Popular pain supplement linked to faster Alzheimer’s decline - and death

Key Points:

• New research published in Nature Metabolism suggests that glucosamine supplements, commonly used for joint pain, may accelerate cognitive decline and increase mortality risk by 25% within five years in Alzheimer's patients.
• The study found glucosamine worsened memory in mice with Alzheimer's-like symptoms and increased progression from mild cognitive impairment to full Alzheimer's in humans.
• Alzheimer's disease involves abnormal sugar buildup (hyperglycosylation) on brain cells and proteins, disrupting their function and contributing to cognitive decline; blocking sugar-producing enzymes showed improvements in dementia symptoms.
• Previous studies linked glucosamine use to lower dementia risk in cognitively healthy adults, but this new study only shows an association, not causation, between glucosamine and worsening dementia in those already affected.
• Some experts argue that chronic arthritis pain, not glucosamine, may drive cognitive decline, emphasizing the importance of effective pain management to reduce Alzheimer's risk; ongoing research is investigating compounds that block sugar buildup in the brain.