Invasive studies directly examining cartilage degeneration in experimental models of osteoarthritis have shown efficacy with glucosamine and chondroitin alone, but they are even more effective when used in combination. This is why the most popular joint formulas include combinations of glucosamine (1,500 mg) and chondroitin (1,200 mg) daily taken together. Adding MSM to the combination can make for an even more effective formula.
Since chondroitin is one of the more expensive ingredients in these combinations, about 5-10 times more expensive than glucosamine, an effective economical joint formula version is glucosamine and MSM together. A 12-week double-blind clinical trial on 118 patients with mild to moderate osteoarthritis showed excellent results. Three times a day, one group took 500 mg of glucosamine sulfate, one group took 500 mg of MSM and one group took both. In the glucosamine-only group, pain scores fell from 1.74 to 0.65; in the MSM only group, pain scores fell from 1.53 to 0.74; and in the combination group, pain scores fell from 1.7 to 0.36, equaling about twice the level of improvement in pain and inflammation compared to either glucosamine or MSM alone.
