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Glucosamine linked to faster Alzheimer's progression, study finds
Fox News • • health
Key Points:
- A University of Florida study published in Nature Metabolism found that glucosamine use in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is linked to a 25% increased risk of progression to dementia, though it did not affect mortality risk in this group.
- Researchers discovered that glucosamine may increase glycosylation—attachment of sugar chains to proteins—in Alzheimer’s-affected brains, potentially disrupting nerve cell communication and worsening cognitive decline.
- In mouse models, glucosamine worsened memory performance only in those with Alzheimer’s-like disease, while having no effect on healthy mice, suggesting its impact differs between healthy and diseased brains.
- The study is observational and limited by reliance on medical records that may not capture all supplement use details; it cannot prove causation, and experts call for controlled clinical trials to confirm findings.
- Researchers advise patients with cognitive impairment or dementia to consult their doctors about glucosamine use, but the study does not suggest risk for cognitively healthy individuals taking glucosamine for joint health.
