A cartilage building block, sold as a supplement in the United States and prescribed as a medicine across much of Europe. It slows knee joint space narrowing over one to two years; pain relief is real but small and contested. Side effects match placebo, so the practical risk is buying a product containing far less than its label claims. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| hs-CRP | < 1.0 mg/L, ideally < 0.5 mg/L | Tracks the anti-inflammatory signal chondroitin is proposed to act through |
| INR | 2.0–3.0 when anticoagulated; otherwise 0.8–1.2 | Detects the reported bleeding interaction before it becomes clinically apparent |
| Fasting glucose | 70–85 mg/dL (3.9–4.7 mmol/L) | Screens the glycaemic concern attached to glucosamine in combination products |
| HbA1c | 4.8–5.4% | Confirms no drift in glucose control over the months chondroitin takes to act |
| eGFR and creatinine | eGFR > 90 mL/min/1.73 m² | Baseline organ function, since chondroitin fragments are cleared by the kidneys |
| ALT and AST | ALT < 20 U/L (men), < 17 U/L (women) | Routine tolerability check over long-term use |
| COMP | No established target range; track the direction of change from the individual's own baseline | Offers an earlier structural readout than repeat imaging |
Cadence: Baseline before the first dose. International normalised ratio at weeks 1 and 4, then quarterly while anticoagulated. Inflammatory, glycaemic, kidney and liver markers at 3 months, then every 6–12 months. Joint score at 3 and 6 months.