Joint Supplements for BJJ: What to Look For After 35

More on: Supplement Buyer's Guides · Collagen Guides

June 16, 2025

TL;DR: The best joint supplements for BJJ are the ones that list every ingredient with a dose, fit into one scoop, and get taken every day, not just after a bad week. Look for collagen peptides, glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM together, check the allergens, and judge it on 8 to 12 weeks of daily use alongside your strength work. Complete Joint Care puts all four in one 5 g serve.

You have done the sums.

Gi, mat fees, finger tape, a knee sleeve.

Then someone at the gym says "you should be on collagen" and someone else says "glucosamine" and you end up with three tubs on the bench and no idea which one is doing anything.

Let's simplify it.

Collagen for BJJ

Collagen is the main structural protein in tendons, ligaments and cartilage, the tissues jiu-jitsu loads hardest.

Hydrolysed collagen peptides are collagen broken into small pieces so they mix into water easily.

Researchers have looked at timing too. A 2017 study gave athletes gelatin with vitamin C before short bouts of activity and measured higher markers of collagen production. That is one reason to take your collagen with vitamin C, and to keep the habit daily.

Your action: if you only buy one joint product, make sure collagen peptides are in it.

Glucosamine and chondroitin for BJJ

Both are compounds found naturally in cartilage, and they are usually taken together.

Glucosamine usually comes from shellfish.
Chondroitin often comes from shark cartilage.

If you avoid seafood, read the allergen line before anything else.

Your action: turn the tub around and check the dose per serve, not the headline on the front.

MSM and the rest of the label

MSM (methylsulphonylmethane) is a source of sulphur, often paired with glucosamine.

The useful extras are the ones with real numbers behind them. Vitamin C is the standout, because collagen formation depends on it.

Your action: skip any product that hides its doses inside a "proprietary blend".

Powder or capsules for grapplers

A capsule holds very little. Getting collagen, glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM in useful amounts from capsules means a handful a day.

A powder fits it in one scoop, into the water bottle you already take to training.

The supplement that rides along with an existing habit is the one that gets taken.

Your action: link it to your training bag, so it goes wherever you go.

Our pick: Complete Joint Care

Our pick is Complete Joint Care, a joint supplement for BJJ and every other sport that is hard on connective tissue.

Complete Joint Care is a comprehensive blend of collagen peptides, minerals and traditionally used botanicals formulated to support joint mobility, flexibility and connective tissue health.

2,550 mg hydrolysed bovine collagen peptides per serve
750 mg glucosamine sulphate and 200 mg chondroitin sulphate
750 mg MSM
Turmeric extract (95% curcuminoids) with black pepper
Vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D3, magnesium and bamboo extract
Lemon flavoured, 40 serves a jar, dairy free, non GMO

Each 5 g serve provides 40 mg of vitamin C, which contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal structure of cartilage and bones. It also provides zinc, which contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

It contains shellfish and shark.

Your action: mix one heaped teaspoon (5 g) into water or juice daily, and set a reminder for 10 weeks from today to decide whether to keep it.

Where it fits in your week

A joint formula is a daily habit, not a fix for a bad session. Pair it with two strength sessions a week and sensible rolling volume.

The bigger picture is in BJJ after 40, and the full stack is in best supplements for BJJ.

Your action: take it on rest days as well. Consistency is the whole game.

If you are on medication, carrying an injury or have a medical condition, speak with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.

Grant Jenkins is an ESSA Accredited Exercise Physiologist and high-performance athletic development coach with almost 30 years of coaching behind him, including national academy and professional athletes. He is a co-founder of Propel Health Australia.