Chondroitin sulfate is one of the major constituents of cartilage. Animal studies indicate that chondroitin sulfate promotes the healing of bone. It has also been shown to help restore joint function in people with osteoarthritis.

In addition, chondroitin sulfate may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and heart attacks, as well as help prevent kidney stones. Chondroitin sulfate consists of repeating chains of molecules called mucopolysaccharides. It is a primary part of cartilage. Classified as a type of glycosaminoglycan, chondroitin sulfate is rich in sulfur and is a relative of Glucosamine Animal cartilage is the only significant food source of Chondroitin sulfate.

Not only does chondroitin provide structure and holds water and nutrients, but it allows other molecules to move through cartilage. This is a very important property, as there is no blood supply to cartilage. As a result, joint healing is greatly increased through supplementation. Chondroitin and similar compounds are also exist in the bladder and lining of blood vessels. Here they help to prevent abnormal movement of blood, urine, or components across the barrier of the vessel or bladder wall.

Japanese researchers have found that Chondroitin sulfate in synovial fluid collected from the temporomandibular joint provides a useful indicator of the degree of damage there, and that chondroitin may play a role in determining the viscosity and elasticity of tissues and fluids. A recent in vitro study done by scientists in Belgium found that chondroitin had potentially beneficial effects on human cartilage cells.

Because the body makes chondroitin, the possibility of a dietary deficiency is uncertain. A daily requirement has not been set. Chondroitin sulfate may be used to rebuild and repair joint cartilage affected by osteoarthritis and possibly other forms of arthritis.

For atherosclerosis, researchers have used very high amounts, such as 5 grams twice per day with meals, lowering the amount to 500 mg three times per day after a couple of months. However, before taking such high amounts, people should consult a nutritionally oriented doctor. For osteoarthritis, the typical level is 400 mg three times per day. Chondroitin is often combined with the similar arthritis-relieving supplement Chondroitin may also be combined with MSM and glucosamine. Most products potency ranges from 400 to 600 mg. Nausea might occur at intakes greater than 10 grams per day. No other adverse side-effects have been reported.

Chondroitin
chondroitin sulfate, chondroitin studies

Chondroitin Sulfate is a mucopolysaccharide found in cartilage, tendons and ligaments, where it is bound to proteins such as collagen and elastin. In our joints, it contributes to strength, flexibility and shock absorption. Current research indicates that supplemental Chondroitin Sulfate may help maintain proper joint function.




Is chondroitin necessary if someone is already taking glucosamine?
The research with chondroitin is not as consistent and extensive as it is with glucosamine. If you have arthritis, one option is to start with glucosamine 500 mg three times a day for a month. If, after a month, you haven't been helped, double your dose of glucosamine. If, after another month, you need additional relief, you can try chondroitin at 500 mg three times a day. Another option is to start taking both together along with a few other nutrients and herb found through research to be helpful for arthritis.

Are there recent studies saying chondroitin cannot be absorbed into our bodies through oral consumption?
The studies I have come across show that chondroitin does get absorbed.

Can a diabetic take chondroitin?
Yes. One study providing a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin for a period of 90 days did not find any change in blood sugar levels.

Chondroitin Research Update
The pathobiology of osteoarthritis and the rationale for using the chondroitin sulfate for its treatment.
Curr Drug Targets Immune Endocr Metabol Disord. 2004 Jun;4(2):119-27.
Structure-modifying osteoarthritis drugs are agents that reverse, retard, or stabilize the pathology of osteoarthritis, thereby providing symptomatic relief in the long-term treatment. The objective of this review is to evaluate the literature on chondroitin sulfate with respect to the pathobiology of osteoarthritis to ascertain whether this agent should be classified as a symptomatic slow-acting drug, a compound that has a slow onset of action and improve OA symptoms after a couple of weeks. Chondroitin sulfate exhibits a wide range of biological activities and from a pharmacological point of view it produces a slow but gradual decrease of the clinical symptoms of osteoarthritis and these benefits last for a long period after the end of treatment. Many literature data show that chondroitin sulfate could have an anti-inflammatory activity and a chondroprotective action by modifying the structure of cartilage. These properties are also related to the oral adsorption of chondroitin sulfate as high-molecular mass compounds having clusters of sulfate groups and high charge density capable of exert their chondroprotective activity in vivo.

Chondroitin sulfate in erosive osteoarthritis of the hands.
Int J Tissue React. 2002;24(1):29-32.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the joint count for erosions in patients with erosive osteoarthritis (EOA) of the hands treated with 800 mg/day of orally administered chondroitin sulfate plus naproxen, compared with that of patients administered naproxen only. Twenty-four consecutive patients (22 women and two men, mean age 53.0 +/- 6) suffering from symptomatic OA and with radiographic characteristics of EOA were studied. The patients were divided into two groups of 12 patients each. The first group took naproxen 500 mg/day only. The second group was treated with chondroitin sulfate 800 mg/day orally plus naproxen 500 mg/day. Radiological hand examinations were performed at baseline and again after 12 and 24 months. In both groups, the joint count for erosions showed a general tendency to increase over time. Progression of erosions at 24 months was lower in patients treated with 800 mg/day chondroitin sulfate plus naproxen than in patients taking naproxen only (p <0.05). Chondroitin sulfate failed to stop the usual time-associated progression in the number of finger joints presenting erosions in EOA of the hands. It was, however, associated with a lower increase in the number of finger joints with erosions detected after 2 years of radiological observation.

A randomized double-blind clinical trial of the effect of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine hydrochloride on temporomandibular joint disorders: a pilot study.
Cranio. 2001 Apr;19(2):130-9.
Previous studies have shown chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine hydrochloride have beneficial effects on symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee. Our aim was to study the effect of a daily dose of 1500 mg of glucosamine hydrochloride (GH) and 1200 mg of chondroitin sulfate taken for twelve weeks on subjects diagnosed with capsulitis, disk displacement, disk dislocation, or painful osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Forty-five subjects were enrolled in the study and were randomly assigned to either an active medication group or a placebo group. Eleven subjects were lost from the study for various reasons, resulting in fourteen subjects remaining in the active medication group and twenty subjects remaining in the placebo group. Subjects taking chondroitin sulfate-GH had improvements in their pain as measured by one index of the McGill Pain Questionnaire, in TMJ tenderness, in TMJ sounds, and in the number of daily over-the-counter medications needed. Subjects taking the placebo medication had improvements in their pains as measured by the visual analog scale and by four indices of the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Additional studies are required to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of chondroitin sulfate-GH and to determine the exact mechanism by which chondroitin sulfate-GH affects the articular cartilage of synovial joints.

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