Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU) and osteoarthritis pain
What 3 graded rows on avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (asu) agree on for osteoarthritis pain, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU) page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU) and osteoarthritis pain
3 rows · 1,008 peopleMostly an improvement: 2 of 3 rows, and most of the people. 1 found no difference.
- BGrade B× 1
- CGrade C× 2
- Rows
- 3
- Trials
- 6
- People
- 1,008
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
Where they differ
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a meta-analysis of 664 people (2008) and found an improvement.
The 2 rows that found an improvement were larger: a median of 404 people, against 200 people for the row that found no difference.
Only the 2 rows that found an improvement include pooled reviews of several trials (1 of 2); the row that found no difference is a single study.
The 2 rows that found an improvement ran longer (3 to 6 months) than the row that found no difference (8 weeks).
The row that found no difference is newer (2024) than the 2 rows that found an improvement (1998 to 2008).
The best grade is B among the rows that found an improvement, and C among the row that found no difference.
The rows
2 improved · 1 no difference- BGrade BPain and function (Lequesne index) in hip or knee osteoarthritis · Improved
Meta-analysis, 4 studies · n 664 · 2008 · 4 randomised trials in hip (41%) or knee (59%) osteoarthritis
300 mg/day · 3–12 months (average 6)
Pain favoured ASU (effect size 0.39, 95% CI 0.01–0.76, I² 83.5%) as did the Lequesne index (effect size 0.45, 0.21–0.70). Responders: odds ratio 2.19, number needed to treat 6 (4–21). Results favoured knee over hip.
Row on the Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU) page · PubMed 18042410 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CFunction and pain in knee or hip osteoarthritis · Improved
RCT · n 144 · 1998 · 164 adults with knee (114) or hip (50) osteoarthritis; 144 evaluable at 6 months
Not stated in the abstract · 6 months, plus 2-month follow-up
Lequesne index fell from 9.7 to 6.8 with ASU vs 9.4 to 8.9 with placebo (P < 0.001); pain fell from 56.1 to 35.3 mm vs 56.1 to 45.7 mm (P = 0.003). Success rate 39% vs 18%; effects persisted 2 months after stopping.
Row on the Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU) page · PubMed 9433873 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CKnee pain and function versus glucosamine sulfate · No difference
RCT · n 200 · 2024 · Adults with knee osteoarthritis (Vietnam), mean age 58.5
300 mg/day · 8 weeks
Pain (VAS) fell from 49.3 to 37.6 mm at 4 weeks and 25.3 mm at 8 weeks with Piascledine. Glucosamine improved VAS and WOMAC more at 4 weeks; by 8 weeks the groups did not differ. Side effects in 16.0% (nausea 10.0%); BMI and lipids were not meaningfully changed.
Row on the Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU) page · PubMed 39981153 (opens PubMed)