Glucosamine and chondroitin are one of the supplements that always seem to be recommended for joint issues and should work in theory.
But theory is not always what happens in real life.
I have not seen real results with this in clinic and have been hesitant to recommend it, as research is sketchy and positive feedback as well.
In a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that a full 6 months of supplementation with glucosamine and chondroitin was NO BETTER THAN A PLACEBO. Click here to read the full study.
What would I recommend for joint pain instead? Silica as no. 1. Everyone I test is low in silica and this is the cornerstoner of collagen and connective tissue. It makes sense to recommend it because
1) 99% test low in it
2) critical for connective tissue
3) more and more studies are supporting the use of silica for instance this study here.
4) positive client-feedback from use