Daijiworld Media Network - New York

New York, Jun 13: Regular use of glucosamine, a widely used over-the-counter supplement for joint pain, may increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia progression, according to a major study published in the journal Nature Metabolism.

Researchers analysed medical records of nearly 60,000 patients with varying degrees of cognitive impairment collected between 2012 and 2024 and found that regular glucosamine use was associated with a 25 per cent higher likelihood of progressing from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.

The study also found that among patients already diagnosed with dementia, glucosamine use was linked to a 25 per cent higher risk of death during the study period.

However, researchers noted that no such effect was observed among individuals with only mild cognitive impairment, suggesting that the supplement's impact may be more pronounced in patients with established dementia.

Further laboratory experiments conducted on animals indicated that glucosamine may worsen a harmful brain process known as hyperglycosylation. The condition involves abnormal attachment of sugar molecules to proteins in the brain, potentially disrupting critical neurological functions and accelerating disease progression.

Study co-author Matt Gentry of the University of Florida said the findings raise important questions for clinicians and researchers.

“The electronic health record data are very provocative. While it's an association and not proof of causality, it does raise an important clinical question that now deserves much more attention,” Gentry said.

A commentary accompanying the study suggested that glycosylation may represent a potential therapeutic target in efforts to combat dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.

In a separate study, researchers reported that moderate screen time may actually help children recover more quickly from concussions.

The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that limited daily screen use during the first three days after a concussion was associated with faster recovery compared to complete avoidance of screens.

Researchers monitored 80 adolescents with concussions using wearable devices that objectively measured out-of-school screen use, including smartphones, televisions, computers, tablets and gaming devices.

The findings showed that a median of 141 minutes of screen time per day was associated with a 35 per cent faster recovery compared to 260 minutes of daily screen exposure.

Study leader Jingzhen Ginger Yang of Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio said both excessive and very limited screen time appeared to be linked with slower symptom resolution.

“Moderate screen time — not too little or too much — may support concussion recovery,” Yang said.

The study also found that the type of screen use mattered. Approximately two hours of smartphone or television use daily was associated with quicker recovery, while time spent on computers, tablets and gaming devices showed no significant impact on recovery speed.

Co-author Dr Thomas Pommering said the findings challenge previous recommendations that advised complete avoidance of screens following a concussion.

Researchers stressed that further clinical trials are needed, but said the results could help shape future concussion treatment guidelines.