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

Date: September 27, 2026 Source: UF Health Summary: A large health-record analysis found that glucosamine use was associated with a 25% higher likelihood of mild cognitive impairment progressing to dementia. Lab experiments suggest the popular joint supplement may intensify an abnormal sugar-tagging process in the Alzheimer’s brain, although researchers say clinical trials are needed to determine whether it actually causes harm. Share: Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email FULL STORY A popular joint supplement was linked to faster progression toward dementia, raising new questions about glucosamine’s effects on the Alzheimer’s brain. Credit: Shutterstock A widely used supplement for joint pain has been linked to a potentially concerning outcome in people with early cognitive problems. Researchers at the University of Florida found that glucosamine use was associated with a greater likelihood that mild cognitive impairment would progress to dementia. Mild cognitive impairment, often shortened to MCI, describes measurable problems with memory or thinking that are greater than expected with normal aging but do not necessarily interfere substantially with everyday life. The findings come from a large retrospective analysis of patient health records, supported 's disease. The results remain preliminary and will need to be tested in a human clinical trial, but the researchers say they add to growing evidence that disrupted metabolism may play an important role in neurodegeneration. The study was published in Nature Metabolism. A Popular Supplement Comes Under Scrutiny "In the United States, there are about 7 million people living with Alzheimer's and millions more with related dementias such as Lewy body or frontotemporal dementia," said senior author Ramon Sun, Ph. D., director of the Center for Advanced Spatial Biomolecule Research and associate director for innovation of UF's McKnight Brain Institute. "A lot of these people actively take an over-the-counter supplement that could be making their disease progression worse." Glucosamine is widely sold without a prescription and is especially popular among older adults who take it for joint discomfort and joint health. Because of how commonly it is used, the researchers wanted to know whether it might influence Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, known as ADRD. Working with Yi Guo, Ph. D., and Jiang Bian, Ph. D., the team used artificial intelligence to analyze deidentified UF Health records collected from 2012 to 2024. The researchers focused on patients diagnosed with either ADRD or mild cognitive impairment, or MCI. In both groups, 8% of patients reported using glucosamine. That included 1,896 people with ADRD and 2,750 people with MCI.