Glucosamine, MSM, collagen & co.: Which joint ingredient really helps?

Why we consider this topic so important: From practical experience, for practical use

Katja and Andrés are the faces behind nuvallo. With over 20 years of practical experience in equestrian sport, we know only too well: if we want to compare glucosamine and MSM for horses, we quickly run into a maze of information. In this article, we provide you with clear, understandable answers – based on research and our daily experience at the yard.

The basics: What you need to know about horse joints

Before you can meaningfully compare different joint supplements for horses, it is worth taking a quick look under the coat. Imagine your horse's joint as a sophisticated shock absorber. To prevent bones from rubbing painfully against each other, the joint surfaces are covered with a smooth layer of cartilage. This cartilage works like a firm but elastic sponge.

The whole thing is enclosed by the joint capsule, which contains the joint fluid (synovia). This is the engine oil of the joint. With every movement, the cartilage sponge is squeezed out, and when the weight is taken off, it soaks up fresh, nutrient-rich joint fluid again. Because cartilage tissue has no blood supply, this 'pump mechanism' is the only way nutrients can get to where they are needed.

Why is a high-quality joint supplement for horses an issue in the first place? With increasing age, through athletic strain (such as tight turns, jumping, or walking on hard surfaces), or due to subtle deficiencies in the basic feed, the natural balance of cartilage formation and breakdown can falter. The body might then no longer produce enough of its own joint fluid, or the cartilage may lose its elasticity. This is exactly where joint ingredients come in: they provide the body with the specific building blocks it needs to maintain its own 'shock absorbers'.

What does science say?

Opinions are often divided when it comes to supplements. So let's take a very sober look at what research knows today – and what it doesn't.

a) What has been proven in studies

The biological foundation of most well-known active ingredients is excellently researched. In laboratory studies (so-called in vitro studies), where isolated cartilage cells are examined in a petri dish, substances like glucosamine or hyaluronic acid often show impressive results. Researchers at various veterinary faculties have been able to prove that these building blocks are indeed absorbed by cartilage cells, where they can stimulate the production of the body's own structural proteins.

However, laboratory results cannot be transferred 1:1 to the living horse. The journey from the feed manger through the gastrointestinal tract to the fetlock joint is a long one.

b) What has been studied in the living horse

Therefore, studies on living animals (in vivo) are more exciting. This is where research becomes more demanding. Objectively measuring pain or mobility in horses is difficult. Nevertheless, there are conclusive investigations. In various studies with group sizes of mostly 20 to 40 horses over a period of three to six months, the animals were fed joint supplements. This was assessed, among other things, by gait analyses on force plates or through the evaluation of the gait by vets.

Research suggests that certain combinations of active ingredients can positively support the gait after a feeding period of several weeks. Human studies (i.e., research on people) also strongly supplement this evidence base. In athletes or older people, these active ingredients repeatedly show that they can contribute to maintaining mobility. But we must speak openly about the methodological limitations of equine studies: large control groups are often missing, and long-term observation over years is extremely expensive and therefore rare.

c) A conclusion

Science offers a solid basis. Joint ingredients are not miracle cures that magically conjure up new cartilage overnight. Anyone who tells you that is not telling the truth. However, they are an enormously valuable building block in prevention and accompanying support. Furthermore, the current state of studies clearly shows that isolated individual substances often perform worse than intelligent combinations.

Dosage and practice: What you need to look out for

The best research is of no use to you if the dosage in the manger isn't right. Clinical studies often use quite high doses. With glucosamine, isolated studies frequently show amounts of 10,000 milligrams (10 grams) per day for a large horse.

In practice, however, we distinguish between a pure maintenance dose (to healthily support the joints under normal workload) and an initial course for acute phases. In combination products that unite several active ingredients, the dosage of the individual substances can also be significantly lower, as they complement each other – this is known as the synergy effect.

This is where a critical look at today's market comes into play: did you know that the EU Feed Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 767/2009) allows manufacturers not to explicitly state the exact amounts of active ingredients per kilogram on the tub, as long as they are listed in descending order in the composition? Legally, that is perfectly fine, but as a consumer, you are often left in the dark. How much of the expensive glucosamine is actually in there? As a horse owner, you should always have the right to know what amounts you are feeding.

You also need patience. Joint structures have a very slow metabolism. It takes at least 8 to 12 weeks of consistent feeding for the levels to build up in the tissue. Stopping quickly after three weeks because 'you can't see anything yet' is wasted money.

Why single ingredients alone are often not enough: The power of combination

You often read discussions in forums about whether to feed this or that single substance. When weighing up glucosamine vs. MSM for horses, many people forget that these active ingredients work on completely different building sites in the joint.

The question of whether glucosamine or chondroitin is the better choice for horses often no longer arises. A combination of chondroitin and glucosamine has proven itself in horses just as much as the interaction of other core substances. It is exactly according to this synergy principle that we developed our product, the nuvallo move Snacks. Let's look at the perfect team for a daily ration (6 snacks):

• Collagen (2,550 mg): The structural protein. It provides the necessary tensile strength and elasticity in tendons, ligaments, and the cartilage itself. It is essentially the scaffolding of the joint.
• MSM (2,250 mg): Organic sulphur. Sulphur compounds are essential for cell regeneration and the maintenance of healthy connective tissue.
• Glucosamine (1,500 mg): The building block for cartilage formation. It supports the natural shock absorption and elasticity of the cartilage sponge.
• Hyaluronic acid (150 mg): The main component of the joint fluid (synovia). It binds an extremely large amount of water and keeps the 'engine oil' viscous and lubricating.

That this teamwork functions is proven, among other things, by a well-known crossover study from the British Animal Health Trust. It showed that combination supplements exhibit clear synergy effects. Meaning: when the active ingredients are administered together, they strengthen each other in their function. A well-coordinated combination product therefore does not need extreme, isolated single dosages, because the ingredients work hand in hand.

The biggest challenge in practice: Feeding

Let's come to the emotional heart of this topic – and you probably know this situation only too well. You have done your research, decided on an expensive joint powder, and find yourself standing at the manger in the evening.

Many active ingredients, especially MSM and certain herbal additives, have an unpleasant, often bitter taste of their own. What happens? The powder gets dusty when mixed into the feed bowl. Your horse sniffs, purses its lips, and begins to filter out the mix or oats with millimetre precision. In the end, it has eaten neatly around the powder. The remains of the expensive supplement stick to the damp bottom of the manger, completely unused.

Of course, we all know the typical yard tricks: slowly introducing the powder in tiny amounts. Moistening it with water. Hollowing out an apple or hiding it in mashed banana and bran mash. With some horses, this works wonderfully. But with many, it doesn't. Sensitive horses in particular will, in the worst case, then refuse their hard feed entirely. And even if the horse eats: does it really get the full dose on such days that it would need for the joint structure? This daily frustration at the feed manger – constantly wondering whether the product is actually getting into the horse or just sinking to the bottom of the bucket – is nerve-racking.

Why we got rid of the powder

From exactly this own experience with our horses and after countless conversations with frustrated horse owners, we asked ourselves a simple question. The question wasn't: 'How do we make a slightly better powder?' The question was: 'How do we ensure that every horse reliably and stress-free consumes the full dose of active ingredients?'

The solution we developed is the nuvallo move Snacks. We have packed the active ingredients into a functional joint snack that is fed very easily straight from the hand. No dusty fingers, no tedious weighing of powder.

Our base consists of linseed cake and rice bran, complemented by natural ingredients like banana, apple, and carob powder, which is why the snacks taste excellent. The horse no longer sorts anything out. On the contrary: it experiences the feeding of its joint ingredients as a reward. You know exactly that with 6 snacks a day (for an approx. 500-kg horse), exactly the defined amount of glucosamine, collagen, MSM, and hyaluronic acid ends up in the horse. For heavier horses, you simply give 7 to 8 snacks, and for ponies 4 to 5. Should your horse need acute support, you can easily feed double the amount in the first 2 to 3 weeks.

Since we started looking after our horses this way, we have noticed a clear difference – not only in their gait, where we often see them moving with significantly more joy and suppleness, but above all in how relaxed feeding time is.

Because in the end, the best supplement is not the one with the longest list of ingredients on the label or the highest theoretical laboratory value. It is the one that actually gets into the horse.

Sources:

Byron C.R. et al. — Effects of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate on mediators of osteoarthritis in cultured equine chondrocytes (American Journal of Veterinary Research, Michigan State University, 2003) Link

Forsyth R.K., Brigden C.V., Northrop A.J. — Double blind investigation of the effects of oral supplementation of combined glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulphate on stride characteristics of veteran horses (Equine Veterinary Journal Suppl., 2006) Link

Marañón G. et al. — The effect of methyl sulphonyl methane supplementation on biomarkers of oxidative stress in sport horses following jumping exercise (Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 2008) Link

Brien S. et al. — Systematic review of the nutritional supplements dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in the treatment of osteoarthritis (Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 2008) Link

Zdzieblik D. et al. — Improvement of activity-related knee joint discomfort following supplementation of specific collagen peptides (Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 2017) Link

Dobenecker B. et al. — Specific bioactive collagen peptides (PETAGILE®) as supplement for horses with osteoarthritis: A two-centred study (Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 2018) Link

Bergin B.J. et al. — Oral hyaluronan gel reduces post operative tarsocrural effusion in the yearling Thoroughbred (Equine Veterinary Journal, 2006) Link

What else makes nuvallo move stand out:

• ADMR compliant: Competition safe and can be fed with no withdrawal period.
• Pure active ingredients: Absolutely free from wheat and corn, with no added sugar and no artificial flavourings.
• Highest quality: Made with love and to the highest standards in Europe.
• Test risk-free: With our 30-day satisfaction guarantee.