Chondroitin and glucosamine are natural substances found in the cartilage of joints. Chondroitin statistics reveal that this supplement is usually harvested from animals, but it can also be synthesized in a laboratory. Moreover, both chondroitin and glucosamine are used extensively in alternative medicine.
Recently, the US, Canada, China, Japan, Brazil, Germany, and Italy have experienced increased production and consumption of chondroitin supplements. The increase is due to the vast application of these supplements across medical and non-medical fields.
This article will inform you about the uses, benefits, and side effects of chondroitin. Read on to find out more.
Top 10 Chondroitin Statistics and Facts
- Chondroitin is found naturally in the body as a vital part of cartilage.
- Older people are more likely to develop complications due to declining levels of chondroitin.
- At least 80% of people above the age of 75 have arthritis of the hand.
- Chondroitin may be beneficial for treating osteoarthritis.
- High use of chondroitin can reduce hsCRP values by 36%.
- The recommended daily dose for chondroitin sulfate is 1,200 mg.
- Nutraceuticals have the highest use of chondroitin, with a market share of 36%.
- The European Commission approved the use of Mythocondro®.
- The chondroitin supplement market size could reach $2.9 billion by 2025.
- According to a study, 90% of CS supplements contained lesser CS than on the label.
General Chondroitin Facts
These statistical and scientific facts will enrich your knowledge about chondroitin supplements and help you make an informed decision when choosing the right supplement for you.
Learn about the sources of chondroitin, the main chondroitin types, potential allergies, and much more.
1. Chondroitin is found naturally in the body as a vital part of cartilage.
(Versus Arthritis)
Chondroitin is a high-viscosity substance that exists in the body of both humans and animals.
According to the chondroitin statistics, the substance is found in cartilage, where it has many functions, some of which we’ll cover in the following paragraphs.
2. Chondroitin can be derived from non-animal sources.
(PR Newswire, WebMD)
About 15 million Americans suffer from joint pain each year, and many use chondroitin for arthritis and other joint pain relief. A significant percentage of joint pain sufferers couldn’t resort to pain-relieving chondroitin due to diet restrictions until recently.
Chondroitin has traditionally been derived from animal sources, such as beef or shark cartilage, making it unsuitable for vegetarians, vegans, etc.
However, recent developments in chondroitin production led to the creation of vegan-friendly joint formulas, making chondroitin available for a broader population of consumers.
3. Mythocondro® is the first non-animal derived chondroitin sulfate.
(NutraIngredients, PR Newswire)
Mythocondro® is a research-backed vegan-friendly chondroitin variant obtained through fermentation of plant-based materials.
This vegetarian chondroitin is homogenous and structurally similar to chondroitin found in synovial fluid in humans. Moreover, it’s superior to animal CS, as it’s more effective against inflammation and 43% more bioavailable.
4. Chondroitin, MSM, and glucosamine help to keep the cartilage healthy.
(Medical News Today)
The activities of chondroitin, MSM, and glucosamine in the cartilage help protect it from damage.
Glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM provide the building blocks the body needs to produce new cartilage.
5. Chondroitin blocks enzymes that break down cartilage.
(ScienceDirect)
Chondroitin gets its effectiveness from the process of inhibiting the activities of proteolytic enzymes.
Experts have found that these enzymes can break down the cartilage matrix in humans, leading to osteoarthritis.
6. There are two major chondroitin sulfates.
(ScienceDirect)
Chondroitin sulfates A and C are the two main chondroitin types.
The difference is based on the sulfate position, chondroitin sulfate A being sulfated at position 4, and chondroitin sulfate C at position 6. This is why these two polysaccharides are also known as chondroitin 4-sulfate and chondroitin 6-sulfate.
7. Chondroitin sulfate ratio changes with age.
(ScienceDirect)
The ratio of chondroitin sulfate C to chondroitin sulfate A gradually increases over time, reaching a plateau around the age of 50.
8. Chondroitin is responsible for the elasticity of cartilage.
(NCBI)
You may wonder how chondroitin for joint pain works. Namely, bones contain sodium in their matrix to keep them strong, but the cartilage is filled with chondroitin.
The presence of chondroitin in cartilage helps it retain water, maintaining joints’ elasticity and overall mobility.
9. Older people are more likely to develop complications due to declining levels of chondroitin.
(NCBI)
According to well-known chondroitin facts, as we age, the level of chondroitin in our bodies declines.
The absence or lack of chondroitin in cartilage affects mobility, which may lead to chronic pain. This explains why joint conditions like arthritis are more prevalent in the elderly.
10. Chondroitin can increase the risk of melanoma.
(Harvard Health Publishing)
A 2018 study on mice suggested that taking chondroitin capsules or other forms of chondroitin supplementation may increase the development or recurrence of melanoma—a potentially lethal form of skin cancer.
Additionally, the study showed that mice supplemented with chondroitin sulfate were more resistant to vemurafenib, an antitumor drug.
11. Chondroitin use is associated with sports injuries of the joints.
(ResearchGate)
Joint pain is common in athletes, and it results from the thinning of the cartilage. When this happens, chondroitin is often recommended as part of alternative treatment.
Chondroitin can prevent cartilage damage and repair worn-out tissues, which is why taking the right chondroitin supplement benefits many athletes.
12. At least 80% of people above the age of 75 have arthritis of the hand.
(Cleveland Clinic)
Arthritis of the hand is a condition that is most prevalent in the elderly, and recent investigations using chondroitin as treatment have shown positive results.
Moreover, recent chondroitin stats reveal that the substance has a considerable impact on pain reduction in people who have arthritis in the fingers.
Benefits of Chondroitin
In this section, you’ll find much information regarding plant-based, animal, and marine chondroitin benefits.
Interestingly, despite the popular belief, the use of chondroitin isn’t limited to treating arthritis, as we’ll have a chance to see in the following paragraphs.
13. In the US alone, 32.5 million adults are affected by osteoarthritis.
(CDC)
Osteoarthritis is defined as a slow deterioration of the bones in a specific joint. It happens due to the breakdown of cartilage and occurs mainly in the hands, hip, and knee joints.
Factors such as age, past injuries, obesity, gender, race, and genetics can lead to an increased possibility of osteoarthritis. Studies are mixed on the effectiveness of using chondroitin for osteoarthritis pain.
14. Chondroitin may be beneficial for treating osteoarthritis.
(Versus Arthritis)
Due to its ability to improve cartilage functionality, chondroitin is often used as an alternative medication to repair and prevent the deterioration of the cartilage in the joint.
Research on the benefits of chondroitin has shown that regular intake of the substance leads to better joint activities and a reduction in joint pain.
15. High use of chondroitin can reduce hsCRP values by 36%.
(NCBI)
A study showed that taking chondroitin capsules 14 or more times a week leads to increased levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, indicating reduced inflammation.
16. Chondroitin sulfate is used for wound-healing purposes.
(ScienceDirect)
CS helps the body manufacture connective tissues needed for quick repair and regeneration of a wound.
17. Chondroitin has functions in treating bladder conditions.
(MedicineNet)
According to the facts on chondroitin usage, interstitial cystitis (IC)—also known as painful bladder syndrome (PBS)—occurs due to the bladder’s chronic inflammatory disorder.
Several experiments studied the use of chondroitin in the treatment of PBS, where the patients fully recovered.
18. Chondroitin plays a vital role in the treatment of dry eyes.
(Drugs.com)
Dry eye disease—keratoconjunctivitis—is a condition that affects over 16 million Americans, as revealed by the chondroitin sulfate statistics.
Furthermore, patients with keratoconjunctivitis have shown improvement when treated with chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid.
19. Chondroitin supplements for osteoarthritis enhance the shock-absorbing properties of joint cartilage and block enzymes that break it down.
(MediDirect)
According to chondroitin supplement statistics, the shock-absorbing properties of cartilage allow the bones of the joint to glide over each other during movement painlessly.
Chondroitin Use: Statistics and Facts
Discover the most recent statistics on chondroitin supplement consumption, current market value, and future prognosis, as well as exciting facts about dosage, impurities, etc.
20. The recommended daily dose for chondroitin sulfate is 1,200 mg.
(OAPH)
Individuals with a body weight under 100 lbs shouldn’t exceed the chondroitin dose of 800 mg per day.
21. The excessive use of chondroitin may raise blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
(NCHR)
People who have diabetes need to monitor their sugar levels due to the inability of their bodies to produce insulin, which regulates blood sugar.
A constant intake of chondroitin and glucosamine (a type of complex sugar) by diabetic patients may also increase their blood sugar, as revealed by statistics on chondroitin and its side effects.
22. Nutraceuticals have the highest use of chondroitin, with a market share of 36%.
(Grand View Research)
The prevalence of osteoarthritis has led to the increased use of chondroitin supplements as pharmaceutical alternatives for the repair and recovery of depilated cartilage in patients with osteoarthritis.
23. There’s still no complete safety and quality control for chondroitin sulfate.
(NCBI)
Manufacturers can use a variety of chondroitin natural sources to create CS supplements. Combining different animal tissues may affect the activity and absorption levels of the final product.
Additionally, different purification processes further modify the structural characteristics of the final CS products and leave them with varying purity and contaminant levels.
24. Chondroitin from shark cartilage is rarely used in the production of supplements.
(Grand View Research)
Chondroitin statistics show that both shark and bovine cartilage are excellent sources of chondroitin.
Unfortunately, the world industries’ pursuit of shark chondroitin has put the marine predator on the list of endangered species.
25. The European Commission approved the use of Mythocondro®.
(NutraIngredients)
This non-animal chondroitin sulfate was recently approved in 28 EU countries. The European Commission approval paves the way for commercializing the product and boosting the chondroitin market size.
26. Taking chondroitin can cause internal bleeding in people with a blood clotting disorder.
(WebMD)
The facts on chondroitin dosage indicate that the substance can interfere with anticoagulants in people with a blood clotting disorder, increasing the risk of internal bleeding.
27. According to a study, 90% of CS supplements contained lesser CS than on the label.
(PubMed)
The study examined and compared pharmaceutical-grade chondroitin products and chondroitin supplements, measuring purity, concentration, and the origin of the main ingredient.
It concluded that, besides the CS amounts in supplemental chondroitin capsules not matching the label, only 3/10 of food supplements were as effective as pharmaceutical grade products in reducing inflammation.
Additionally, most chondroitin supplements turned out to be cytotoxic to an extent.
Chondroitin Supplement Statistics
Finally, we examine some statistics about the chondroitin supplement market and how it’s changed over time.
Overall, the general market outlook is promising for the near future.
Let’s check it out.
28. The chondroitin supplement market size could reach $2.9 billion by 2025.
(Grand View Research, WBOC)
The chondroitin market is expanding, and chondroitin use in 2020 didn’t decrease despite the pandemic, having been valued at $1.17 billion that year.
Experts predict a further growth at a CAGR of 15.3% between 2021 and 2025 and the market size reaching $2.9 billion by the end of the forecast period.
Some of the top players in the global chondroitin market include:
- SANXIN
- Yantai
- ISBA
- WanTuMing
- Dongcheng, etc.
29. The US market alone could generate up to 600 tonnes of CS by 2026.
(GlobeNewswire)
Factors that drive chondroitin sales—based on US statistics—include the increasing demand for supplements, the prevalence of osteoarthritis, and the aging population.
30. In 2019, bovine cartilage had the highest market share when it comes to chondroitin sources.
(Grand View Research)
According to the chondroitin consumption statistics, commercial chondroitin is most often produced from various animal sources, including pigs, chicken, fish, etc.
However, bovine cartilage accounted for more than 35% of the global chondroitin market revenue in 2019, making it the highest shareholder.
31. Bovine cartilage is the most preferred source of chondroitin.
(Grand View Research)
According to the chondroitin market statistics, the global beef industry provides experts with easy access to bovine cartilage, making it the most preferred source of chondroitin for industries worldwide.
32. With a CAGR of 3.4%, Asia is the fastest-growing chondroitin market.
(Grand View Research)
The chondroitin statistics show that the increasing consumer awareness of dietary supplements and the high rate of osteoarthritis are the major factors driving growth in the Asia Pacific region.
What’s more, the Asia-Pacific market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.4% between 2020 to 2027.
33. With a market share of 35%, North America is the largest market for chondroitin supplements.
(Grand View Research)
The main factors driving the chondroitin industry’s growth are the increased use of the substance in the US pharmaceutical industry and the FDA’s approval for using products infused with chondroitin.
FAQs
Where is chondroitin sulfate found in the body?
Chondroitin is naturally found in the body’s connective tissues and is a vital part of the cartilage in both humans and animals.
The shock-absorbing properties of chondroitin and its ability to retain water make it an essential component of cartilage.
Does chondroitin raise blood sugar?
Chondroitin may raise blood sugar in people with diabetes. This is because chondroitin is a complex sugar, and the body of diabetic patients cannot produce enough insulin to help regulate their normal blood sugar levels.
Adding another form of sugar is not a great idea, even though there’s no evidence that chondroitin increases blood sugar in diabetic patients.
What is chondroitin sulfate?
Chondroitin sulfate is produced from animal by-products. It’s sold as a dietary supplement and used to treat osteoarthritis.
The substance is often used alongside glucosamine (another naturally occurring compound that exists in joint fluid). Research shows that when taken for more extended periods, both chondroitin and glucosamine can stop the deterioration of joint cartilage.
What is the most effective glucosamine/chondroitin?
Sodium chondroitin sulfate found in sharks is the most preferred form of chondroitin. This stems from its ability to treat various illnesses and diseases like arthritis, intestine inflammation, and HIV.
How much chondroitin should I take?
Most professionals recommend taking a daily dose of between 800–1,200 mg taken in divided amounts.
Wrapping Up
Both chondroitin and glucosamine are naturally occurring substances found in the body of both humans and animals. Their unique features and importance have led to their widespread application across various industries.
Chondroitin statistics reveal that the substance is used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, animal feed, nutraceuticals, etc. Furthermore, there’s ongoing research to determine whether chondroitin has other potential benefits.
