New research has found an association between taking glucosamine, a popular over-the-counter supplement used for joint pain, and a higher likelihood of progressing from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease.
Published in Nature Metabolism, the University of Florida (UF) study combined a large retrospective analysis of patient records with spatial multiomics of post-mortem human brain tissue and experiments in Alzheimer’s disease mouse models.
The team used artificial intelligence to comb deidentified UF Health records from 2012 to 2024 for patients diagnosed with either Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, known as ADRD, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). They found that around 8% of patients in each group had documented glucosamine use. After controlling for age, gender and demographics, the analysis showed that glucosamine use was associated with a 25% higher likelihood of progression from MCI to ADRD.
The researchers also found that taking glucosamine was associated with a 25% increase in mortality risk among ADRD patients. For the MCI group, there was no such impact, suggesting the impact of glucosamine may be greater in patients with established dementia, they said.
