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Does Glucosamine Really Help Joint Pain?

  • September 22, 2016

You've probably heard that glucosamine and chondroitin can help relieve symptoms of joint pain. However, the results from recent studies evaluating these supplements have been mixed, and many do not appear to be getting any significant relief from either glucosamine or chondroitin. A new study from BBC recently showed that glucosamine can give up to 55% of people a reduction in pain; however this was the same as a placebo. They found exercise worked even better providing 80% of people a reduction in pain.

EXERCISE PAIN AWAY: The notion that exercise is detrimental to your joints is a serious misconception; as there is no evidence to support this belief. It's simply a myth that you can 'wear down' your knees just from average levels of exercise and/or normal activity. Instead, the evidence points to exercise having a positive impact on joint tissues, whether you need to lose weight or not. There are some factors to consider, particularly if your pain worsens with movement, as you do not want to strain a significantly unstable joint.