葡萄糖胺补充剂被认为有利于减少关节炎引起的疼痛。然而，医学研究发现，几乎没有证据表明氨基葡萄糖能减少关节炎的症状。尽管有这方面的最新研究，但对于研究中使用的葡萄糖胺类型是否合适仍有一些争议，因此一些医生仍可能向病人推荐。

2006年2月23日发表在《新英格兰医学杂志》上的最有说服力的研究，评估了1500多名平均年龄为59岁的人。他们中的大多数人患有由关节炎引起的膝关节疼痛。患者被分为五个独立的小组。各组接受药物治疗、补充剂或安慰剂，具体如下。

• Group I took 1500 mg of glucosamine daily.
• Group II took 1200 mg of chondroitin daily.
• Group III took a combined supplement of glucosamine and chondroitin.
• Group IV received 200 mg of Celebrex, a prescription medication.
• Group V received placebo.

  The study’s defined goal was for patients to experience a 20% reduction in knee pain. In Group V, Group I and Group II, few people actually felt pain reduction approaching 20%. However about 79% of Group III, taking glucosamine and chondroitin felt mild to moderate pain relief, if they had previously described their pain as severe. Those with the most severe pain noted the greatest pain relief in all groups. This suggests that a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement might provide some pain relief to those in severe pain from arthritis. However, a 20% reduction in pain may not provide enough benefit to those in chronic pain.

  One aspect of the study that has been called into question is the type of glucosamine used. Patients taking glucosamine or glucosamine with chondroitin were given glucosamine hydrochloride. This is because only glucosamine hydrochloride could be found in a form that met safe manufacturing standards.

  Dr. Marc Hochberg, head of rheumatology at the University of Maryland, suggests that more patients would have benefited if they had instead taken another form of the supplement, called glucosamine sulfate. His suggestion for those who suffer from arthritis was to try a glucosamine sulfate supplement to see if it offered pain relief. As long as a glucosamine supplement meets safe manufacturing standards, it is considered safe for people to take. Hochberg recommends one evaluate whether relief is offered from the supplement, since safety tends not to be an issue. If glucosamine sulfate offers no relief after three months, there appears no continued benefit in taking it.