A common joint supplement, glucosamine, might be linked to a faster progression of Alzheimer's disease, according to groundbreaking research from the University of Florida. The study indicates that individuals with mild cognitive impairment who took glucosamine were more likely to develop dementia compared to those who didn't.
Researchers discovered evidence suggesting that glucosamine could interfere with crucial brain processes already impacted by Alzheimer's. The findings, published in Nature Metabolism, analyzed extensive patient health records alongside advanced imaging of human brain tissue and mouse models.
While the study doesn't definitively prove glucosamine causes dementia and awaits clinical trial confirmation, it highlights the growing understanding of how metabolic issues contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. "Millions of people are taking an over-the-counter supplement that could potentially worsen their disease progression," stated senior author Ramon Sun, Ph.D.
The research team analyzed deidentified health records from 2012 to 2024, focusing on patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). They found glucosamine use was associated with a 25% higher chance of MCI patients developing dementia and a 25% increased mortality risk in those already diagnosed with ADRD.
Further investigation pointed to an overactive protein and sugar-tagging pathway in Alzheimer's brains, potentially offering a new target for treatments. Experiments with mice showed that glucosamine worsened memory deficits and increased sugar molecule attachment to proteins, effects that improved when this sugar-tagging activity was chemically reduced.
Examination of human brain tissue revealed significantly higher levels of sugar attachment to proteins in Alzheimer's samples compared to healthy controls. "The Alzheimer's brain is adding too many of these sugar structures, and this seems to contribute to the disease rather than protect against it," explained co-author Matt Gentry, Ph.D.
