June 17, 2026
Washington, D.C. — The Natural Products Association (NPA), the nation’s leading trade association representing the natural products industry, issued a statement in response to a study published in Nature Metabolism on the relationship between glucosamine supplementation and the accelerated progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease.
The study disclosed preliminary results that require validation in a human clinical trial and omitted a number of key confounding factors. The findings by University of Florida neuroscientists were based on a retrospective analysis of electronic health records from patients with Alzheimer’s disease and supporting data from advanced imaging technology used to scan human brain specimens and Alzheimer’s disease mouse models.
“There is no conclusive evidence that glucosamine dietary supplements increase the likelihood of death within a specific time frame or accelerate progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease,” said NPA President and CEO Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D. “The researchers’ analysis of patients’ electronic health records does not establish causality, and they did not account for hidden variables or confounding factors, such as diets high in ultra-processed foods or advanced glycation end products (AGEs).”
Foods high in AGEs — typically heavily cooked, browned, or highly processed meats and fats — contribute to oxidative stress and promote protein clumping in the brain found in Alzheimer’s patients.
“While the analysis controlled for age, sex and demographics, the study leaves too many unanswered questions about variables other than glucosamine supplements that may have contributed to a progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia,” Dr. Fabricant said. “This includes but is not limited to frequent consumption of ultra-processed, sugary foods, which are theorized to accelerate the type of metabolic defect described in the study. Until human clinical research is conducted to eliminate such confounders, we urge consumers of glucosamine supplements to be circumspect about the study’s preliminary findings.”
