People who took glucosamine or chondroitin outlived those who didn’t, and those who took omega-3 fish oils also lived longer, a new study reveals.
Doctors in a lifespan study asked 77,673 men and women, aged 50 to 76, to record which vitamins and supplements they were taking during a 10-year tracking period. After five more years of follow up, researchers found that those who had taken glucosamine infrequently or for a short period of time were 8 percent less likely to have died from any cause compared to those who had not taken glucosamine, and those who had taken glucosamine regularly were 17 percent less likely. For chondroitin, compared to non-users, low users were 12 percent less likely to have died and high users 17 percent less likely. For omega-3s, those who had taken high levels of fish oils were 17 percent less likely to have died compared to non-users.