuberer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Austrian Research Group for Regenerative and Orthopedic Medicine (AURROM), 1050 Vienna, Austria"},{"name":"OrthoCare, 1100 Vienna, Austria"},{"name":"HealthPi Medical Center, 1010 Vienna, Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1080\/10408690590956341","article-title":"Nutraceutical Therapies for Degenerative Joint Diseases: A Critical Review","volume":"45","author":"Goggs","year":"2005","journal-title":"Crit. 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