Glucosamine Supplement for knee joints, anyone?

I take about half the recommended daily dosage in a combination Glucosamine/MSM supplement. I started three years ago on the recommendation of another ultrarunner, and feel that its not a silver bullet, although it seems to decrease the affect of long miles or hard climbing training sessions on my joints. Regardless of the lack of medical evidence, I'll probably keep taking it. Same story with amino supplements.

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

And, if I saved my money for a lift ticket, then I wouldn't have any opportunity of a serac shot! What was that you called me Lani, so many years ago, pre-something.....

Glucosamine saved my life!  OK, a bit of an overstatement, but S1 and S2 degenerative discs were making my life miserable.  Glucosamine has been more effective than PT, chiropractics, exercise, and acupuncture.  I can't speak for its effectiveness with knees, but it has helped my back immensely.  As for placebo effect, it makes no difference to me whether just the act of taking something or actual effectiveness is at work and at $25 for a three month supply, I'm not exactly banking huge coin for a lift ticket by abstaining.  Besides, the last time I found a lift ticket for $25 it was 1996 (Bridger and Alta).

David - While I've not approached your apparent age yet I, nonetheless, do take a supplement for the joint maladies of which you mention and to also help hasten tissue repair from trauma caused mostly by forays into the mountains.
As others have mentioned the medical community support of such supplements seems widely varied but I have found that taking straight powdered MSM (mixed into water or almost any other liquid - tastes like dandelions in water) to be quite helpful in facilitating the body's self rejuvenation function. I learned about the beneficial effects of MSM from a friend that was taking massive doses of it to mitigate back pain (kinda like Blackdog and the glucosamine). I know others who report similar positive results using the raw substance which can be acquired in 5 pound lots at BulkFoods.Com , which kind of mitigates the cost consideration, as 5 pounds has got to be much more than a year's supply of the stuff.

Thanks again for spending a few minutes to give some input. Much appreciated folks.

I take Hammer Nutrition's Tissue Rejuvenator (I'm not an employee/salesperson/rep/sponsored athlete, etc.) because it has glucosamine sulfate, chondroiton sulfate, MSM, and 5 herbal anti-inflammatories. I have severe degenerative disc disease (osteoarthritis) and I'm supposed to be on anti-inflammatories at all times. The evidence for glucosamine, glucosamine/chondroiton, etc. is indeed contradictory because many (maybe all) of the studies are poorly designed [yes, I'm a biomedical scientist ].

Hammer provides literature citations and rationale for each ingredient in each of its dietary supplements. I suggest you check them out www.hammernutrition.com I think it helps my knees, my wife thinks it helps her knees; but is it the gluc, chon, anti-inflammatories, or the well-documented positive placebo effect? :-) Or mind-body medicine--I also do 45 minutes of a carefully designed stretching, weight training, tai-chi program each morning that includes relaxation techniques and visualization techniques. [oh, so new age!] I also have to take Alleve periodically for my back. My pharmacist recommends using glucosamine if you use NSAIDS (your pharmacist may differ). My veterinary surgeon believes it helps animal joints.

Will it help you? Probably depends on your frame of mind and how you treat your body overall.