Best Joint Health Supplements, According to ConsumerLab Tests

White Plains, NY, February 6, 2025 — Recent ConsumerLab tests of popular joint health supplements found several contained far less of one or more key ingredients than claimed. The products were tested to determine if they contained their claimed amounts of key ingredients, including glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), Boswellia, collagen, and/or turmeric. Products prone to heavy metal contamination, including those containing glucosamine and/or chondroitin from a non-bovine source, whole herbs, or large doses of minerals, were tested for lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, and tablets and caplets were tested for proper disintegration.

Key Findings:

• Not all joint health supplements deliver what they promise: Three out of 17 joint health supplements selected for testing by ConsumerLab contained far less Boswellia than expected from their labels, including one product that contained less than 4% of the boswellic acids listed on its label. The same product also fell short on turmeric: ConsumerLab tests revealed it contained just 2.3% of curcuminoids (key turmeric compounds) expected from its label. Two other products contained only 57% and 83.6% of their expected amounts of boswellic acids.
• Boswellia quality still an issue: The findings highlight an ongoing issue with the quality of Boswellia ingredients in joint health supplements. Boswellia was also a common problem when ConsumerLab tested products in 2021. ConsumerLab checks products for their amounts of AKBA, a specific boswellic acid that appears to be the most potent anti-inflammatory component in Boswellia. Although many Boswellia extracts claim to be standardized to contain a minimum amount of AKBA, ConsumerLab tests have shown this isn’t always the case.
• The good news: Little to no contamination: No supplement prone to heavy metal contamination was found to exceed the strict California Prop 65 limits for lead, and none were found to exceed ConsumerLab’s strict limits on arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. 
• Cost does not indicate quality: The cost to obtain a typical 1,500 mg dose of glucosamine from a product ranged from $ 10 to over $9.00, but testing showed that price was not an indicator of quality.

Among products that passed all tests and were Approved, ConsumerLab selected Top Picks in several categories, each providing appropriate doses of key ingredients at the best value. 

Access the Full Report:

ConsumerLab’s full Joint Health Supplements Review can now be accessed online by ConsumerLab.com members – who now number over 100,000.

The Review includes test results and comparisons for 21 joint health supplements containing glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, Boswellia, collagen, and/or turmeric. Seventeen products were selected for testing by ConsumerLab: Arazo Nutrition Joint Support, Doctor's Best Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM With OptiMSM, Dr. Mercola Joint Formula, Joint Food, Kirkland Signature [Costco] Advanced Glucosamine Chondroitin, Kirkland Signature [Costco] Extra Strength Glucosamine HCl With MSM, Member's Mark [Sam's Club] Glucosamine HCl Chondroitin/MSM Complex, Natural Factors OsteoMove Extra Strength Joint Care, Nature Made Glucosamine Chondroitin Complex With MSM, Instaflex Advanced Featuring UC-II Collagen, Osteo Bi-Flex Triple Strength, Previnex Joint Health Plus, ProCaps Laboratories Andrew Lessman Glucosamine 1500 Chondroitin 1200, Pure Encapsulations Glucosamine Chondroitin With MSM, Swanson Boswellia Serrata Extract, WynnPharm Dona, and Xymogen Synovx DJD. Four additional products passed the same testing and were Approved through CL's voluntary Quality Certification Program: GNC Triflex, Life Extension ArthoMax Advanced NT2 Collagen & AprèsFlex, Nutramax Cosamin DS For Joint Health, and Nutramax Laboratories Cosamin ASU.

As explained in the Review, the evidence that glucosamine and chondroitin supplements may reduce osteoarthritis pain is mixed, and there is little evidence that they improve joint function. Other joint health supplement ingredients, such as Boswellia and turmeric, have anti-inflammatory effects that may be helpful, and certain types of collagen may improve joint pain and flexibility in people with osteoarthritis, although it may take two to six months to have a noticeable effect. The Review explains what to look for on labels when choosing a joint supplement, including the dosages used in clinical studies. It also discusses safety, side effects, and drug interactions with glucosamine, chondroitin, Boswellia, MSM, turmeric, and collagen supplements.

Founded in 1999, ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. Membership to ConsumerLab.com is available online and provides immediate access to continually updated reviews of nearly every popular type of dietary supplement and health food, answers to reader questions, and product recalls and warnings. ConsumerLab also provides independent product testing through its voluntary Quality Certification Program. The company is privately held and based in New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products.