For painful joint problems, a combination of glucosamine and chondroitin has shown positive results in many.
The dosage for regenerating cartilage is 1500 mg of glucosamine a day and 1200 mg of chondroitin a day. Take this dosage until you start feeling a relief from the pain. Then drop down to 1000mg of glucosamine and 800 mg of chondroitin until pain disappears. From that point on, take a daily dose of 500 mg glucosamine and 400 mg chondroitin daily to prevent future degeneration.
Patients using glucosamine for osteoarthritis should take 1500 mg per day. It can take up to 4 – 8 weeks to relieve pain. Therefore, continuing on a NSAID during this time period may be necessary.
Patients with type II diabetes should monitor their blood sugar carefully due to concerns that glucosamine might increase insulin resistance.
In considering which supplements will assist you best with joint pain, it may be helpful to know that the absorption rate for chondroitin is 0 to 8% while the glucosamine sulfate is 98%. Glucosamine sulfate is the best source. It is possible to get the relief you are looking are with glucosamine alone.