Chondroitin / Glucosamine , what brand works the best ?

[CRJR45]

I'm 64 and started working out , my knees are a little achy , just want to get ahead of it . I did a search and saw where it was mentioned , but not the actual brands .

Thank you .

 

[go4thegusto]

I have been taking Glucosamine for 30 years and am a disciple for it. If I go off my knees start aching. Has been magic for me.
Chondroitin gave me intestinal upset bog time. The science is not behind it for joints. I take one vegetable derived Glucosamine a day religiously.
I like NOW brand as it is a proven company for supplements.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

Research it. Studies show little if any real world benefit. Studies are mixed. Even positive studies show improvement is marginal at best. Doesn't mean there aren't a few folks who actually benefit. For me, I'll keep my money in my pocket. BUT...it may be worth a 3-6 month trial to see if you can tell any difference. General consensus is no significant benefit but no major downside so it's thought to be safe for that reason.

Costco sells 280 tablets for $35. At 2 tablets per day that's close to a 5 month supply. Even if it doesn't work you're not out a lot of cash. But there are definitely more costly options.

Do I think it results in significant improvement of age-related joint pain or slowing of arthritis pain or cartilage healing: no

Expensive pee: yes

IMO you knees will absolutely benefit from knee strengthening and stretching. AND it''s free.

 

[wmr89]

I can tell you with certainty that the Kirkland brand at Costco is the same as MoveFree. I know several people who use it and see positive effects. Just going off of memory, studies on it are mixed but do tend to show that the right combo of ingredients is important. I seem to recall adding MSM improved results.

 

[bdan68]

Try eating canned sardines regularly, the ones with the bones.

 

[MTWop]

One of my favorite professors said “taking glucosamine supplements is the equivalent of eating brain to get smarter.” As stated above, there is little evidence (and most conflicting) supporting it

 

[CRJR45]

Thank you guys ! I knew I would find the truth here . I did google it , not very impressed . It worked great for my old dog , or it seemed to , so I thought it might be an option .
Oh well , getting old is not for the weak , LOL

 

[Yoder]

I've tried this several times. I can tell you with 100% certainty it does absolutely nothing for me.

 

[sacklunch]

Tri-Flex

 

[gbflyer]

Research it. Studies show little if any real world benefit. Studies are mixed. Even positive studies show improvement is marginal at best. Doesn't mean there aren't a few folks who actually benefit. For me, I'll keep my money in my pocket. BUT...it may be worth a 3-6 month trial to see if you can tell any difference. General consensus is no significant benefit but no major downside so it's thought to be safe for that reason.

Costco sells 280 tablets for $35. At 2 tablets per day that's close to a 5 month supply. Even if it doesn't work you're not out a lot of cash. But there are definitely more costly options.

Do I think it results in significant improvement of age-related joint pain or slowing of arthritis pain or cartilage healing: no

Expensive pee: yes

IMO you knees will absolutely benefit from knee strengthening and stretching. AND it''s free.

I asked a spinal surgeon about taking glucosamine after a discectomy. He said go ahead if you want to but the molecules are too large in the supplement to get where they need to go. Practically speaking, yes…expensive pee. However, some folks think it helps, and if it’s real to you, it’s real.

 

[87TT]

Absolutely works for me. I have an old knee injury that used to give me trouble and go out on me. I would be walking up stairs or climbing a hill and take a step and not be able to hold my weight. I decided to try it at 64. Now 70 and hardly ever feel it anymore let alone have it go out. I use the generic brand from BiMart.
I did try the kind with MSM but it plugged me up so bad I thought I had colon cancer.
If you do try it, it took a couple of months of faithful use before I started to notice it working.

 

[Plainsman79]

Research it. Studies show little if any real world benefit. Studies are mixed. Even positive studies show improvement is marginal at best. Doesn't mean there aren't a few folks who actually benefit. For me, I'll keep my money in my pocket. BUT...it may be worth a 3-6 month trial to see if you can tell any difference. General consensus is no significant benefit but no major downside so it's thought to be safe for that reason.

Research it. Studies show little if any real world benefit. Studies are mixed. Even positive studies show improvement is marginal at best. Doesn't mean there aren't a few folks who actually benefit. For me, I'll keep my money in my pocket. BUT...it may be worth a 3-6 month trial to see if you can tell any difference. General consensus is no significant benefit but no major downside so it's thought to be safe for that reason.

Costco sells 280 tablets for $35. At 2 tablets per day that's close to a 5 month supply. Even if it doesn't work you're not out a lot of cash. But there are definitely more costly options.

Do I think it results in significant improvement of age-related joint pain or slowing of arthritis pain or cartilage healing: no

Expensive pee: yes

IMO you knees will absolutely benefit from knee strengthening and stretching. AND it''s free.

This is what I did, I gave it 2 trials and seen exactly zero benefit.

On the other hand, a guy at work says he noticed positive knee conditions after taking it and will never not take it again.

 

[dreamingWest]

Collagen protein is worth a try. It seems to have helped me.

 

[LostArra]

Warning: Anecdote here, not data

Tumeric capsule a day has provided more benefit for me (shoulder) than the glucosamine/chondroitin alone.

Never underestimate the benefits of the placebo effect. If your knees feel better taking a pill that is cheap, harmless but has only equivocal results in controlled studies, would you still take it?

 

[CRJR45]

Warning: Anecdote here, not data

Tumeric capsule a day has provided more benefit for me (shoulder) than the glucosamine/chondroitin alone.

Never underestimate the benefits of the placebo effect. If your knees feel better taking a pill that is cheap, harmless but has only equivocal results in controlled studies, would you still take it?

The placebo effect is real , for some people . My ex FIL was a very smart guy , self made millionaire , and he was very susceptible to the placebo effect .
Two examples -
First , back in the 90's there was a supplement called Essential Minerals , it came in a bottle for like $30 a bottle .
The idea was you'd mix 1oz with a glass of water every day for all the vitamins and minerals your body needed . He swore by it , and bought it by the case and gave it to all his family members . The ex loved it and swore she felt %100 better . I was sceptical and passed . 60 Minutes ended up exposing it as a scam , the experts said it had less minerals and vitamins than the water . I was at his house watching 60 minutes , he had invited us over to gloat , he thought it would be a positive review . After the segment he got up , looked at me and said "I don't want to hear a Fookin thing from you " , and left the room .
Second , he was prone to migraines and the dr couldn't find a cause . The dr ended up giving him two pills to carry in his wallet , said only take them if you feel a migraine coming on . As long as he had the pills , he was fine , but if he left the house without his wallet , instant headache .
So yeah , for some people , but it never worked for me .
Also , I can't be hypnotized either .

I've been working out and my knees feel much better , thanks everyone for the advice .