The side effects of glucosamine and chondroitin are generally of a not serious nature. That is according to what I have found in researching this subject.
While not demonstrated or reported in the studies, there are 2 other possible side effects of glucosamine and chondroitin that you may want to consider.
If any reader needs to know, glucosamine and chondroitin are ingredients in a popular dietary supplement. The main reason people are taking this supplement is for the relief painful knees due to degenerative joint disease aka osteoarthritis.
Back to the possible side effects....
First, glucosamine is derived from the chitin in crustacean shells. People who are allergic to things like shrimp, lobster and seafood should be aware of this.
Why? Because to be as safe as possible, if you have this allergy, it is recommended that you: number one, be aware of the possibility of a reaction, ; number two, be prepared for it; and third, if you you have any kind of history of worsening allergic reactions you should certainly consult with your doctor prior to starting on glucosamine.
One precaution you can take is to obtain the same formula of glucosamine and chondroitin that is used in a majority of the studies. That the participants were given only highly refined and purified ingredients, may be a big reason for there being no allergic reactions in the studies.
In the USA, Cosamin®DS by Nutramax labs is the only brand that contains the studied formulas.
Another consideration is due to the fact that chondroitin is derived from bovine (cattle) tracheae. So, in theory, there could be a link to mad cow disease.
No occurrences have been reported, but it is a disease that takes a long time to manifest. Again, it may be that sticking with the best purified, refined chondroitin would be a good way to minimize that risk, however small it may be.
TRH122 Low Molecular Weight Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, as found only in Cosamin®DS, is the name of the formulation used in most of the major studies to date.
For more information about adverse reactions to glucosamine and chondroitin, please click on: side effects of glucosamine and chondroitin.
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