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Limited evidenceJoints & skin

Salmon Nasal Proteoglycan

A proteoglycan extracted from salmon nasal cartilage, popular in Japan for joints and skin. Two small randomized trials exist, one measuring cartilage blood markers and one facial skin, and neither has been independently confirmed.

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What the science says

  • Knee joint discomfort Limited evidence

    A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in people with knee joint discomfort measured biomarkers of cartilage metabolism and reported favourable changes. Biomarker shifts are not the same as pain relief or improved function, and the study was small.

  • Facial skin ageing Limited evidence

    A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial reported improvements in facial anti-ageing measures with salmon nasal cartilage-derived proteoglycans. It is a single small trial, and cosmetic skin endpoints are prone to measurement variability.

  • Long-term or clinical outcomes Limited evidence

    No trial has tested salmon proteoglycan in diagnosed osteoarthritis using standard pain and function scales such as WOMAC, or over more than a few months. Comparison with glucosamine or chondroitin has not been published.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseTrials used roughly 10 mg/day of salmon nasal cartilage proteoglycan for 8–12 weeks, which is also the typical label dose.
SafetyNo serious adverse effects reported in the published trials. Derived from salmon, so unsuitable for people with fish allergy and for vegetarians. No long-term safety data, and it has not been studied in pregnancy, breastfeeding or children.

How to take it

TimingTiming does not matter.
With food?Take it with food.
Worth knowing10 mg really is the studied dose — this is one of the few ingredients where the label amount matches the trials, so paying for a higher-dose product buys you nothing tested.

Frequently asked questions

Does salmon nasal proteoglycan help knee pain?

The evidence is limited: one small placebo-controlled trial in people with knee joint discomfort reported favourable changes in cartilage biomarkers, which is not the same as less pain or better function. Salmon proteoglycan has not been tested in diagnosed osteoarthritis on standard pain scales.

Does salmon proteoglycan work for skin ageing?

A single small randomized, placebo-controlled trial reported improvements in facial anti-ageing measures with salmon nasal cartilage proteoglycan. It has not been independently confirmed, so the evidence is limited.

How much salmon proteoglycan per day?

Trials used roughly 10 mg/day of salmon nasal cartilage proteoglycan for 8–12 weeks, which is also the typical label dose. A higher-dose product buys you nothing that has been tested.

Who should avoid salmon proteoglycan?

Salmon proteoglycan is derived from salmon, so avoid it if you have a fish allergy or are vegetarian. No serious side effects were reported in trials, but it has not been studied in pregnancy, breastfeeding or children.

Scientific references

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