diff --git a/src/extractor.rs b/src/extractor.rs
index 47c944b..045608a 100644
--- a/src/extractor.rs
+++ b/src/extractor.rs
@@ -43,13 +43,32 @@ impl TextLine {
             if i == 0 {
                 result.push_str(text);
             } else {
+                let prev_item = &self.items[i - 1];
+
                 // Don't add space before/after hyphens for hyphenated words
                 let prev_ends_with_hyphen = result.ends_with('-');
                 let curr_is_hyphen = text.trim() == "-";
                 let curr_starts_with_hyphen = text.starts_with('-');
 
-                if prev_ends_with_hyphen || curr_is_hyphen || curr_starts_with_hyphen {
-                    // No space for hyphenated words
+                // Detect subscript/superscript: smaller font size and/or Y offset
+                // Subscripts/superscripts are typically 60-80% of normal font size
+                // and have a vertical offset of 1-3 points
+                let font_ratio = item.font_size / prev_item.font_size;
+                let reverse_font_ratio = prev_item.font_size / item.font_size;
+                let y_diff = (item.y - prev_item.y).abs();
+
+                // Current item is subscript/superscript (smaller than previous)
+                let is_sub_super = font_ratio < 0.85 && y_diff > 1.0;
+                // Previous item was subscript/superscript (returning to normal size)
+                let was_sub_super = reverse_font_ratio < 0.85 && y_diff > 1.0;
+
+                if prev_ends_with_hyphen
+                    || curr_is_hyphen
+                    || curr_starts_with_hyphen
+                    || is_sub_super
+                    || was_sub_super
+                {
+                    // No space for hyphenated words or subscript/superscript
                     result.push_str(text);
                 } else {
                     result.push(' ');
diff --git a/src/tables.rs b/src/tables.rs
index e235ef7..8ffc892 100644
--- a/src/tables.rs
+++ b/src/tables.rs
@@ -123,8 +123,9 @@ fn detect_table_in_region(items: &[(usize, &TextItem)]) -> Option<Table> {
         return None;
     }
 
-    // Build the table grid
-    let mut cells: Vec<Vec<String>> = vec![vec![String::new(); columns.len()]; rows.len()];
+    // Build the table grid - first collect items per cell, then join properly
+    let mut cell_items: Vec<Vec<Vec<&TextItem>>> =
+        vec![vec![Vec::new(); columns.len()]; rows.len()];
     let mut item_indices = Vec::new();
 
     for (idx, item) in items {
@@ -132,14 +133,26 @@ fn detect_table_in_region(items: &[(usize, &TextItem)]) -> Option<Table> {
         let row = find_row_index(&rows, item.y);
 
         if let (Some(col), Some(row)) = (col, row) {
-            if !cells[row][col].is_empty() {
-                cells[row][col].push(' ');
-            }
-            cells[row][col].push_str(item.text.trim());
+            cell_items[row][col].push(item);
             item_indices.push(*idx);
         }
     }
 
+    // Sort items within each cell by X position and join with subscript-aware spacing
+    let mut cells: Vec<Vec<String>> = Vec::with_capacity(rows.len());
+    for row_items in &mut cell_items {
+        let mut row_cells = Vec::with_capacity(columns.len());
+        for col_items in row_items.iter_mut() {
+            // Sort by X position
+            col_items.sort_by(|a, b| a.x.partial_cmp(&b.x).unwrap_or(std::cmp::Ordering::Equal));
+
+            // Join items with subscript-aware spacing
+            let text = join_cell_items(col_items);
+            row_cells.push(text);
+        }
+        cells.push(row_cells);
+    }
+
     // Validation 1: most rows should have content in first column
     let rows_with_first_col = cells.iter().filter(|row| !row[0].is_empty()).count();
     if rows_with_first_col < rows.len() / 2 {
@@ -300,6 +313,54 @@ fn find_row_index(rows: &[f32], y: f32) -> Option<usize> {
         .map(|(idx, _)| idx)
 }
 
+/// Join cell items with subscript/superscript-aware spacing
+/// Same logic as TextLine::text() but for table cells
+fn join_cell_items(items: &[&TextItem]) -> String {
+    let mut result = String::new();
+
+    for (i, item) in items.iter().enumerate() {
+        let text = item.text.trim();
+        if text.is_empty() {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        if result.is_empty() {
+            result.push_str(text);
+        } else {
+            let prev_item = items[i - 1];
+
+            // Don't add space before/after hyphens
+            let prev_ends_with_hyphen = result.ends_with('-');
+            let curr_is_hyphen = text == "-";
+            let curr_starts_with_hyphen = text.starts_with('-');
+
+            // Detect subscript/superscript: smaller font size and/or Y offset
+            let font_ratio = item.font_size / prev_item.font_size;
+            let reverse_font_ratio = prev_item.font_size / item.font_size;
+            let y_diff = (item.y - prev_item.y).abs();
+
+            // Current item is subscript/superscript (smaller than previous)
+            let is_sub_super = font_ratio < 0.85 && y_diff > 1.0;
+            // Previous item was subscript/superscript (returning to normal size)
+            let was_sub_super = reverse_font_ratio < 0.85 && y_diff > 1.0;
+
+            if prev_ends_with_hyphen
+                || curr_is_hyphen
+                || curr_starts_with_hyphen
+                || is_sub_super
+                || was_sub_super
+            {
+                result.push_str(text);
+            } else {
+                result.push(' ');
+                result.push_str(text);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    result
+}
+
 /// Format a table as markdown
 pub fn table_to_markdown(table: &Table) -> String {
     if table.cells.is_empty() || table.cells[0].is_empty() {