Glucosamine, the joint supplement many older adults take every morning, was linked to a faster slide from mild memory problems to dementia in new University of Florida Health research. The researchers say this is an association, not proof that glucosamine causes dementia, and they are not advising anyone to stop taking it on this basis. If you take glucosamine, talk with your doctor before you change any supplement or medicine; this article is not medical advice.
Story Highlights
- UF Health released the findings Sunday, September 27; the full paper appears in the journal Nature Metabolism.
- Among patients with mild memory problems, glucosamine users had a 25% higher chance of moving on to dementia.
- The researchers stress the patient-record finding is an association, not proof that glucosamine causes dementia.
- They do not advise stopping glucosamine on this basis; talk to your doctor before changing any supplement or medicine.
What the new study found and why it matters
Glucosamine is sold without a prescription and is especially popular with older adults, who take it for joint discomfort and joint health. The researchers wanted to learn whether it changes the course of Alzheimer’s disease. They studied UF Health patient records from 2012 to 2024 for people with mild cognitive impairment and for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. About 8% of each group took glucosamine: 2,750 people with mild memory problems and 1,896 people with dementia.
Among people with mild cognitive impairment, glucosamine use was associated with a 25% higher chance of progressing to dementia. Among people who already had dementia, it was associated with a 25% higher risk of death. The team found no link to death in the group with mild memory problems. “A lot of these people actively take an over-the-counter supplement that could be making their disease progression worse,” said senior author Ramon Sun, Ph.D., of the University of Florida.
What the lab work showed
The team also ran lab tests. Glucosamine sharply increased the attachment of sugar pieces to proteins inside cells. Mice given glucosamine developed worse problems with “social memory.” When the researchers blocked that sugar-attachment process, memory improved. Brain tissue from people with Alzheimer’s disease also showed much more of this sugar attachment than tissue from people without the disease. The lab work and the patient records point the same way, which is why the researchers want a closer look.
What the study does and does not prove
Sun called the patient-record data “very provocative.” He added, “While it’s an association and not proof of causality, it does raise an important clinical question.” The authors state that the record findings do not show that glucosamine itself causes dementia to progress. Patient records show who took the supplement and what happened to them. They do not show why. A supplement industry trade group has issued a response to the research.
Earlier studies found different results. One study of 494,814 people in the UK Biobank linked regular glucosamine use with a lower risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Another found a lower risk of vascular dementia but no link to Alzheimer’s disease. A third found no link to new cases of dementia. Studies built in different ways, on different groups of people, can reach different answers.
What to do if you take glucosamine
The researchers say their findings do not establish that people should stop taking the supplement. If you take glucosamine, or care for someone who does, talk with a doctor before starting, stopping or changing any supplement or medicine. A doctor knows your full health history and can weigh joint pain against other risks. It helps to bring a list of every supplement and medicine you take, with the dose for each.
Because glucosamine is sold without a prescription, a doctor may not know a patient takes it unless the patient says so. That makes the conversation worth having, especially for anyone already dealing with memory changes. This article shares what the researchers reported. It is for information only and is not medical advice.
What to watch next
The researchers say a controlled human clinical trial is needed to learn whether glucosamine directly speeds up Alzheimer’s disease and, if so, which patients may be most at risk. A trial like that would confirm who takes the supplement and track memory over time. It would give patients and doctors a clearer answer than patient records can. Until then, the finding is a signal for patients and their doctors to talk about together.
Sources:
sciencedaily.com, ufhealth.org, nmi.health, npanational.org