Chondroitin supplement Chondroitin and Arthritis Information - Joint health benefit of chondroitin MSM supplements

What you will find on this Chondroitin sulfate page:
Joint Power Rx with Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM
Chondroitin Sulfate supplement information

Chondroitin sulfate consists of repeating chains of molecules called glycosaminoglycans. Chondroitin sulfate is a major constituent of cartilage providing structure, holding water and nutrients, and allowing other molecules to move through cartilage—an important property, as there is no blood supply to cartilage. Chondroitin may work by acting as a building block for proteoglycan molecules, and may also have anti-inflammatory properties. 

Chondroitin Sulfate, 400 mg, 60 Tablets


Chondroitin Sulfate is a mucopolysaccharide found in cartilage, tendons and ligaments, where it is bound to proteins such as collagen and elastin. In our joints, it contributes to strength, flexibility and shock absorption. Current research indicates that supplemental Chondroitin Sulfate may help maintain proper joint function.

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Chondroitin Sulfate is a mucopolysaccharide found in cartilage, tendons and ligaments, where it is bound to proteins such as collagen and elastin. In our joints, it contributes to strength, flexibility and shock absorption. Current research indicates that supplemental Chondroitin Sulfate may help maintain proper joint function.

Chondroitin Supplement Facts
Chondroitin sulfate 400 mg per tablet

Suggested Use: 2 to 4 chondroitin sulfate tablets daily, or as recommended by your health care professional. Another option is to use Joint Power Rx which has chondroitin sulfate and a number of other nutrients for joint health.
Chondroitin sulfate daily value not established.

Joint Power Rx with Chondroitin Sulfate
Because joint pain is so debilitating, Glucosamine and Chondroitin sulfate alone are not enough. This powerful formula includes several additional herbal extracts and nutrients that play a role in joint health.  
Ingredients include: Glucosamine sulfate  (from shellfish), Chondroitin sulfate, MSM made by Fine Nutraceuticals by the trademarked name Lignisul MSM, CMO complex, Boswellia serrata extract, Turmeric, Cat's claw extract, Devil's claw extract, Grape seed extract, and Sea Cucumber.

Chondroitin and Arthritis
In degenerative joint disease, such as osteoarthritis, there is a loss of chondroitin sulfate as the cartilage erodes. Animal studies indicate that chondroitin sulfate promotes healing of bone, which is consistent with the fact that the majority of glycosaminoglycans found in bone consist of chondroitin sulfate. Chondroitin sulfate has been shown, in numerous trials to relieve symptoms and possibly slow the progression of, or in some cases, reverse osteoarthritis. The combination of glucosamine and chondroitin may be more effective than chondroitin alone.

Chondroitin sulphate for symptomatic osteoarthritis: critical appraisal of metaanalyses.
Curr Med Res Opin. 2008 April. Monfort J, Martel-Pelletier J, Pelletier JP.
Chondroitin sulphate is an important structural component of cartilage and is approved and regulated as a symptomatic slow-acting drug for osteoarthriti in Europe and some other countries. Although numerous studies have shown the clinical benefits of Chondroitin sulphate to decrease pain, improve functional disability, reduce non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or acetaminophen consumption, and good tolerability with an additional carry-over effect, there are still some concerns regarding its effectiveness in treating osteoarthritis. A MEDLINE database search was conducted for appropriate meta-analyses published between 1997 and 2007. Five meta-analyses that limited their analysis to randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing chondroitin sulphate with placebo or no-treatment control arms were retrieved. Four meta-analyses showed significant clinical effects of Chondroitin sulphate compared with placebo for pain and function measures and one demonstrated greater reduction of analgesic co-medication in patients assigned to the active treatment. In one meta-analysis, the 20 trials included in the study showed a high degree of heterogeneity and the conclusion that chondroitin sulphate showed minimal symptomatic benefits was based on the analysis of only three trials. One meta-analysis showed that pain relief after chondroitin sulphate treatment steadily increased between 4 and 12 weeks of treatment, whereas the time course of pain relief after treatment with NSAIDs decreased. Two meta-analyses reported consistently higher frequencies of side effects in the placebo group than in patients treated with chondroitin sulphate. Data provided by these meta-analyses indicate that chondroitin sulphate has a slight to moderate efficacy in the symptomatic treatment of osteoarthritis, with an excellent safety profile.

Chondroitin Source
Commercially available chondroitin is derived mainly from shark and cow cartilage. Chondroitin can also be derived from porcine sources. I have not seen much research comparing the benefits or risks of chondroitin derived from different sources.

Glucosamine Chondroitin side effects
Allergic reactions are possible with glucosamine or chondroitin. Otherwise, no major side effects with chondroitin have yet been reported.

Chondroitin Research
Chondroitin at 800 mg a day was given in addition to naprosyn 500 mg a day for a period of two years to a group of individuals with osteoarthritis of the hands. This group was compared to another group who only received naprosyn. Those who took chondroitin were found to have a slower rate of arthritis progression than those who only took naprosyn. See bottom of page for more studies.

Is chondroitin necessary if someone is already taking glucosamine?
The research with chondroitin  is not as consistent and extensive as it is with glucosamine. If you have arthritis, one option is to start with glucosamine 500 mg three times a day for a month. If, after a month, you haven't been helped, double your dose of glucosamine. If, after another month, you need additional relief, you can try chondroitin at 500 mg three times a day. Another option is to start taking both together along with a few other nutrients and herb found through research to be helpful for arthritis.

Are there recent studies saying chondroitin cannot be absorbed into our bodies through oral consumption?
The studies I have come across show that chondroitin does get absorbed.

Can a diabetic take chondroitin sulfate?
Yes. One study providing a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin for a period of 90 days did not find any change in blood sugar levels.

Chondroitin emails
Q. I have a brief question: Have you had anyone using either Glucosamine alone or in combination with Chondroitin report that their total cholesterol increased? I have a friend who discontinued taking the combination for that reason; I'm sorry, I don't know how long she had been taking it.
   A. We have not heard of the connection between glucosamine, chondroitin, and cholesterol at this time.

Q. This sounds like a joke but it's not. Perhaps a month or two after I began to take a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement to protect against knee pain, I began to notice that my penis, which had always assumed a straight position in the erect state, was developing a noticeable bend. (If I had said I was taking the supplement for joint pain, then you really would have been inclined to toss this one out.) Over the next month or two, the bend became more pronounced and I was on the verge of consulting a urologist to look into the possibility of Peyronie's Disease, a condition that apparently afflicts our ex-president Clinton and can I understand, interfere with sex if it progresses too far. The only change in my daily routine I could think of during this time was the addition of the glucosamine and chondroiten to my usual vitamins and mineral regimin. I dropped the supplement and over the next couple of months the bend in the penis gradually disappeared. Perhaps it was a coincidence (although I don't think so).
  A. I read your email with interest. This is the first time I have heard of glucosamine and chondroitin involved in this after several years of looking into these combinations. I don't know what to say. I think it's possible. Were there other ingredients in the formula or just glucosamine and chondroitin? There's so little we know about the long term effects of supplements and herbs that I keep any side effects as a possibility. I guess a good way to find out for sure is to retake it and see what happens, since it appears to be reversible on stopping... but i can see one's reluctance in this trial when it comes to such an important member of the body :)

Q. I just began taking a chondroitin glucosamine supplement (1500/1200 mg/day, respectively, as recommended on bottle). When taking it (all mg) during the day I thought I noticed I was much more tired than usual - almost fatigued. Last night I took it about 2 hours before bedtime and for the first time in memory slept clear through the night (I usually get up at least once to urinate and/or drink water for dehydration.) I can't find that anyone has reported this anecdotally or in medical lit.
   A. We have not had any feedback thus far that chondroitin and glucosamine cause sleepiness.

Q. A friend of mine forwarded to me an email regarding chondroitin sulphate that I hope you cna comment on. This is what it said, "Chondroitin is now falling out of favor due to a new analysis published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Most of the early research on chondroitin shows substantial benefit for reducing pain and improving functionality in people with osteoarthritis of the knee. But research published since 2005 has been mostly negative. When the analyses evaluated ALL chondroitin studies as a whole, it found that chondroitin significantly reduced pain. When only larger, higher-quality, and more recent studies were included there was no significant benefit. The method used for the analysis is stirring up a lot of controversy. And there are still questions about potential long-term benefits such as slowing disease progression. This is not likely to be the last word on chondroitin."
   A. We never rely on the findings of the latest study to come to a conclusion regarding the benefit or harm of that particular supplement. The research with chondroitin sulfate is not conclusive, but based on everything that I have read and my professional experience, as of May 2007 We think chondroitin should be included in a joint formula along with glucosamine and other herbs and nutrients for a potential synergistic effect on joint health. We will await results of further studies.

Additional websites of interest
Glucosamine arthritis information and latest studies with glucosamine for joint health

OptiMSM is a trademarked form of MSM supplement