Where has the Chondroitin gone ?
A quick review of NZ made joint supplements found none with the recommended levels of Chondroitin Sulfate. I did find two quality US made supplements for sale in NZ that do meet this standard, as does my Bettaflex.
The International research and recommendation of CS for osteoarthritis (OA) is not in dispute. It has been available on prescription in Europe at doses of 800mg+ (daily) for over a decade. There are numerous overseas companies that manufacture supplements that have therapeutic levels of CS.
This begs the question as to why not in NZ? What could be the reason NZ companies exclude therapeutic amounts of CS? A quick check on the most extensive online supplement store found that most NZ made joint supplements, including the biggest selling products, had on average of only 200mg of CS. Typically these are marketed as a ‘1 a day’ products that are mostly glucosamine with little or no chondroitin.
The only reason I can conclude is the cost of chondroitin. I have just purchased a new batch of high grade avian-sourced CS and the cost is about 9 times that of glucosamine. If you took the top selling joint products and reduced the glucosamine from (around) 1500 mg to 800mg and added 800mg of chondroitin, the cost to consumer price would likely need to double or the profit more than halved.
I have no doubt that most of the benefits people get from Bettaflex is from the chondroitin. Scientists have identified over 30 benefits adding therapeutic levels of chondroitin has on the chemistry and function of joints and the joint capsule. Whilst some of these are complex, the benefits are mostly to improve the function of cartilage-secreting chondrocyte cells, regulating destructive enzymes and joint capsule inflammation. The bottom line is less pain and more mobility.
John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv.Dip.Nut.Med.) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health. If you have questions or need help you can contact John 0800 423559. You can email John at john@abundant.co.nz.
Please note that the health advice given through this column is for general educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any health problem. © John Arts 2022