Which glucosamine chondroitin supplement is best

It is very clear nowadays that joint supplements can and do have several benefits when formulated dosed properly. Some of the most important benefits of joint supplements include:. Virtually everybody will get arthritis in some form throughout their life. Arthritis is caused by the breakdown of cartilage in the joints, which leads to swelling, redness, and severe inflammation. Chondroitin and glucosamine — two staples in the virtually every supplement have proven to be incredibly effective at slowing down the progression of arthritis.

In one study, patients given a dosage of only mg of glucosamine and mg of chondroitin could significantly reduce pain, swelling, and overall inflammation in just a few weeks compared to a placebo. When used together, the effect is significantly amplified.

Essentially, chondroitin and glucosamine slowed down the narrowing of the joints, which halted the further progression of arthritis.

Pain and inflammation in the joints is directly caused by the weakening of joint cartilage, joint fusion, bone erosion, and swollen joints. As mentioned before, as the space between your joints narrows, cartilage weakens and eventually bones start rubbing together when you move. This steadily increases inflammation and wears down the bones to cause you a great deal of pain.

This process may cause the buildup of fluid as well and increase swelling in your joints. You skin, bones, joints, and teeth all have cartilage in them. Supplementing collagen to improve joint health appears to be a very real thing. Hydrolyzed collagen is one of the most popular types of collagen and appears to be incredibly beneficial in bone density and towards the growth of joint cartilage. This includes joint cartilage that is even worn down or damaged due to injury.

Even small amounts of hyaluronic acid have proven beneficial for the joints. Researchers have found that hyaluronic acid helps to increase DNA synthesis of collagen. It also improves help improve the collagen matrix within joint cartilage, which lubricates the joints to relieve tension and pain. Ingredients found in joint products like glucosamine and chondroitin are some of the most widely studied compounds known to man.

Their safety is undeniable and they are almost always both well tolerated. The risk for adverse effects is virtually non-existent. Glucosamine has even been shown to be safe for adults with seafood allergies glucosamine can be derived from shrimp.

Some doctors will still not recommend glucosamine for adults with a shellfish allergy but most research has been positive even for adults with this allergy. Likewise, even some of the lesser studied herbal extracts seem to be overwhelmingly safe. However, dosage is essential for effectiveness. Most studies have used a dosage of to mg of glucosamine and chondroitin, normally with a ratio in that order. These products are designed to reduce joint pain, inflammation, and swelling — while also supporting mobility and joint strength.

Unlike prescription medications, joint supplements can be purchased over the counter. These products are readily available online or you can venture down to your local CVS and Wal-Mart and likely find dozens of products. There is plenty of evidence from peer reviewed studies that many ingredients in joint supplements can help reduce pain and inflammation. The most widely studied ingredients include glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM. Research suggests that these supplements can decrease inflammation in the joints with a fair level of reliability — especially in people with specific conditions like arthritis.

New research has found that joint supplements may even stimulate the growth of new collagen in damaged joints, something that was previously thought to be not possible. Keep in mind — joint supplements are not a miracle. However, they can certainly improve your quality of life. In general, joint supplements should take a three-pronged approach to joint health.

They should help reduce the pain in your joints, help stimulate cartilage repair, and eliminate the inflammation in your joints. Our top-rated joint supplements include essential ingredients that have been clinically studied to accomplish these goals.

However, of the three goals, it is essential that a joint supplement helps repair damaged cartilage damage because without eliminating joint pain and inflammation is impossible without strengthening the joints. Some joint supplements will contain ingredients that stimulate cellular repair and increase lubrication in the joints. Much of the pain associated with arthritis is caused by the grinding of bones around the joints.

Lubricating the joints and stimulating the re-growth of cartilage can help prevent this grinding and will reduce the pain tremendously. Sometimes collagen is directly added to joint supplements to directly begin repairing cartilage by improving the availability or collagen.

Most of the common ingredients in joint supplements have been extensively studied — and there have been virtually no instances of any complications or serious health problems as a result of taking a joint product. Chondroitin, MSM, hyaluronic acid, and glucosamine are all tolerated extremely well with virtually no reported instances of side effects.

In general, just follow the dosage on the box and monitor how you feel while taking a joint product. If you feel like something is negatively impacting you, discontinue use and speak to your doctor to see if you may have a condition that is affected by one of the ingredients in your joint supplement. There are some vitamins that may be able to further support your joint health. One of the products we mentioned above called Animal Pak has quite a few of these.

A study of glucosamine and chondroitin enrolled patients with knee pain due to osteoarthritis and gave half of them a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin; the other half received an identical placebo pill. The study was stopped early for an unusual reason — those taking the supplement actually reported worse symptoms than those taking a placebo.

This raises the possibility that taking glucosamine and chondroitin might make your joints feel worse than doing nothing. Does this spell the end of people taking glucosamine, chondroitin, or both? While the evidence of benefit is certainly not compelling, some studies have found that these supplements provide modest benefit and people who feel it is helping them may not care so much about individual studies.

Even if a treatment is not effective on average, there may be folks who, for whatever reason, get real relief from it. And, even if the benefit is from the placebo effect, the benefit is real and that is hard to give up on. In general, glucosamine and chondroitin are thought to be safe. Cochrane Database System Rev. Methylsulfonylmethane: applications and safety of a novel dietary supplement.

Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane supplementation on osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized controlled study. Arthritis Foundation. Supplements and herb guide for arthritis symptoms. Cleveland Clinic. Vitamin D deficiency. Updated October 16, Vitamin D and rheumatoid arthritis. Ther Adv Endocrinol Metab. Nutraceutical supplements in the management and prevention of osteoarthritis. Int J Mol Sci. Osteoarthritis: In depth. Updated September Your Privacy Rights.

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These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. How Arthritis Is Treated. Glucosamine Sulfate. Can Arnica Relieve Arthritis Pain? Chondroitin Sulfate. Can Diet Help Fight Arthritis? Methylsulfonylmethane MSM. A Word From Verywell It is important to remember that the independent certification of a joint supplement is a stamp of approval of its quality, but it does not mean that it actually works.

What can you take to lubricate your joints? What joint supplements do doctors recommend? The 9 Best Arthritis Creams of Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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