There are plenty of supplements claiming joint support but few live up to the exciting claims. There is enough supporting evidence in some to take that leap of faith and give them a try, since most are probably safe when taken properly. Below are popular ingredients used in joint health supplements that have survived the test of time including positive empirical evidence.
Glucosamine (1500mgs/day) and Chondroitin (1200mgs/day): Recently, the Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) study has shown that a subgroup of patients with moderate to severe osteoarthritis (OA) found significant pain relief with the combined compounds. Also these two compounds appear very safe.
- Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM @ 1.5-6gms/day): Ccant clinical support that shows it works but it appears safe in the short term (12 weeks).
- Microlactin (2000mgs/day): Some evidence it can lessen joint pain and, because it is a natural derivative of milk, as long as you are not allergic to dairy, Microlactin appears safe for experimenting short term.
- BioCell Collagen II combined with hyaluronic acid (HA) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) (1000-2000mg/day): Solid preliminary research supporting its use and safety. Appears to be most popularly used by athletes to protect joints from wear and tear while delivering substantial age-related pain relief.
All the above products are probably safe when used properly and therefore may be worth trying after consulting with your doctor. If you do not notice improvement after 4 weeks, the product is probably is not working. If so, since they all potentially work by different mechanisms, you can try another product containing the ingredients listed above.