I have done much research on the New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussel (Perna canaliculus) and know of it's outstanding benefits for the joints, particularly the knees and elbows. I have been taking a proprietary "joint health formula" for more than two years now. This formula costs about $56 per bottle with shipping (one month's worth). It has 23 ingredients listed with the first three being the less costly glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. The two more costly (and most likely important) ingredients are Green-Lipped Mussel, which is #18 listed and Hyaluronic Acid, which is # 23 listed. A serving of this blend is 1370 mg and I'd bet that at least 1000 mg of this consists of these first three cheaper ingredients. Any way one looks at it there can't be much Green-Lipped Mussel or Hyaluronic Acid in it. I have also researched many other of these so-called proprietary formulas, for tendon support, for hair and skin support, for boosting testosterone, the list goes on and on. Most of them are very beneficial, I believe. However, when analyzed for the key ingredients most of them actually contain very little for the money one is paying for them. It is much more economical to purchase and take the key ingredients separately. I have found that, on average, these key ingredients separately are 1/4 to 1/2 the cost, milligram-for-milligram, compared to the "proprietary formulas." One does indeed pay through the nose for the convenience of taking these special formulas in one pill. By the way, good daily doses of the Green-Lipped Mussel from iHerb along with Hyaluronic Acid, glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM do wonders for the joints. Even at 57 years I am still an avid bodybuilder and am very tough on myself but I have no problems whatsoever with my joints. Hope this is helpful to some of you.