Completed

A Pharmacokinetic Study of Glucosamine and Chondroitin

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What is being tested

Data Collection

Who is being recruted

Arthritis
+2

+ Joint Diseases
+ Musculoskeletal Diseases
Over 21 Years
See all eligibility criteria
How is the trial designed

Treatment Study

Interventional
Study Start: April 2004
See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorNational Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Last updated: January 14, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner
Study start date: April 1, 2004Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

Osteoarthritis is the most common musculoskeletal disease in the world. While predisposing conditions have been identified, the actual cause of osteoarthritis remains unknown. Traditional treatments, most often anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers, produce variable results and may cause significant toxicity. The use of complementary and alternative therapies in the treatment of osteoarthritis has become more common, and particular interest has focused on glucosamine and chondroitin treatments. This study will examine the pharmacokinetics of glucosamine and chondroitin. This study consists of two phases. In Phase I, participants will have two study visits, during which multiple blood samples will be taken to determine levels of glucosamine and chondroitin found naturally in the body. During Phase II, participants will be randomly assigned to receive glucosamine, chondroitin, or a combination of the two for 3 months. Blood samples will be taken at each of the three Phase II study visits to examine the pharmacokinetics of glucosamaine and chondroitin.

Official TitleA Pharmacokinetic Study of Glucosamine and Chondroitin 
NCT00086229R21AT001938-01
Principal SponsorNational Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Last updated: January 14, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Design Details
70 patients to be enrolledTotal number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.
Treatment Study
These studies test new ways to treat a disease, condition, or health issue. The goal is to see if a new drug, therapy, or approach works better or has fewer side effects than existing options.

How participants are assigned to different groups/arms
In this clinical study, participants are placed into groups randomly, like flipping a coin. This ensures that the study is fair and unbiased, making the results more reliable. By assigning participants by chance, researchers can better compare treatments without external influences.

Other Ways to Assign Participants
Non-randomized allocation: Participants are assigned based on specific factors, such as their medical condition or a doctor's decision.
None (Single-arm trial): If the study has only one group, all participants receive the same treatment, and no allocation is needed.

How treatments are given to participants
Participants are divided into different groups, each receiving a specific treatment at the same time. This helps researchers compare how well different treatments work against each other.

Other Ways to Assign Treatments
Single-group assignment: Everyone gets the same treatment.
Cross-over assignment: Participants switch between treatments during the study.
Factorial assignment: Participants receive different combinations of treatments.
Sequential assignment: Participants receive treatments one after another in a specific order, possibly based on individual responses.
Other assignment: Treatment assignment does not follow a standard or predefined design.

How the interventions assigned to participants is kept confidential
Everyone involved in the study knows which treatment is being given. This is typically used when it's not possible or necessary to hide the treatment details from participants or researchers.

Other Ways to Mask Information
Single-blind: Participants do not know which treatment they are receiving, but researchers do.
Double-blind: Neither participants nor researchers know which treatment is given.
Triple-blind: Participants, researchers, and outcome assessors do not know which treatment is given.
Quadruple-blind: Participants, researchers, outcome assessors, and care providers all do not know which treatment is given.

Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Conditions
Criteria
Any sexBiological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.
Over 21 YearsRange of ages for which participants are eligible to join.
Healthy volunteers allowedIf individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.
Conditions
Pathology
Arthritis
Joint Diseases
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Osteoarthritis
Rheumatic Diseases
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Able to walk Exclusion Criteria: * Allergy to glucosamine, chondroitin, or shellfish * Liver or kidney disease * Diabetes mellitus * Concurrent use of other complementary or alternative therapies

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.
This study has 1 location
Suspended
University of Utah Health Sciences CenterSalt Lake City, United StatesSee the location
CompletedOne Study Center
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