For the first time, the nation's medical establishment is throwing significant money at research into so-called "natural medicine." And most of that money is coming to Utah.

The University of Utah will get $6 million to find out whether a substance from sea shells can treat arthritis.

Science Specialist Ed Yeates has the story.

Look in any health food, pharmacy or grocery story and you'll most likely find these two dietary supplements -- Glucosamine and chondroitin!

Is it possible one or both can reverse the effects of osteoarthritis?

Helga Lloyd has degenerative arthritis in her left knee. In addition to traditional physicial therapy like this at the University of Utah - which strengthens her knees - she's been taking the dietary supplement glucosamine for about a year.

HELGA LLOYD: "IT HELPED ME IN THE WINTER, SKIING - BECAUSE WE SKI EVERYDAY. AND I THINK IT GOT ME THROUGH THE WINTER."

Glucosamine and chondroitin are natural compounds found in cartilage. Glucosamine is extracted from the shells of sea life as a sugar.

So, if arthritis is destroying the cartilage in joints - could these compounds singlely or together releive pain and restore the tissue.

National Insitutes of Health says the only way to find out is to spend big bucks doing a large landmark clinical study on lots of people. Physical therapists believe it's long overdue.

KIM COHEE, U OF U PHYSICAL THERAPY: "WE GET QUESTIONS FROM ALL OUR PATIENTS ABOUT HOW USEFUL IT IS AND RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH INFORMATION OTHER THAN IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE HARMFUL."

Helga herself doesn't know if the glucosamine is why she's feeling better. But she knows what happens when she stops taking it.

"ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, I DIDN'T TAKE IT FOR ABOUT A WEEK. AND THEN I NOTICED A LITTLE PAIN AGAIN, SO I HAVE TO ASSUME THAT IT DOES WORK."

But scientists don't assume!

The University of Utah will direct the study - selecting patients specifically with knee osteoarthritis from among nine University medical centers.

DANIEL CLEGG, M.D., CHIEF, U OF U DEPT OF RHEUMATOLOGY: "SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT OUR FIRST PATIENTS AND THEN THE STUDY WOULD UNFOLD OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS WHILE ROUGHLY 12-HUNDRED PATIENTS ARE RECRUITED."