Glucosamine, a popular joint supplement, linked to faster Alzheimer’s progression

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🗞️ Driving the news: A large University of Florida analysis has linked glucosamine use with faster progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, raising questions about the safety of the widely used joint supplement for people at risk of Alzheimer’s disease

🔭 The context: Researchers analysed deidentified health records from 2012 to 2024 and found that glucosamine use was associated with a 25% higher likelihood of mild cognitive impairment progressing to dementia
• Among people already diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, glucosamine use was also associated with a 25% higher mortality risk
• Separate mouse and human brain-tissue experiments suggested glucosamine may intensify an abnormal process in which sugar structures attach excessively to proteins in the Alzheimer’s brain

🌍 Why it matters: Glucosamine is widely available over the counter and commonly used by older adults, meaning even a modest adverse effect could be relevant for a large population
• The researchers stress that the health-record analysis shows an association rather than causation, and other differences between supplement users and non-users could help explain the results
• The findings also add to evidence that altered metabolism may play a more direct role in neurodegenerative disease than previously understood

⏭️ What’s next: Researchers say controlled human clinical trials are needed to determine whether glucosamine directly accelerates Alzheimer’s progression and which patients, if any, may be particularly vulnerable

📈 One stat: Glucosamine use was associated with a 25% higher likelihood of mild cognitive impairment progressing to dementia

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