Updated Studies (2020–2026) — and the GAIT record

MD's Choice formulas do not contain chondroitin sulphate. The NIH-sponsored GAIT trial is the large, publicly funded test most often cited.

2006 GAIT (NEJM 354:795–808). Clegg et al. Glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, both, celecoxib, or placebo in knee OA (n=1,583). Overall, the glucosamine + chondroitin combination was not significantly better than placebo for the primary outcome. Celecoxib was. In the milder-pain stratum, neither chondroitin nor the combination beat placebo. See NEJM GAIT and PMID 16495392.
GAIT follow-up / ancillary papers. Later GAIT reports did not reverse the primary null finding versus placebo for chondroitin as a stand-alone oral agent in the full cohort.

Historic abstracts below are kept as originally archived. They are not an endorsement of adding chondroitin to a daily joint formula.

Added studies and reviews (1998–2026)

Short notes on later trials. Original library abstracts stay below.

GAIT 2006. Clegg et al., NEJM: chondroitin sulfate alone did not beat placebo on the primary knee-OA endpoint.
2010–2017. Wandel BMJ 2010 pooled CS/GS as small; some pharmaceutical-grade CS trials (e.g. MOVES / later CS 800 mg studies) report pain scores similar to celecoxib in selected knee OA. Absorption of large CS chains after oral use remains limited compared with glucosamine salts.
MD's Choice position (unchanged). Oral CS is not used in Arthrosamine / Gluquestrian. Historic library abstracts below are kept; newer trials do not change the absorption problem that drove that decision.

Not FDA-evaluated disease claims. Call 1-800-628-0997 if you want help matching a formula to a body.

Chondroitin

Chondroitin

An ingredient you’ll NEVER see in any MD’s Choice product.

Here is why: Molecularity, when it goes through the digestive tract, it’s smallest parts are too large to effectively get into the blood stream, much less the joint tissue. Science shows that over 70% of the ‘best’ chondroitin sulphate on the market in found in the feces within 24 hours! Making for some expensive poop!

Just say NO to Chondroitin

Any company still using ‘glucosamine & chondroitin’ in their oral joint supplement is willfully ignoring decades of science on absorption, function, and reality! It should be a signal to educated consumers that

THAT COMPANY doesn’t really know much about nutrition, willfully ignores science, or doesn’t honestly care about their product or customers! Furthermore, there are some major differences within the same compound. Yes, it can get very complicated. There is a company in Texas, Nutrimax (Cosequin, Cosemin, etc.) that has a patented process… and the undisputed best chondroitin on the market, although their own science shows up to 70% of their ‘special’ patented chondroitin exits the body within 24 hours (unused)… yet their form really has been scientifically proven to be the best type of chondroitin, at 250,000 daltons (the molecular size), manufactured. HOWEVER, one needs to understand science: NOTHING larger than 5,000 daltons can be absorbed by the joint tissues. (which is why up to 70% of their ‘best’ is found in the poop within 24 hours). Yeah, they have the best ‘chondroitin’ on the market: ~ BUT NOT THE BEST JOINT SUPPLEMENT~

Glucosamine Sulphate 2KCl is the best choice! The professionals at MD’s Choice designed formulas that actively use select ingredients, in their best forms, with specific ratios, with the optimum combinations of ‘contributing nutrients’ to create the most bio-available products possible for the money. This ensures the maximum amount of key nutrients were safely made available to the body, to actively help the body either solve specific problems, or maintain optimum health.

No magic… just real science!

Note: The following abstracts are written in extremely technical language and include technical research and case studies. References are provided. For 'user-friendly' informative reading, check out the health topics presented by Dr. Martin and Dr. Davenport. Feel free to contact us for more information or if you have any questions.


Glycosaminoglycan chondroprotection: pharmacological vistas

Chondroprotection is a somewhat new field in the therapy of osteoarthritis, which is designed to improve cartilage repair as well as enhance joint remodeling. It clearly results from both laboratory models as well as from studies on human osteoarthritis, that cartilage contains biological resources to meet the repair of degenerative injuries and inflammation. Interestingly, sulfated glycosaminoglycans from matrix inhibit leukocyte protease and complement-mediated immunological reactions. By fractioning cartilage glycosaminoglycans from Selachus (Matrix), evidence has been obtained that a proper chondroitin sulfate sequence, which is able to inhibit elastase, may be released from cartilage proteoglycans by cleavage of the xyl-ser O-glycosidic bond. Since a number of sulfated glycosaminoglycans have a regulatory function in an array of tissues, attention is drawn to possible regulatory properties of selected sequences of matrix chondroitin sulfate, as far as chondroprotection is concerned.

Paroli-E
Int-J-Clin-Pharmacol-Res. 1993; 13 Suppl: 1-9

Chondroprotection with chondroitin sulfate

The remarkable insights into the pathogenesis of osteo-arthrosis (OA) have also affected the therapeutic field. Efforts have been made to find drugs which would somehow block or slow down the evolution of this disease. In this connection, a major contribution has been made by the investigations on glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which play a crucial role in the physiology of joint cartilage. It was thus suggested that proper supplementation with GAGs might enable chondrocytes to replace the proteoglycans (PG). Galactosaminoglucuronoglycan sulfate (GAGGS) has been used for this purpose. In preliminary clinical trials, GAGGS exhibited a remarkable tolerability and good therapeutic efficacy. GAGs are generally able to inhibit certain enzymes present in the synovial fluid which may damage joint cartilage (elastase, hyaluronidase). Moreover, GAGGS has also been shown to act as an anti-inflammatory drug since it has an inhibitory effect over the complement. All these data supply evidence that, in theory, GAGGS may have a chondroprotective effect in patients with OA. In addition to the positive results of preliminary clinical trials, the use of GAGGS in OA therapy is based on the fact that this drug is absorbed by the body, is concentrated in the cartilage's and produces no toxic or teratogenic effects. In the clinical studies performed so far, although of the open type, GAGGS has always yielded clinical improvement both of painful symptoms and of limited function thanks to its proven anti-inflammatory activity. Thus once the results from other ongoing trials (double blind) are available, hopefully GAGGS will in fact become a basic drug for OA therapy.

Pipitone-VR
Drugs-Exp-Clin-Res. 1991; 17(1): 3-7



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