How to Take Chondroitin Supplements

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Chondroitin is a naturally-occurring molecule found in your cartilage. Taking chondroitin supplements – harvested from natural sources such as bovine or shark cartilage – can help treat osteoarthritis. Chondroitin also is popularly used to treat other conditions such as heart disease, some cancers, and even post-exercise joint pain. However, there is limited to no scientific research into chondroitin's effectiveness for these conditions. To take chondroitin supplements, first consult your doctor and follow their recommendations regarding dosage.^[1]

Part1

EditWorking with Your Doctor

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   Ask your doctor about chondroitin supplements. If you have back or knee pain and think chondroitin might help you, get advice from your doctor on whether you should start taking supplements, particularly if you haven't been diagnosed with osteoarthritis.^[2]

   • Even though you can read about chondroitin online, you'll get much more benefit from talking to your personal doctor, since they have a complete understanding of your personal medical history.
   • If you've been diagnosed with arthritis and are currently taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain relief, chondroitin may treat your pain so you can decrease your dosage of NSAIDs.
   • For other medical conditions, there is less information and evidence on the effectiveness of chondroitin to relieve symptoms. Your doctor may know of other treatments that would potentially have more benefit for you.
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   Identify potential risks. There are risks involved in taking almost any drug or natural supplement. You and your doctor can work together to determine if chondroitin might benefit you based on your medical history and any other conditions you have.^[3]

   • For example, if you have asthma, taking chondroitin supplements can worsen your symptoms.
   • The same is true if you have diabetes, because chondroitin supplements may affect your blood sugar levels.
   • If you have a bleeding disorder or are on a medication such as warfarin, taking chondroitin may cause additional bleeding.
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   Be realistic about the potential benefits. Although studies have shown that many people experience improvement in their symptoms after taking chondroitin supplements, that improvement typically is only mild to moderate.^[4]

   • While chondroitin is marketed and used to improve a variety of medical conditions, it has not been thoroughly tested to treat many of these conditions.
   • There are studies showing a decrease in pain among people with osteoarthritis, but the decrease typically is limited and the improvement minor. If you've been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, you shouldn't expect any improvement as a result of taking chondroitin supplements above and beyond what you've been able to achieve on other drugs. However, taking chondroitin may enable you to decrease your dosage of NSAIDs.
   • Chondroitin typically is not recommended as an initial treatment for osteoarthritis. However, if you've been taking other medications to treat the condition, chondroitin may be helpful as a supplement to other medications.
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   Determine whether you also want to take glucosamine. Chondroitin supplements most commonly are available in a combination form with glucosamine. There is some evidence that glucosamine also may reduce pain and loss of motion for people with osteoarthritis.^[5]

   • If you have diabetes you should avoid glucosamine, which can interfere with insulin resistance.
   • Glucosamine also can have additional side effects, such as nausea or upset stomach, that might not be present with chondroitin. Taking the two in combination or taking your supplement with food may decrease these side effects.
   • If you have moderate to severe knee pain as a result of osteoarthritis, you may experience significant relief by taking a combination supplement that includes both glucosamine and chondroitin.

Part2

EditChoosing Chondroitin Supplements

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   Evaluate manufacturers carefully. Chondroitin supplements are prescribed by doctors in Europe. However, in other countries such as the United States these natural supplements are not subject to the same regulations that other drugs are. As a result, the quality and quantity of active ingredients can vary widely among different brands of supplements. Choose a brand that has been verified by a third party, such as USP.^[6]

   • Additionally, some cheaper brands or generic supplements may not have the same quality controls in place when processing and manufacturing the supplements for distribution.
   • If you're buying chondroitin supplements over the counter, research brands carefully. Look for recalls or consumer complaints regarding the manufacturer's products.
   • Once you've found a brand that works for you, stick with the same brand rather than trying to substitute something cheaper. Even though it may seem to have the same active ingredients, you may not get the same results.
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   Get a specific recommendation. Because the quality of supplements can vary significantly, you may want to ask your doctor or health care provider if there's a particular brand they recommend based on your condition and overall health.^[7]

   • If your doctor has experience with chondroitin, or has other patients who currently are taking chondroitin, they may have a particular brand they can recommend for you based on your personal health history.
   • The source of the chondroitin or glucosamine in your supplements also may matter, and you wouldn't necessarily know this information by looking at the bottle. For example, while most glucosamine is harvested from shellfish, there are a few brands that are generally considered safe for people with shellfish allergies, as they have very low levels of shrimp allergen.^[8]
   • Your doctor also may be able to tell you about possible side effects or interactions between the inactive ingredients in a supplement you're considering and any other conditions you have or medications you take.
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   Check amounts in combination supplements. There are no regulatory requirements regarding how much of each active ingredient must be included in a combination supplement. If you've decided to take a combination supplement that contains chondroitin and glucosamine, be aware that different brands may contain different amounts of each.^[9]

   • When you've found the supplement brand you think you want, talk to your doctor or to a pharmacist about how many pills you should take each day to treat your condition.
   • Review the amounts with your doctor so you can figure out which particular supplement would be the best for you personally given your lifestyle and any other medications you're taking.

Part3

EditMonitoring Your Dosage

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   Follow the dosage instructions on the bottle. In the absence of other instruction from your doctor, you should not exceed the amount or frequency of dosage recommended on the label of the supplements you're taking.^[10]

   • Generally, you should take between 800 and 1,000 milligrams of chondroitin sulfate each day. You may want to split this dosage up into three equal doses, or your doctor may recommend that frequency.
   • If you also are taking glucosamine, you should take no more than 1,500 milligrams each day.
   • You may want to decrease this dosage if you weigh under 100 pounds. If you weigh over 200 pounds or are considered obese, talk to your doctor about how much your daily dosage should be.
2. 
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   Alter your dosage according to your specific condition. Depending on the reasons for which you're taking chondroitin, your doctor may recommend you take a different dose than that described on the label your bottle of supplements.^[11]

   • If your doctor recommends a specific dose, take that rather than what's listed on the label. However, you may want to bring your specific bottle of supplements into your doctor to verify that they want you to depart from the label's recommendations.
   • Your dosage also may vary depending on how you're taking chondroitin. While typically you take it by mouth in pill form, you also may have chondroitin in a cream applied to your skin, or in eye drops if you're taking chondroitin for cataracts.
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   Be patient. It can take as long as two or three months to achieve results from chondroitin supplements. If you quit taking it after a few weeks, you may not have any relief from your symptoms.^[12]
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   Take your supplements at the correct time. You need to take chondroitin supplements consistently for at least two months before you will see the full effects. Make sure you're taking them at roughly the same time every day to maximize the effect.^[13]

   • Particularly if you're taking chondroitin in combination with glucosamine, you typically want to take your supplements with food to avoid possible gastrointestinal side effects.
   • Gastrointestinal side effects are less common if you're taking chondroitin alone and not in combination with glucosamine.
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   Treat your supplements as you would a drug. Even though you may not have a prescription for chondroitin, your supplements can have harmful effects if not used as directed or if used by others who are not taking them under a doctor's supervision.^[14]

   • Chondroitin has not been tested in children and the supplement is not considered safe for children to ingest, particularly if combined with glucosamine.
   • Keep in mind that chondroitin can take months to show any significant effect on your symptoms. In the first few weeks you're taking it, you shouldn't increase your dosage just because you don't notice any improvement.
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   Pay attention to side effects. If you have significant side effects while taking chondroitin supplements, you may find that they outweigh any benefit you might achieve as a result of taking them. This is especially true if you have other health conditions, or are at significant risk for developing other health conditions.^[15]

   • Your doctor will discuss with you any possible interactions between chondroitin and other medications you're taking.
   • If you have diabetes, a bleeding disorder, or a heart condition, you should monitor your symptoms carefully while taking chondroitin. Discontinue the supplements if the symptoms of any other medical condition worsen.
   • Even without side effects, if you take chondroitin for more than two months and do
     
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