Can you take glucosamine to prevent joint problems?

No benifet: New data from a long-term study of the dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin for knee osteoarthritis pain reveal that patients who took the supplements (alone or in combination) had outcomes similar to those experienced by patients who took Celecoxib or placebo pills.

Not preventive.: The combination of glucosamine and chondroitin has been shown in studies to (1) provide a degree of pain relief in the short term, and (2) trigger growth of new cartilage when taken for at least two years straight. So it can help you pain and reverse some of the chronic damage. You can find this in the health food store. Good for treatment, not for prevention though.