Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Creation of a Knee Joint-on-a-Chip for Modeling Joint Diseases and Testing Drugs
12:44

Creation of a Knee Joint-on-a-Chip for Modeling Joint Diseases and Testing Drugs

Published on: January 27, 2023

Dietary glucosamine under question.

Jeremiah E Silbert1

  • 1Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, MA, USA. jesilbert@aol.com

Glycobiology
|March 4, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Glucosamine supplements for osteoarthritis show questionable efficacy. Studies often use concentrations far exceeding physiological levels, casting doubt on their direct impact on cartilage health and treatment potential.

Related Concept Videos

Glycosaminoglycans01:23

Glycosaminoglycans

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), also known as mucopolysaccharides, are long and linear polymers comprising of specific repeating disaccharides - the amino sugar that can be N-acetylglucosamine or N-acetylgalactosamine, and a uronic acid that is usually glucuronic acid or iduronic acid.
GAGS are found in the extracellular matrix of vertebrates, invertebrates, and bacteria. Due to their polar nature they attract water, and serve as excellent lubricants or shock absorbers in an animal body.
Hyaluronic...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Glycosaminoglycan metabolism before molecular biology: reminiscences of our early work.

Glycoconjugate journal·2009
Same author

Changes in serum levels of glucosamine and sulphate after ingestion of glucosamine sulphate with and without simultaneous ingestion of glucose.

Annals of the rheumatic diseases·2007
Same author

Fasting serum sulfate levels before and after development of osteoarthritis in participants of the veterans administration normative aging longitudinal study do not differ from levels in participants in whom osteoarthritis did not develop.

Arthritis and rheumatism·2005
Same author

Use of 3H-glucosamine and 35S-sulfate with cultured human chondrocytes to determine the effect of glucosamine concentration on formation of chondroitin sulfate.

Arthritis and rheumatism·2004
Same author

A starting place for the road to function.

Glycoconjugate journal·2003
Same author

Effects of [3H]glucosamine concentration on [3H]chondroitin sulphate formation by cultured chondrocytes.

The Biochemical journal·2003

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Pharmacology
  • Nutraceuticals

Background:

  • Glucosamine is a key component in glycosaminoglycan synthesis, essential for cartilage.
  • Annual sales of glucosamine supplements for osteoarthritis exceed $1 billion.
  • Recent clinical studies question the functional value of glucosamine for osteoarthritis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate the scientific evidence supporting glucosamine's efficacy in osteoarthritis.
  • To assess the relevance of existing studies based on administered concentrations versus physiological levels.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on glucosamine's cellular production and effects.
  • Comparison of in vitro/in vivo study concentrations with reported human serum levels post-ingestion.

Main Results:

  • Glucosamine is synthesized by all cells, with no reported deficiencies.
  • Many studies use glucosamine concentrations 10- to 1000-fold higher than those found in human plasma.
  • The direct action of glucosamine on cartilage at physiological concentrations remains unproven.

Conclusions:

  • The efficacy of glucosamine supplements for osteoarthritis is questionable due to high experimental concentrations.
  • Further research using physiologically relevant concentrations is needed to determine glucosamine's true effect on cartilage and osteoarthritis.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Creation of a Knee Joint-on-a-Chip for Modeling Joint Diseases and Testing Drugs
12:44

Creation of a Knee Joint-on-a-Chip for Modeling Joint Diseases and Testing Drugs

Published on: January 27, 2023