Glucosamine, Chondroitin & MSM

Osteoarthritis, a type of degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis. It is characterized by a breakdown of cartilage in joints and can occur in almost any joint in the body. Most commonly it occurs in the fingers, hips, knees and spine.

Cartilage is a firm, rubbery material that covers the ends of bones in normal joints. The main function of cartilage is to reduce friction in the joints and serve as a "shock absorber." The shock-absorbing quality of normal cartilage comes from its ability to change shape when compressed (flattened or pressed together).

Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage in a joint to become stiff and lose its elasticity, making it more prone to damage. Over time, the cartilage may deteriorate in some areas, greatly decreasing its ability to act as a shock absorber. As the cartilage wears away, tendons and ligaments stretch, causing pain. If the condition worsens, the bones could rub against each other.


Glucosamine and chondroitin are components of normal cartilage. In the body, they are the building blocks for cartilage and appear to stimulate the body to make more cartilage.

Healthy cartilage needs three things: water for lubrication and nourishment, proteoglycans to attract and hold the water, and collagen to keep the proteoglycans in place.

Proteoglycans are like a rope that threads itself through the collagen. They are essential as they hold many times their own weight of water, which both lubricates and nourishes the collagen. If the cartilage is damaged the thread of rope becomes weak and ‘leaks’ out causing the collagen to lose its nourishment as the proteoglycans lose their grip and float away. Thus the cartilage cannot withstand shocks or cracks and may wear out completely.

Common treatments don't change the progression of osteoarthritis. Because these supplements stimulate the production of new cartilage, it is thought that they may be able to help the body repair damaged cartilage.

Glucosamine has been studied for well over 40 years in humans. It has been shown in numerous clinical studies to regrow cartilage, slow the progression of arthritis, and possibly even modify the disease itself with almost no side effects.

The main function of glucosamine is to stimulate the body’s own ability to manufacture substances like cartilage and collagen, necessary for joint repair. Some people lack the ability to manufacture glucosamine and this has been suggested as one of the major factors leading to the development of osteoarthritis. European researchers were the first to study the link between glucosamine levels and osteoarthritis. Of the ingredients in Glucosamine + Chondroitin, Glucosamine has the strongest amount of research indicating its efficacy. If you are on a tight budget, Glucosamine alone is a less expensive option. Click here to go to our most popular Glucosamine only product.


Where glucosamine helps form the proteoglycans that sit within the space in the cartilage, chondroitin sulphate acts like a ‘liquid magnet’. Chondroitin is a long chain of repeating nigans that attracts fluid into the proteoglycan molecules. The fluid acts as a spongy shock absorber, and sweeps the nutrients into the cartilage.

Joint cartilage has no blood supply. All of its nourishment and lubrication comes from the fluid that ebbs and flows as pressure is applied and released to the joint. Without this fluid, cartilage would become malnourished, drier, thinner and more fragile.

Chondoitin Sulphate is a long chain molecule with a negative charge attached to it. As these chains wrap around proteoglycans they repel each other and create spaces between each proteoglycan. These are what are known as matrixes within the cartilage and this is where the fluid flows. There may be as many as 10,000 of these chains on a single proteoglycan molecule, which makes for a great water retainer as these chains make sure all the molecules are repelled away from each other and cannot clump together.

Besides drawing in fluid, chondroitin protects cartilage and stops it from breaking down. It also inhibits certain ‘cartilage chewing’ enzymes, interferes with the metabolism of other enzymes that will starve the cartilage of fluid, and stimulates production of proteoglycans, glucosamine and collagen.

While Glucosamine helps you manufacture or repair cartilage, Chondroitin seems to help maintain its health and lubrication.


For the past seven years we have not sold a product with Chondroitin in it. We have refrained from selling Chondroitin mainly because the research on the efficacy of orally consumed Chondroitin, although building, was not yet compelling. We are now firmly of the opinion that, based on numerous double-blind placebo, controlled studies, adding chondroitin to your supplement regime is a strongly positive factor in reducing the negative effects of Osteoarthritis.