Rheumatology's guideline says no to both, with one exception
The American College of Rheumatology recommends strongly against glucosamine and chondroitin for hip and knee. Chondroitin for the hand is its one conditional yes.
What the study found
The guideline against glucosamine and chondroitin makes one exception
The American College of Rheumatology places glucosamine in its strongest against category for hand, hip and knee, and does the same for chondroitin and for combination products at hip and knee. Chondroitin for the hand is the one thing it recommends for, conditionally, on one trial.
The caveat · Advice rests on no benefit, not harm
This is a strong recommendation resting on an absence of benefit rather than on demonstrated harm, and the guideline notes glucosamine's toxicity is low. It hardened from a conditional recommendation against glucosamine in 2012, so a reader may still meet the older advice. The search closed in 2018.