Vegetarian Glucosamine and Chondroitin Supplements

I am battling some nagging joint/muscle pain and was wondering if anyone incorporated Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplements into their diets. Is it effective or just hype? If there are any peer reviewed studies anyone has I would be interested to look at them. Also if anyone has any suggestion on vegetarian supplements I would certainly be interested. Thanks.

I have some jacked up knees and lower back as well. The glucosamine/chondroitan never worked for me. I believe you have to take for at least 3 months. I have found better success with a good quality fish oil and magnesium. I take about 1000mgs/day of the fish oil and I can't remmeber that magnesium right now. The fish oil has anti-inflammatory qualities and the magnesium is good for the nerves. I told my father in law about it about it and he swears by the regimen.
Best to do a trial and error on yourself. What works for me may not work for you and your body type.

I've had this (Dr Theo's AvoSoy) recommended to me by a sports med. However, I never tried it as it's quite expensive. I am sure you could find cheaper versions, maybe from asia.

Don't know the details of your situation, but taking time off and doing more yoga type stuff and then going back to a lighter climbing regiment might help. Rest and massage is the best. I've had good experience with ultrasound and heat.

I'm assuming by your request for vegetarian supplements you know that chondroitin is commonly made from bovine tracheas. Ironically stuffed into a vege-cap by some stupid companies. I've not seen a vegetarian source.

Dumb shit: if you put shellfish derived glucosamine and bovine derived chondroitin into a vegetable derived capsule it is somehow vegetarian. I am on board with this indiosyncratic, capitalist logic. Anyone else? Thanks to those who have posted so far - keep it coming.

The avosoy is vegetarian... You can get vegetarian glucosamine, but I've never heard of vegetarian chondroitin. But it appears that it is being worked on.

If they discover a cure for cancer, but it comes from cow hooves, will vegetarians use it?

cow hooves = cancer cure;
cow hooves = ingredient for marshmallows;
marshmallows = ingredient in Peeps;

Thus, but the transitive properties of Easter:
Peeps = Cancer cure!

washingtonpost.com/lifestyl…

If you start taking glucosamine, keep an eye on your cholesterol. My husband, only 30, very healthy, a life long athlete was found to have seriously high cholesterol after blood work. Our diet is quite good, primarily fish and fresh fruits and veggies, really no animal fats other than fish oils. Looking into the supplements we take, we read that glucosamine has been shown to elevate cholesterol. He stopped taking it and dropped 60 points on his "bad" cholesterol by his sixth month check up.

Have you thought about going gluten and/or sugar free? or looking into possible food allergies? Helped my friend out a lot.

I've had some success with flax seed oil combined with icing after climbing.

There are corn-derived glucosamine products on the market like a couple of people above have stated. But it's important to realize that glucosamine comes from the chitin in crustacean shells -- it's an amino sugar and doesn't contain any protein from the shellfish. So, even people with severe allergies to shellfish find they can take glucosamine with no problems.

Hey sam, try taking Tumeric. i use it when my elbow joint pain kicks up while climbing and post climbs. it helps a great deal.

Traumeel works great for my shoulder too. Can be picked up at whole foods.

The one that I have to make sure to take is iron supplements. Since I'm not getting meat, but not that good at supplementing it with other things that are better. That is why I try to take those pills everyday. While I was in college before I could get some iron pills, I was sleeping everyday becuase I wans't getting the meat that my body had been used to. So once I started to take them I felt much better and felt like I had way more energy.

It's all anecdotal, but I've found that a regimen of fish oil (not vegetarian) and turmeric prior to working out seems to help with my joints and tendons (primarily elbow pain). I also take a homemade collagen supplement but that's probably pseudo-scientific nonsense. 

hey, sorry to necropost, but 2 of yall already did haha. anyway, isn't algae oil supposed to work pretty well in place of fish oil? i'm pretty sure it has similar amounts of DHA. Just putting it out there for the vegetarians.