This site may contain links to affiliate websites, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. Read Our Disclosures
The supplement market has become overly saturated as more and more supplements hit the shelves with high promises of health and longevity. Now more than ever it is essential to know what your body needs and to discern which products are good and which are just marketing hypes.
NOW Foods Glucosamine provides you with 1100 mg Glucosamine Sulfate, 1200 mg Chondroitin Sulfate, and 300 mg Methyl Sulfonylmethane (MSM) in every 3-capsule serving.
According to scientific studies, these are three of the most effective and best known nutrients for the support of healthy joints, enhancing normal joint mobility, and reducing the risk of developing degenerative joint problems, such as Osteoarthritis.
The level of MSM is just 15% of what you get with the bestselling Hip Knee & Joints formula from Dr Tobias, so does it deliver the same level of health benefits?
In this review, we’ll compare NOW Foods to other top-rated Glucosamine, Chondroitin & MSM supplements, as well as whole-body joint supplements, such as Zyflamend from New Chapter. This includes the best time of day to take it, recommended dosage, price, ingredients, and customer feedback.
We’ve also added recommendations for the best supplements to combine with NOW Foods Glucosamine, to help maximize your results. Two examples are Vitamin D3 and Omega-3 fatty acids, which are commonly used to inhibit the inflammation process associated with Osteoarthritis, reducing the pain felt in your knees, hips, and hands.
NOW Foods Glucosamine Ingredients
NOW Foods has combined 3 key joint support ingredients into a single 3-capsule serving. Most importantly this includes glucosamine sulfate instead of glucosamine hydrochloride (HCL). NOW glucosamine & chondroitin offer optimal nutritional support.
One of the problems we have with joint health supplements that use glucosamine HCL is that it’s not backed by many scientific studies. Most, such as a GAIT (Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial), sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, reach a similar conclusion.
The conclusion that is reached is that glucosamine sulfate (but not glucosamine hydrochloride) and chondroitin sulfate have a more significant impact on the treatment of osteoarthritis.
If you have a medical condition or a known allergy that might cause issues with this dietary supplement, it is recommended that you get the green light from your doctor before you start taking NOW glucosamine & chondroitin.
The combination of 3 complementary ingredients is designed to target all aspects of joint pain. Glucosamine maintains and improves the health of cartilage at the joints, while chondroitin sulfate reduces pain and inflammation, improves joint function, and slows the progression of osteoarthritis (OA).
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is also a popular choice for relieving chronic pain, osteoarthritis, joint inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and inflammation around the joints.
We’ve seen some joint supplements provide up to 2000 mg of MSM per serving (Dr Tobias Hip Knee & Joints), but NOW Foods provides you with 300 mg. There’s no Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of MSM.
Is This MSM Dietary Supplement Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans?
Unfortunately, glucosamine sulfate is typically derived from shellfish, which means it’s unsuitable for vegetarians and vegans. This is also true of chondroitin sulfate, which in this case is derived from bovine cartilage.
There is still research being done to see if these compounds can be derived from a vegetable source or tree nut ingredients. At this time, there are no solid answers in this regard.
The compounds come in a cellulose capsule, which is derived from a plant source.
What is the Price Like for NOW Supplements Glucosamine & Chondroitin With MSM?
The only downside with this dietary supplement is the price. At the time of writing, each serving was priced at around $0.42, even with the volume discount from buying a larger 180-count bottle.
To put this in perspective, Doctor’s Best Glucosamine has 1500 mg of glucosamine sulfate, 1200 mg of chondroitin sulfate, and 1000 mg of MSM per serving. This was priced at just $0.11 per serving for the 240-count bottle. Both bottles will last up to 60 days.
NOW Glucosamine – Product Summary
- Serving size 3 capsules. 30 servings per container
- Glucosamine sulfate 1.1 g
- Chondroitin sodium sulfate 1.2 g
- MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) 300 mg
- Combines three of the most popular and effective nutrients for supporting joint health in one dietary supplement
- Glucosamine and Chondroitin are both 100% sulfate, the most studied form of these nutrients
- MSM (Methylsulphonylmethane), an organic form of sulfur found in all living organisms, is also included
- Supports Normal Joint Function
Health Benefits of NOW Glucosamine
There are numerous health benefits to NOW glucosamine. Some of these include the support of healthy joints, maintaining normal joint mobility, having optimal nutritional support, the production of healthy joint structures and the maintenance of healthy joint structures.
For a comprehensive list of glucosamine health benefits, we recommend our Glucosamine Buying Guide.
When is the Best Time to Take It?
Recommended Use
As a dietary supplement, take 3 capsules daily. It can be taken at any time of the day with meals or on an empty stomach.
Recommended Storage
It is always recommended that supplements and medication be stored in a cool dry place out of the reach of children.
NOW Foods vs Schiff Glucosamine
NOW Foods vs Dr Tobias Glucosamine
What Sizes of NOW Foods Glucosamine Chondroitin With MSM Are Available?
With a serving size of 3 capsules, each bottle provides you with either 30 or 60 servings. You can also find multi-pack deals on the larger 180-count bottles, which usually offer the best value for money.
At the time of writing this review, the best value for money comes from the multi-pack deal of 2 x 180-count bottles. Each serving was priced at $0.40, compared to $0.42 per serving with a single bottle of 180.
We always recommend calculating the average cost per serving, across all sizes, before making a final buying decision.
Who are NOW Foods?
NOW Foods has specialized in the development of healthy foods and natural supplements since 1968, with the goal of empowering people to lead healthier lives.
Their supplements have been featured in just about every major health publication in the U.S., including Men’s Fitness, Prevention, Health Magazine, and Better Nutrition Magazine.
They’ve also experienced global success through the creation of NOW® International in 2000, which extended the reach of their natural health products to more than 70 countries.
As for their current product line, this includes a wide range of bestselling dietary supplements. These are designed to address specific health needs, such as digestive support, joint support, heart health, and cognitive health. Categories include Beauty and Health, Essential Oils, Sports Nutrition, and Natural Foods.
But knowing what’s contained in each supplement isn’t always easy, which is why we created the NOW Foods supplement guide. It’s essentially a summary of the most important health benefits, dosages and main ingredients for each product.
We’ve also added in-depth reviews and comparisons with other top-rated nutrition companies, to guarantee you only buy the best supplement for your fitness goals.
NOW Foods Glucosamine Chondroitin with MSM Supplement Review Summary
Overall Review Rating
4 / 5
NOW Foods Glucosamine doesn’t carry the potency we would expect for a joint health supplement, with a lower than average dose of glucosamine sulfate.
Practically every company we review, from Schiff and Vimerson Health, to Dr. Tobias and Doctor’s Best, provide a 1500 mg dose per serving. It’s the intake used by numerous clinical studies, with excellent results (when combined with chondroitin sulfate).
The level of MSM is also lower than average for a combination supplement with the big 3 ingredients (glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM). At 300 mg per serving, it’s just 30% of the dose you get with Zenwise Labs, and a fraction of the 2000 mg provided by Dr. Tobias Hip Knee & Joints.
Unfortunately this isn’t reflected in the price, which was virtually the same as Dr. Tobias Glucosamine, and actually more expensive than the Zenwise Labs supplement.
In summary, we don’t feel NOW Glucosamine is good value for money. We would also question why anyone would want to supplement with a daily dose of glucosamine less than 1500 mg. Time and time again it’s proven effective for the relief of joint pain.
As an alternative, we would highly recommend Zenwise Labs Joint Support. In our opinion it’s the perfect glucosamine supplement, with added ingredients to reduce inflammation and increase mobility. The daily serving is also split into 3 tablets, so you can spread your intake across 3 500 mg doses to fit in with meal times and reduce any potential stomach discomfort.
USA Home Gym gives in-depth insights into gym equipment, supplements, and fitness training methods. The motivation behind USA Home Gym is to provide you with information that goes beyond what you can find in any user manual, customer review, or other online review sites.
We go to great lengths to ensure that our reviews are completely comprehensive, usually covering everything from the design features to the warranty coverage and exercise options. This is all to help guide you towards the home gym equipment that’s best suited to your goals and budget, whilst also being the highest quality option in your chosen price range.
