First of all, is she allergic to shellfish. That is part of what they have in them. I take glucosomine/chondrodin & msm.
If you go on HSN shopping network, they have a special on them, I think by Prohealth. Start on on a low dose, and then up it. Takes a few mo. before you really feel that it has finally worked. You want the ones with the least amount of fillers in them, as more fillers, like rice powder, etc., the less of the real product you get. The one on HSN has no fillers, that is why I mention them. Contact me if you need.
Darlene

The doctor told my DH that the recommended dose on the bottles are usually way short of what you need to get any real effect from it and suggested that my husband start taking 2 tablets at least three times a day .......and after about a month to cut it back to 1 with each meal....My husband does think it helps...

Does anyone know the difference between Glucosamine with Chondroitin, or the formulas with MSM? I've seen several combos out there, but I don't know what the various elements do, other than alleviate pain.

And what strength per tablet should I be looking for?

There is still no evidence that MSM does anything to help with arthritis. It is supposed to have an anti-inflammatory effect, but this has never been documented. It doesn't appear to cause any harm, but it also doesn't appear to do any good.

Glucosamine and chondriotin are both substances that are required for healthy cartilage. The most effective forms are glucosamine HCL and chondroitin sulfate; they are most readily absorbed and used by the body. The most effective ratio is glucosamine HCL 500mg/chondroitin sulfate 400mg. The most common dose is 3-6 times that ratio in humans, starting with a higher dose during a 6-8 week loading period then decreasing to the lowest effective dose. If there is no improvement after 6-8 weeks, there is no use continuing to supplement.

I use it and it helps with my knees, which I injured many years ago. I recommended it to my FIL and it didn't help him at all. It helped my husband, and I also give it to all of my dogs to prevent cartilage break-down (they are large breed dogs). In humans and animals, it seems to help about 50% of the time. I think it depends on how much cartilage-producing cells are still in the affected joints. Glucosamine and chondroitin appear to have a better effect when the cartilage damage isn't severe.

Glucosamine and chondroitin are not pain releivers, but work by building up the cartilage in the joints. This helps protect the bones in the joints from rubbing against each other, which is the source of joint pain.

One major problem with supplements in general is that there is no government regulation on them. Many brands have been tested and some have almost no glucosamine or chondroitin in them! Look for a symbol on the packaging that says USP, indicating the manufacturer follows guidelines from US Pharmocopeia, which is an industry self-regulatory board.

The link below has more information on glucosamine/chondroitin.

Here is a link that might be useful: Info on glucosamine and chondriotin