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New research ties glucosamine, a popular supplement used for joint pain, to faster dementia progression. Glucosamine may influence a process called glycosylation, which affects how neurons communicate.Doctors say more research is needed before any real-world recommendations can be drawn. <\/p>\n
So it\u2019s not exactly surprising that plenty of people are turning to supplements like glucosamine to try to ease discomfort and protect their joints.<\/p>\n But new research might have you thinking twice before walking down the supplement aisle: Glucosamine may have ties to the progression of dementia, as a new study published in Nature Metabolism<\/a> suggests.<\/p>\n This could be particularly important, since glucosamine is \u201cone of the most popular supplements among older adults,\u201d says Ramon C. Sun, Ph.D.<\/a>, study co-author and professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Florida College of Medicine. Here\u2019s what could be behind the link\u2014plus what doctors suggest you do with your supplements as a result of these findings.<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Clifford Segil, D.O<\/a>., a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center; Ramon C. Sun, Ph.D.<\/a>, study co-author and professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Florida College of Medicine.<\/p>\n What did the study find?<\/p>\n The research relied on an analysis of patient health records, along with supporting data from studying mice and human brain tissue. For the first part, the researchers analyzed the health records of people who visited University of Florida Health facilities between 2012 and 2024, zeroing in on patients who were diagnosed with Alzheimer\u2019s disease and related dementias (ADRD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Overall, 8% of patients in both groups reported using glucosamine, which translated to 1,896 people with ADRD and 2,750 people with MCI.<\/p>\n After crunching the numbers, the researchers discovered that people with mild cognitive impairment who took glucosamine were 25% more likely to progress to dementia<\/a>. And those who already had Alzheimer\u2019s disease or related dementias and used glucosamine were 25% more likely to die during the 10-year analysis period.<\/p>\n From there, the researchers studied genetically modified mice and discovered that glucosamine increased a process called glycosylation, in which chains of certain sugars called glycans attach to proteins inside cells. It\u2019s an important process in the brain, since it plays a role in how neurons communicate; this in turn affects learning and memory<\/a>.<\/p>\n The increase was associated with worse memory, and when the researchers suppressed that process, the mice\u2019s memory improved. Finally, the researchers looked at the brain tissue of people with Alzheimer\u2019s disease and discovered that they had higher levels of glycosylation than people without Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n Ultimately, the researchers concluded that the process of glycosylation\u2014which is a normal part of functioning\u2014becomes overactive when someone has Alzheimer\u2019s disease or related dementias. Then when you add in glucosamine, it seems to fuel the disease, according to Sun.<\/p>\n What is glucosamine?<\/p>\n Glucosamine helps your body make molecules called glycosaminoglycans, which are part of cartilage, the flexible tissue that protects your joints and bones, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health<\/a> (NCCIH). In supplements, glucosamine is usually paired with chondroitin, another component found in cartilage.<\/p>\n
Nearly 59 million<\/a> Americans have been diagnosed with arthritis<\/a>, a condition that causes joint pain and stiffness. And that might actually be an undercount: A huge chunk of adults have joint pain<\/a> but haven\u2019t received an official diagnosis, putting estimates for the condition about 68% higher than we thought, per research<\/a> in Arthritis & Rheumatology.<\/p>\n
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