Millions Take This Joint Supplement but Scientists Found a Concerning Alzheimer’s Link

Key Points:

• University of Florida researchers found that glucosamine, a common joint supplement, is associated with a 25% increased risk of progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia and a higher mortality risk in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).
• The study analyzed medical records of thousands of patients and used brain imaging in both humans and mouse models, revealing that glucosamine may exacerbate Alzheimer’s progression by overactivating a metabolic pathway responsible for attaching sugar molecules to proteins in the brain.
• Experimental results showed that glucosamine worsened social memory deficits in genetically modified mice, while reducing the sugar-attachment process improved memory, supporting the hypothesis that this metabolic abnormality contributes to Alzheimer’s disease progression.
• Researchers caution that the findings show association but not causation, emphasizing the need for clinical trials to confirm the results and suggesting that altered metabolism could be a new therapeutic target alongside traditional approaches focused on Alzheimer’s plaques and tangles.
• The study highlights the potential risks of widespread glucosamine use among older adults with cognitive impairment and calls for further investigation into how this supplement may affect neurodegenerative diseases.