How Products were Selected:
Selected products represent those commonly sold and/or available in the U.S. and Canada. ConsumerLab.com purchased products on the open market through retail stores, on-line retailers, or direct sales companies. Products were not accepted directly from manufacturers.Testing Methods:
- Products listing amounts of glucosamine were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) (AOAC 2005.01, USP DSC 2024).
- Products listing amounts of chondroitin sulfate were analyzed by HPLC following enzyme digestion or capillary electrophoresis (CE) (AOAC 2015.11).
- Products listing amounts of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) were analyzed by Gas Chromatography (GC) (USP DSC 2024).
- Products listing amounts of boswellic acids were analyzed by HPLC for α-boswellic acid, β-boswellic acid, 3-Acetyl-α-boswellic acid, 3-Acetyl-β-boswellic acid, 11-Keto-β-boswellic acid (KBA), and 3-Acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA) (USP DSC 2024).
- Products listing amounts of collagen were analyzed for hydroxyproline by HPLC and the amount of collagen calculated from hydroxyproline (AOAC 982.30, 990.26 modified).
- Products listing amounts of turmeric were analyzed for curcuminoids content by HPLC (USP DSC 2024).
- All products containing glucosamine or non-bovine chondroitin were analyzed for lead and those containing whole herbs and/or more than 250 mg per daily serving of minerals were evaluated for lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS).
- Disintegration time of tablets (excluding chewable, sublingual and time-release formulations) using United States Pharmacopeia (USP) <2040> recommendations entitled "Disintegration and Dissolution of Nutritional Supplements."
- Disintegration time of enteric coated, time-release, and sustained release tablet, caplet and softgel formulations utilizing USP <2040> methodology for delayed-release (enteric-coated) tablets.
ConsumerLab.com may modify or use other appropriate test methods if necessary to test special product formulations.
Identities of products were not disclosed to laboratories performing the testing.
Passing Score:*
To be "Approved" by ConsumerLab.com a product must meet the following requirements:- Contain at least 100% and not more than 160% of label claim for levels of the appropriate forms of glucosamine and/or chondroitin.
- Contain at least 100% and not more than 130% of label claim for MSM.
- Contain at least 100% and not more than 125% of label claim for total or specifically listed boswellic acids. If Product does not specify quantity of boswellic acids but does specify an amount of oleogum resin and/or Boswellia extract the product must meet the following minimum specifications: Boswellia oleogum resin contains a minimum of 1% of keto derivatives of β-boswellic acid calculated as the sum of 11-Keto-β-boswellic acid + 3-Acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid. Boswellia extract contains 6% of keto derivatives of β-boswellic acid calculated as the sum of 11-Keto-β-boswellic acid + 3-Acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (USP DSC 24).
- Contain at least 100% of label claim for collagen.
- Contain at least 100% and no more than 150% of label claim and minimum expected curcuminoids. Total curcuminoids are calculated as the sum of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. Root/rhizome powders are expected to contain a minimum of 3% (% wt/wt) total curcuminoids and, for extracts, a minimum of 20% total curcuminoids (% wt/wt) USP DSC 24. The minimum is applied if the product did not state an amount of curcuminoids from a turmeric-based ingredient or if the claimed amount is lower than the expected minimum.
- Heavy Metals: Products containing whole herbs, glucosamine, non-bovine chondroitin and/or more than 250 mg of minerals per daily dose must not exceed the following limits:
Lead:- Products marketed for use by children under 12 years of age may not exceed the State of California's Prop 65 limits for lead in dietary supplements of 0.5 mcg per recommended daily serving with an additional allowance of 0.8 mcg if the product contains more than 1,000 mg/day of calcium.
- Products with a single serving weights of less than 5 grams that are not marketed for use by children under 12 years of age, may not exceed the State of California's Prop 65 limits for lead in dietary supplements of 0.5 mcg per recommended daily serving (above which a warning regarding reproductive harm, birth defects, or cancer risks is required in California) with an additional allowance of 0.4 mcg if containing 250-999 mg/day of any combination of elemental calcium, magnesium and potassium or 0.8 mcg if containing more than 1,000 mg/day of any combination of these minerals. An additional allowance of 0.5 mcg is provided if containing 250-999 mg/day of whole herb (not extract) or 1.0 mcg if containing 1000 mg/day or more of whole herb (not extract). However, total lead allowance must not exceed 2 mcg per daily serving.
- Products with single serving weights of 5 grams or more that are not marketed for children under 12 years of age may not exceed 2.5 mcg per serving nor 4.0 mcg per daily serving.
- Contain less than 10 micrograms of total arsenic per daily serving (based on Canada’s limit per daily serving of a natural health product, and U.S. EPA and state of New Jersey limit in 1 liter of water). Products found to exceed this amount were tested for inorganic arsenic and must not contain more than 2.1 micrograms of inorganic arsenic per daily serving (Canada's additional limit in natural health products).
- If marketed for use by children under 12 years of age, may not exceed 3.0 micrograms of cadmium per recommended daily serving (based on Canada's limit for a child weighing 75lbs). If not marketed for use by children under 12 years of age, may not exceed 4.1 micrograms of cadmium per recommended daily serving (above which California's Prop 65 law requires a "reproductive harm" warning due to developmental toxicity and male reproductive harm.
- May not exceed 2 micrograms of inorganic mercury per daily serving (based on EPA limit for mercury in 1 liter of water).
- If applicable to the product, meet recommended USP <2040> parameters of disintegration for dietary supplement tablets (excluding chewable and time-release products).
- Enteric coated, time-release, and sustained release tablet, caplet and softgel formulations must meet recommended USP <2040> parameters for delayed-release (enteric-coated) tablets, caplets and softgels by visual inspection.
- Be in compliance with FDA labeling requirements.
