Buying Glucosamine in Bangkok

[DogNo1]

I extended my stay a bit so I have 45 days left in Bangkok before I return to Tokyo and am running a little short of my supplements. I will run out of my glucosamine and chondroitin tablets so I went to my trusted pharmacy today and bought a bottle of 90 glucosamine tablets, 500 mg each. I bought some other medicine as well so I didn't pay close attention to the price of each item. Later, upon examining my receipt, I found that I had paid 1,240 Baht for the 90 tablets. Glucosamine is a very cheap supplement and the same number of tablets would have cost me about 130-150 Baht ($4-$5) if I had bought it from my supplier back in Japan. I checked the prices at some other pharmacies and, sure enough, they were selling glucosamine for around 1,200. Glucosamine costing $40 a bottle is preposterous. I will probably return the bottle but I wonder how pharmacies can get away with selling it for ten times the price in Japan and the USA. Does anybody have an answer to this?

[NancyL]

In the U.S. glucosamine isn't a cheap supplement, but it usually is sold in combination with other products. I just looked at a recent order. I order glucosamine chondroitin plus vitamin D3, Each tablet has 1500 mg of glucosamine HCl, plus all the other stuff. The cost is equivalent to about 1300 baht, before shipping charges, for 180 tablets.

I've used Thai glucosamine when I've run out of my U.S. supply and found it just doesn't work as well. The price is actually a little cheaper for the Thai stuff, but it just isn't as good.

[Sheryl]

Most of the Thai preparations are only 500mg I find. 1500 exists but hard to find. And yes, expensive.

[DogNo1]

Thanks for the replies. I found the Thai supplement "Glucosa" containing 1,500 of glucosamine sulfate in a lemon-flavored powder at the Tokyu Pharmacy in MBK for 480 Baht. It contains the same amount (30 1,500 mg doses) as the foreign-made glucosamine that I paid 1,240 THB for. I'll start taking it tomorrow and see if it is as effective as the glucosamine that I order from the USA. After the NYT investigation finding that 75% of the supplements sold as the big-name stores in New York didn't contain ANY of the substance on the label, I'm skeptical of all supplements. The proof is in the effectiveness, probably.

[maidee]

^{every western supplement is 2x, 3x or more here in thailand}

^{if you can find it at all}

[Sheryl]

If you ever go to Phnom Penh, can get the Kirkland brand in large size. Many pharmacies and also at Bayon Supermarket, towards the back. That's where I get mine. 375 tabs 1500 mg, I forget exactly but something like $30-35.

[NancyL]

If you ever go to Phnom Penh, can get the Kirkland brand in large size. Many pharmacies and also at Bayon Supermarket, towards the back. That's where I get mine. 375 tabs 1500 mg, I forget exactly but something like $30-35.

Yes, that's on par with U.S. prices, or cheaper than what I'm paying. As I said to the OP, Glucosamine isn't a "cheap" product, not like calcium or some of the other supplements.

[DogNo1]

Thanks Sheryl and Nancy. Kirkland is the Costco brand. I think that their supplements are made in China. I hope that Costco exercises some quality control.

I've been using Glucosa for three days now and my arthritic pains remain suppressed. Also, I found a green-lipped mussel plus fish oil supplement made by Lifetune for sale in Thailand and it seems to be working also. The only green-lipped mussel supplement that I have found up to now that has been effective is Lyprinol. I bought lots of green-lipped mussel supplements from the US big-name mail order companies when I was in Japan but found that none of them were effective at all. Something that Nancy said made me aware of the fact that I haven't been taking D3. I found that one of my Beta-Sitosterol supplements on the shelf contained it so I've started taking that.

Incidentally, When I order my big bottles of supplements from on-line suppliers in the USA, I save money by buying glucosamine and hyaluronic acid separately. My Hyaluronic Acid contains 100 mg of Chondroitin per capsules and I can take several. Each capsule also contains 50 mg of Hyaluronic Acid and 300 mg of Hydrolyzed Collagen, So I get the skin support along with the Chondroitin.

Unfortunately, I don't travel to Phonm Penh but maybe I'll make a shopping trip in the future.