Drug & supplement interaction

Glucosamine + Testosterone

Testosterone brand names: Intrinsa, Testim, Androgel, Andropatch, Testogel, and others.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Glucosamine and Testosterone in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Glucosamine and Testosterone

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Testosterone and Glucosamine in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Glucosamine safety at a glance

Glucosamine overall Use caution Generally well tolerated by most adults, but quality and benefit vary and certain people should be careful.
Pregnancy Avoid There is not enough safety information, so it is best to avoid during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough is known about safety while breastfeeding, so avoid unless your doctor advises otherwise.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Testosterone and Glucosamine? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Testosterone

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Testosterone is filed under 5 classifications — including androgens, topical drugs, hepatotoxic drugs. Glucosamine has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — the most serious being warfarin (coumadin) (major), topoisomerase ii inhibitors (moderate) and acetaminophen (tylenol, others) (minor) — and none of Testosterone’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Glucosamine Does Interact With Other Medications

Glucosamine has 2 major, 13 moderate, 155 minor known drug interactions in our database — Testosterone isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Glucosamine

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Glucosamine. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Glucosamine and Testosterone May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 3 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Kidney problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Glucosamine

    “Anecdotal reports have associated glucosamine with nephrotoxicity signals such as modestly elevated creatine phosphokinase and 1+ to 2+ proteinuria, but changes in kidney function have not been reported in long-term studies. It was also noted that effects may have been due to other concurrent medications or impurities in glucosamine-chondroitin products.”

    Glucosamine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in drug-induced kidney damage.

    5 sources cited
    1. 7026. Reginster JY, Deroisy R, Rovati LC, et al. Long-term effects of glucosamine sulfate on osteoarthritis progression: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2001;357:251-6.
    2. 8942. Pavelka K, Gatterova J, Olejarova M, et al. Glucosamine sulfate use and delay of progression of knee osteoarthritis: A 3-year, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Arch Intern Med 2002;162:2113-23. PubMed
    3. 10408. Danao-Camara T. Potential side effects of treatment with glucosamine and chondroitin. Arthritis Rheum 2000;43:2853. PubMed
    4. 10409. Guillaume MP, Peretz A. Possible association between glucosamine treatment and renal toxicity: comment on the letter by Danao-Camara. Arthritis Rheum 2001;44:2943-4. PubMed
    5. 89523. Audimoolam VK, Bhandari S. Acute interstitial nephritis induced by glucosamine. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2006;21(7):2031. PubMed

    Testosterone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Testosterone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Shortness of breath Worth acting on Additional detail

    Glucosamine

    “There is some concern that glucosamine products might cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. One review of glucosamine-related adverse events in Australia found that 72% of all reports involved hypersensitivity reactions.”

    Glucosamine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

    2 sources cited
    1. 102115. Hoban C, Byard R, Musgrave I. Hypersensitive adverse drug reactions to glucosamine and chondroitin preparations in Australia between 2000 and 2011. Postgrad Med J. 2019 Oct 9. pii: postgradmedj-2019-136957. PubMed
    2. 89516. Hochberg MC, Martel-Pelletier J, Monfort J, Möller I, Castillo JR, Arden N,Berenbaum F, Blanco FJ, Conaghan PG, Doménech G, Henrotin Y, Pap T, Richette P, Sawitzke A, du Souich P, Pelletier JP; on behalf of the MOVES Investigation Group. Combined chondroi

    Testosterone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Testosterone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Liver problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Glucosamine

    “Orally, all forms of glucosamine seem to be well tolerated. Topically and rectally, N-acetyl glucosamine also seems to be well tolerated. Intramuscularly, glucosamine sulfate seems to be well tolerated.”

    Glucosamine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    “Although relatively uncommon, combinations of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate have been associated with acute liver injury that mimics autoimmune hepatitis. Of 151 patients at an outpatient clinic for liver diseases, 23 acknowledged use of products containing glucosamine (form unspecified) and/or chondroitin.”

    Glucosamine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hepatitis.

    3 sources cited
    1. 89515. Cerda C, Bruguera M, Parés A. Hepatotoxicity associated with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate in patients with chronic liver disease. World J Gastroenterol 2013;19(32):5381-4. PubMed
    2. 89518. von Felden J, Montani M, Kessebohm K, Stickel F. Drug-induced acute liver injury mimicking autoimmune hepatitis after intake of dietary supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 2013;51(3):219-23. PubMed
    3. 89522. Ossendza RA, Grandval P, Chinoune F, Rocher F, Chapel F, Bernardini D. [Acute cholestatic hepatitis due to glucosamine forte]. Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2007 Apr;31(4):449-50.

    Testosterone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Testosterone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Itching Additional detail

    Glucosamine

    “Orally, glucosamine might cause skin reactions, including itching, rash, and erythema. Also, fingernail and toenail toughening, with an increased rate of growth, has been reported. Topically, N-acetyl glucosamine 2% with niacinamide 4% cream might cause rare skin reactions.”

    Glucosamine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in erythema.

    6 sources cited
    1. 2608. Barclay TS, Tsourounis C, McCart GM. Glucosamine. Ann Pharmacother 1998;32:574-9.
    2. 20084. Giordano N, Fioravanti A, Papakostas P, et al. The efficacy and tolerability of glucosamine sulfate in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Curr Ther Res Clin Exp 2009;70(3):185-196. PubMed
    3. 89567. Wangroongsub Y, Tanavalee A, Wilairatana V, Ngarmukos S. Comparable clinical outcomes between glucosamine sulfate-potassium chloride and glucosamine sulfate sodium chloride in patients with mild and moderate knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind
    4. 110628. Chu EC, Huang KHK, Cheung G, Ng G, Lin A. Delayed Skin Allergy to Glucosamine Chondroitin Supplement. Cureus 2023;15(3):e36310. PubMed
    5. 113636. Rabade A, Viswanatha GL, Nandakumar K, Kishore A. Evaluation of efficacy and safety of glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and their combination regimen in the management of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Inflammopharmac PubMed
    6. 89572. Swinburne LM. Glucosamine sulphate and osteoarthritis. Lancet 2001;357(9268):1617. PubMed

    Testosterone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Testosterone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Swelling Additional detail

    Glucosamine

    Recorded for Glucosamine in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Shortness of breath above.

    Testosterone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Testosterone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Diarrhea / Nausea Additional detail

    Glucosamine

    “Orally, glucosamine has been associated with gastrointestinal problems, including epigastric and abdominal pain, cramps, heartburn, diarrhea, nausea, dyspepsia, vomiting, constipation, and flatulence. In older persons, use of glucosamine sulfate is associated with oral dryness. In a clinical trial, a case of Helicobacter pylori gastritis was considered probably related to the use of glucosamine hydrochloride.”

    Glucosamine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    6 sources cited
    1. 1520. Houpt JB, McMillan R, Wein C, Paget-Dellio SD. Effect of glucosamine hydrochloride in the treatment of pain of osteoarthritis of the knee. J Rheumatol 1999;26:2423-30.
    2. 2608. Barclay TS, Tsourounis C, McCart GM. Glucosamine. Ann Pharmacother 1998;32:574-9.
    3. 16717. Rozendaal RM, Koes BW, van Osch GJVM, et al. Effect of glucosamine sulfate on hip osteoarthritis: A randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 2008;148:268-77. PubMed
    4. 20084. Giordano N, Fioravanti A, Papakostas P, et al. The efficacy and tolerability of glucosamine sulfate in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Curr Ther Res Clin Exp 2009;70(3):185-196. PubMed
    5. 20104. Shaygannejad, V., Janghorbani, M., Savoj, M. R., and Ashtari, F. Effects of adjunct glucosamine sulfate on relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis progression: preliminary findings of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Neurol Res 2010;32(9):981-985. PubMed
    6. 20105. Cahlin, B. J. and Dahlstrom, L. No effect of glucosamine sulfate on osteoarthritis in the temporomandibular joints--a randomized, controlled, short-term study. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2011;112(6):760-766. PubMed

    Testosterone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Testosterone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Glucosamine

    Recorded for Glucosamine in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Shortness of breath above.

    Testosterone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Testosterone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Headache Additional detail

    Glucosamine

    “Orally, glucosamine has been reported to cause drowsiness and headache. Glucosamine plus chondroitin combination products that also contain manganese (e.g., CosaminDS) should always be taken according to product directions. When taken at doses slightly higher than the recommended dose, these products can sometimes supply greater than the tolerable upper limit (UL) for manganese which is 11 mg/day.”

    Glucosamine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    4 sources cited
    1. 2608. Barclay TS, Tsourounis C, McCart GM. Glucosamine. Ann Pharmacother 1998;32:574-9.
    2. 89561. Greenlee H, Crew KD, Shao T, Kranwinkel G, Kalinsky K, Maurer M, Brafman L, Insel B, Tsai WY, Hershman DL. Phase II study of glucosamine with chondroitin on aromatase inhibitor-associated joint symptoms in women with breast cancer. Support Care Cancer 201 PubMed
    3. 113636. Rabade A, Viswanatha GL, Nandakumar K, Kishore A. Evaluation of efficacy and safety of glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and their combination regimen in the management of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Inflammopharmac PubMed
    4. 7135. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002.

    Testosterone

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Testosterone. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Glucosamine but not commonly for Testosterone: sun sensitivity, an allergic reaction, unsteadiness and stomach pain.

Effects for Testosterone come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Glucosamine come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

From our Q&A

Questions About Glucosamine or Testosterone

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Glucosamine or Testosterone, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Testosterone

This page covers Glucosamine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Testosterone page lists 170 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), St. John's Wort (major) and Wine (major).

By severity: 5 major · 129 moderate · 36 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Testosterone page

“The supplement list for testosterone therapy (Androgel, Testim, Nebido, and others) deserves real attention, mainly because five of its 170 entries are rated major and four of those are everyday items: grapefruit, St. John's wort, and alcohol in the form of beer or wine.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Testosterone interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Glucosamine as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1,984 real supplement products containing Glucosamine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Glucosamine. Even though Glucosamine itself has no known interaction with Testosterone, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Glucosamine and Testosterone Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Glucosamine
Top 10%

#114 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Testosterone
Top 1%

#15 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Glucosamine reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Glucosamine and Testosterone records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Glucosamine

What is Glucosamine?

Glucosamine
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Joint pain and stiffness
  • Cartilage support
  • Knee and hip joint health

Glucosamine is a natural compound found in cartilage and joint fluid, and it is one of the most popular supplements for osteoarthritis, especially of the knee. The evidence is mixed, with some people getting modest relief while others get little to no benefit. It is generally well tolerated, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before starting it, especially if you have a shellfish allergy or diabetes.

Derived from shellfish exoskeletons (shrimp, crab, lobster) or made synthetically; also from fungal sources · Capsules, tablets, powders, liquids; often combined with chondroitin or MSM

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Glucosamine is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Glucosamine record says about it on its own.

Glucosamine: dosing

There is no single official dose of glucosamine, and the right amount can depend on the form and product. If you do not notice any benefit after a reasonable trial of a couple of months, it is worth discussing whether to continue.

From our Glucosamine monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Glucosamine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Testosterone

What Is Testosterone Used For?

Brand names: Intrinsa, Testim, Androgel, Andropatch, Testogel, Nebido, Delatestryl, Natesto, Vogelxo

Testosterone replacement therapy is used in adult males whose bodies do not produce enough of their own testosterone. This includes primary hypogonadism — where the testes themselves fail due to causes such as Klinefelter's syndrome, injury, chemotherapy, or surgical removal — and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, where the brain's signaling system (the hypothalamus or pituitary gland) fails to trigger testosterone production.

Testopel (subcutaneous pellets) may also be used to stimulate puberty in carefully selected males with clearly delayed puberty. The safety and efficacy of testosterone for age-related (late-onset) hypogonadism have not been established for most products, including AndroGel, Testim, Jatenzo, Kyzatrex, Natesto, Depo-Testosterone, Testosterone Cypionate, and Xyosted.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Testosterone

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (34,758 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 1,854 reports
Myocardial infarction 1,728 reports
Cerebrovascular accident 1,290 reports
Deep vein thrombosis 1,240 reports
Anxiety 1,199 reports
See full Testosterone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Glucosamine

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Glucosamine — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

2Major
13Moderate
155Minor
2,659No known interaction
Major

2 interactions

Moderate

13 interactions

Minor

155 interactions

Showing 60 of 155 minor interactions — see all 155 on the Glucosamine page.

No interaction 2,659 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Glucosamine References

The 58 references that drive our Glucosamine monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Adams ME. Hype about glucosamine. Lancet 1999;354:353-4. PubMed
  2. Balkan B, Dunning BE. Glucosamine inhibits glucokinase in vitro and produces a glucose-specific impairment of in vivo insulin secretion in rats. Diabetes 1994;43:1173-9. PubMed
  3. Giaccari A, Morviducci L, Zorretta D, et al. In vivo effects of glucosamine on insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in the rat: possible relevance to the maladaptive responses to chronic hyperglycaemia. Diabetologia 1995;38:518-24. PubMed
  4. Holmang A, Nilsson C, Niklasson M, et al. Induction of insulin resistance by glucosamine reduces blood flow but not interstitial levels of either glucose or insulin. Diabetes 1999;48:106-11. PubMed
  5. Houpt JB, McMillan R, Wein C, Paget-Dellio SD. Effect of glucosamine hydrochloride in the treatment of pain of osteoarthritis of the knee. J Rheumatol 1999;26:2423-30.
  6. Barclay TS, Tsourounis C, McCart GM. Glucosamine. Ann Pharmacother 1998;32:574-9.
  7. Shankar RR, Zhu JS, Baron AD. Glucosamine infusion in rats mimics the beta-cell dysfunction of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Metabolism 1998;47:573-7.
  8. Almada A, Harvey P, Platt K. Effects of chronic oral glucosamine sulfate on fasting insulin resistance index (FIRI) in non-diabetic individuals. FASEB J 2000;14:A750.
  9. Reginster JY, Deroisy R, Rovati LC, et al. Long-term effects of glucosamine sulfate on osteoarthritis progression: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2001;357:251-6.
  10. Does glucosamine increase serum lipid levels and blood pressure? Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter 2001;17(11):171115.
  11. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002.
  12. Monauni T, Zenti MG, Cretti A, et al. Effects of glucosamine infusion on insulin secretion and insulin action in humans. Diabetes 2000;49:926-35. PubMed
  13. Pouwels MJ, Jacobs JR, Span PN, et al. Short-term glucosamine infusion does not affect insulin sensitivity in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2001;86:2099-103. DOI
  14. Yun J, Tomida A, Nagata K, Tsuruo T. Glucose-regulated stresses confer resistance to VP-16 in human cancer cells through a decreased expression of DNA topoisomerase II. Oncol Res 1995;7:583-90.
  15. Pavelka K, Gatterova J, Olejarova M, et al. Glucosamine sulfate use and delay of progression of knee osteoarthritis: A 3-year, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Arch Intern Med 2002;162:2113-23. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Glucosamine and Testosterone Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Glucosamine with Testosterone?
We do not list a known interaction between Glucosamine and Testosterone. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Glucosamine and Testosterone have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 9 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
How was the Glucosamine and Testosterone combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Testosterone is filed under 5 classifications, and Glucosamine has documented interactions with 4 drug classes — none of Testosterone's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Glucosamine interact with any other medications?
Yes. Glucosamine has 170 documented drug interactions in our database — Testosterone is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Testosterone interact with any supplements?
Yes. Testosterone has documented interactions with 170 supplements in our database — Glucosamine is not one of them. The Testosterone interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Testosterone and Glucosamine?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.