Glucosamine
Cartilage building block, usually glucosamine sulfate at a fixed dose of 1500 mg per day.
What the research shows
No sound research in humans.
The network meta-analysis by Wandel (2010) found a pain effect in knee and hip osteoarthritis that stayed below the clinically relevant threshold, and reported that industry-independent trials showed smaller effects than commercially funded ones. The GAIT trial by Clegg (2006) saw no difference from placebo across the whole group. Liu (2018) found at most short-lived and clinically unimportant differences.
Who it makes sense for: Almost nobody: in industry-independent trials the effect on pain stayed below the threshold of a noticeable difference.
How we weigh evidenceClinical dosage
Scientific sources
The clinical dosages on this page are based on peer-reviewed research.
- Effects of glucosamine, chondroitin, or placebo in patients with osteoarthritis of hip or knee: network meta-analysis.Wandel S et al. (2010)
- Glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and the two in combination for painful knee osteoarthritis.Clegg DO et al. (2006)
- Dietary supplements for treating osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Liu X et al. (2018)
We keep the dosages and values on this page as accurate as possible based on selected studies. New research may change these values. Nothing on this page is medical advice. If you have any doubts, always consult a doctor.