Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Osteoarthritis: What You Need To Know

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/glucosamine-and-chondroitin-for-osteoarthritis-what-you-need-to-know?nav=govd Glucosamine and chondroitin are constituents of cartilage, a component of the joints. They are sold in the United States as dietary supplements, separately or together. There has been a substantial amount of research on the use of glucosamine and chondroitin for pain and joint function in people with knee osteoarthritis, but studies have had inconsistent results. It’s still uncertain whether these supplements are helpful for knee osteoarthritis symptoms. Less research has been done on glucosamine and chondroitin for osteoarthritis in other joints. However, promising results have been obtained in some studies of glucosamine for temporomandibular (jaw) joint osteoarthritis and in a single study of chondroitin for osteoarthritis of the hand.