— Review of Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM Supplements Published —

WHITE PLAINS, NY — November 2, 2003 — ConsumerLab.com today announced test results for supplements used in treating osteoarthritis that contain glucosamine, chondroitin, and/or MSM. These ingredients accounted for $790 million in product sales in 2002 according to Nutrition Business Journal and are also popular supplements for pets. Several combination products were found to be low in chondroitin — a particularly expensive ingredient. Two products for use by people contained less than 20% and 85%, respectively, of the expected chondroitin. Even more shocking, two pet supplements had no detectable chondroitin despite a "guaranteed analysis" on the label of each showing significant chondroitin.

"The problem of 'missing chondroitin' is one that we first identified three years ago looking at products for human use," said Tod Cooperman, M.D., ConsumerLab.com's President. "Most manufacturers seem to be doing a better job now with products for people, but pet owners seem particularly at-risk for getting ripped-off." In conjunction with its ongoing testing of supplements for human use, ConsumerLab.com now intends to evaluate other popular types of pet vitamins and supplements.

The Review can be found at www.consumerlab.com/results/gluco.asp and includes results for 49 products, of which 6 are for pets. 26 of the products were selected by ConsumerLab.com and 23 others are included for having passed the same evaluation through ConsumerLab.com's Voluntary Certification Program. The Review also provides information on how to best choose and use these supplements. Subscription is required for the full report. Products containing another ingredient used for osteoarthritis as well as depression — SAMe — will be published this month. Other Reviews soon to be released include lutein and CoQ10.

ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. The company is privately held and based in White Plains, New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products. ConsumerLab.com is affiliated with PharmacyChecker.com (www.pharmacychecker.com), an evaluator of online pharmacies. Subscription to Consumerlab.com is available online. For group subscriptions, Technical Reports, or product testing contact Lisa Sabin, Vice President for Business Development, at lisa.sabin@consumerlab.com.